Communications and Media Specialist

**Based at our Coburg offices with hybrid work arrangements available**#LI-Hybrid**:

- **Full time permanent role (based on 38 hours per week)**:

- **Monthly RDO**:

- **Exciting change agenda and fantastic new team**:

- **Salary: $99k - $108k + Super**:

- **Ability to transfer or take LSL (Long Service Leave) within Local Government**

**About Merri-bek City Council**:
Merri-bek City Council is a progressive council of 175,000 residents: one community, proudly diverse. Our council area sits within the banks of the Merri Creek and the Moonee Ponds Creek, and includes Brunswick, Coburg, Fawkner, Glenroy, Gowanbrae, Hadfield, Oak Park and Pascoe Vale. Our city is vibrant and energetic, known for its active community, cultural diversity, creative industries and the arts. Our long-term vision has ambitious goals for environmental sustainability, social justice, community wellbeing, and creating great places. With the Civic Centre located in Coburg, 8 kilometres north of Melbourne’s CBD, there are excellent public transport options and great food and cafés right at the doorstep.

Merri-bek Council strives to be a contemporary, innovative and collaborative organisation with a deep commitment to engaging and supporting the Merri-bek community. Our organisational vision is to be one team, brave and diverse, making a difference.

We pride ourselves on being an inclusive and welcoming workplace. We offer flexible and hybrid work options and genuinely care about providing our staff work/life balance. With the Civic Centre located in Coburg, 8 kilometres north of Melbourne’s CBD, there are excellent public transport options and great food, cafés, parks and a cinema right at the doorstep. Merri-bek is a great place to live, work and play.

**About the role**:
Merri-bek City Council is looking for a talented communications star to join the Communications team. As a high-profile metropolitan Council in Melbourne, we’re seeking a go-getter with initiative to help protect and enhance Merri-bek’s reputation by driving great communication on Council services.

You would be working in a fun and supportive team of communications professionals working in partnership with the wider organisation to achieve great outcomes for our community. This exciting opportunity also offers leadership opportunities and the chance to progress and build your career prospects.

You’ll have occasional contact with media to secure coverage and respond to enquiries, while leading some of Council’s complex communications projects within the Communications Unit.

This is a fast-paced role with a different focus every day, working as a trusted partner on projects across the organisation.

**Skills and experience required to perform the role**:

- Previous experience in leading, planning and implementing large and small communications plans and campaigns for a large organisation, with experience in government highly desirable
- Ability to communicate about complex projects and policies using creative communications that audiences engage with and respond to in a positive way.
- Working independently to achieve quality communications outcomes in tight timeframes
- Experience managing relationships with the media, responding to enquiries, preparing media releases and proactive media pitches and facilitating media launches.

**The role will involve**:

- Supporting the Strategic Communications Coordinator by delivering high quality, proactive and integrated two-way communications to inform and engage the diverse community of Merri-bek.
- Enhancing the community’s perception of Council by delivering strategic communications campaigns that are targeted effectively to reach the diverse community of Merri-bek.
- Leading, planning and delivering strategic communications plans for key complex projects delivered by Council.
- Monitoring and managing Council’s reputational risk, identifying emerging and critical communication issues and addressing these in collaboration with the Strategic Communications Coordinator.
- Working with the Strategic Communications Coordinator, facilitating an effective relationship between Council and the media by liaising with the media, preparing media releases and responding to media enquiries.

**What the role can offer**:

- Monthly RDO
- Extensive opportunities for training & career development
- Salary sacrifice options
- A real sense of work-life balance & flexible work options
- Employer-supported study assistance schemes
- Wellness programs

**Further support offered for our staff**:

- Up to 20 weeks primary & up to 5 weeks secondary parental leave
- Purchase leave
- Ceremonial leave
- Gender affirmation leave
- Family violence leave

**For further information about this position please contact Emma Hastings, Strategic Communications Coordinator, on 0407 556 101.**

**Applications close: 11:30pm, Thursday 24 April 2025.**

**How to apply**:

- Please note that some documents relating to this position may reference Moreland