Communications Manager

APS 6 - $88,408 - $100,378 per annum plus superannuation
- Biosecurity Plant and Science Services Division
- Brisbane, QLD,Melbourne, VIC,Perth, WA,Sydney, NSW
- _Deliver communications that will help emergency responses to biosecurity pest threats to Australian agriculture and environment._
- _Work in a motivated and professional team with diverse skills to manage varied challenges._

**Who we are**
The **Biosecurity Plant and Science Services Division (BPSSD)** safeguards Australia’s plant health status to achieve, maintain and expand overseas markets, while protecting the economy and environment. The division includes four branches, which together focus on providing scientific analysis and technical advice, facilitating the safe importation of plants and plant products, improving systems, market access, capacity building and stakeholder engagement. The division provides diagnostics, with advice on biosecurity risk and measures, and biosecurity training. The division conducts surveillance and response at first points of entry and approved arrangements sites nationally, and delivers plant, animal and aquatic health surveillance in northern Australia. The division works closely with communities and Indigenous rangers and regulates biosecurity risk in the Torres Strait.

**Science and Surveillance Group (SSG)** is comprised of scientists, operations and support staff responsible for regulatory advice and training, technical input to biosecurity policy, regulation activity in Torres Strait and diverse surveillance and diagnostic services around Australia, including animal and plant health surveillance measures under the Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy.

**The Technical Response Section** undertakes management and eradication of exotic plant pests, diseases and weeds detected at or near the border, through the department’s inspection and surveillance programs. Many of these detections have the potential to cause significant economic, environmental and/or social harm. The Technical Response section liaises with other areas of the department involved in the provision of response activity.

**The Job**
The Communications manager will be responsible for raising awareness of exotic pest threats to internal and external stakeholders, leading SSG communication during responses, and contributing to communication more broadly across DAFF, including:

- providing expert communication advice
- writing articles for internal communication channels to report on response and surveillance activities
- developing awareness material for distribution to external stakeholders
- providing input to situation reports and other briefings provided to the executive and stakeholders as required
- collaborating with media and communications officers within the department and in other organisations where required
- ensuring that department communication policy and processes (e.g. design and style guides) are used in all response communications.

**Please note** that the merit pool established through this selection process, which is valid for a period of eighteen months from the date the vacancy was advertised in the Public Service Gazette, may also be used to fill future ongoing vacancies in the branch where the duties are of a similar nature.

**What we are looking for**
**Knowledge and experience**
The successful applicant will have:

- experience in the creation of communication content including writing and editing articles for a range of audiences published in print or on websites and social media channels, and media releases
- communications experience working in Incident Control Centres, or in a biosecurity pest management environment
- knowledge of the Australian Biosecurity Incident Management System (BIMS)
- experience with working to tight timeframes within busy or intense environments.

**Mandatory qualifications**
Tertiary qualifications or significant relevant experience in media and communications.