Communications Officer

**Communications Officer**
- ** Permanent Full-Time Position**:

- ** Career Growth, Development Opportunities and Stability**:

- ** Free travel across Victoria (free myki card)**
- V/Line’s purpose is to connect Victorians through safe, reliable, and accessible transport. We believe in giving all Victorians opportunities through travel and transport - connecting them to jobs, education, family and friends, services, tourism and trade._
- V/Line is experiencing significant growth and we’re delivering more services, more trains, cheaper fares, and huge projects. With more than 3700 weekly train and coach services, an expansive freight network and unprecedented rail investment, millions of Victorians depend on us to deliver. You could be one of our 3100 committed team members who are up to the challenge._

**About the role**

As the **Communications Officer**, you are integral to the success of V/Line’s **Corporate Affairs Group**.

As the operational group of the Office of the CEO, the role of **Corporate Affairs** is to protect and promote V/Line’s reputation by providing trusted strategic and tactical advice to the CEO and Executive Leadership Team, proactively promoting, and supporting V/Line’s groups in recognising and managing issues that may impact our brand and reputation and influencing government policy and initiatives as they relate to V/Line.

As well as performing duties specified in this position description an employee, may be required to undertake other duties or functions consistent with their classification, capabilities, and skills.

**Key accountabilities include**:

- Plan, develop, obtain approval for and distribute V/Line planned disruption communications within a set timeframe and using multiple channels, including on-network collateral, digital platforms, announcement scripts, works notifications and paid advertising if required.
- Support the Head of Communications in writing strategic communications plans for major planned disruptions that include a detailed risk and mitigation analysis.
- Support the Head of Communications in identifying customer communications tactics that can help mitigate potential issues or risks related to planned disruptions.
- Prepare and distribute staff briefs to ensure customer service staff at V/Line, Metro Trains and the PTV call centre are informed of planned service changes on the train and coach network.
- Manage multiple competing deadlines and be able to prioritise time critical work when it arises.
- Proactively build and maintain strong relationships within V/Line, including with customer operations staff.
- Develop strong working relationships with external stakeholders, including operational staff and communications teams at Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM), the Department of
- Transport and Planning (DTP), Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) and other agencies.
- Be aware of and work within financial and operational requirements.
- Be aware of relevant business and team strategies and, in conjunction with the Head of Communications, assist with their implementation.
- Participate in business improvement programs as required.

**About you**

The **Communications Officer** reports into the **Head of Communications** and partners with teams from across V/Line to develop and deliver communication strategies and campaigns that inform our people about our strategic priorities, new initiatives, organisational changes and the impact of our work.

This includes communications for all planned disruptions on the V/Line network, which includes but is not limited to maintenance works, project upgrades, special events and public holiday timetables.
- Tertiary or other education, which could be considered equivalent, relevant work experience.
- Experience in communications.
- Able to develop timely and accurate communications materials, demonstrating attention to detail and able to present complex information in a clear and engaging way, across a range of formats.
- Excellent verbal and interpersonal communication skills, including demonstrated ability to collaborate with a diverse range of stakeholders.
- Strong writing and editing skills.
- To improve customer satisfaction by reducing the amount of complaints relating to customer communications during service disruptions
- Deliver timely and accurate communication to staff and customers for an increasing number of planned disruptions on the V/Line network.
- Effectively communicate complex planned disruptions in a clear and concise way.
- Adaptable communication style with ability to adapt to the audience.
- Innovative and driven to proactively implement improvements based on feedback, metrics, and best practice.
- Exceptional interpersonal skills to build relationships within the team and key stakeholders
- Organised with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
- Demonstrated alignment with V/Line’s values of responsiveness, integrity, impartiality, accountability, respect, leaders