Communications Officer

**About the Department**:
The Department of Education is dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse workforce that reflects the community and schools we support by treating everyone with respect and dignity. This starts with recruitment and selection. The methods of assessing suitability in the recruitment process may vary. This includes making reasonable adjustments to support applicants at all stages of the process and employee lifecycle.
**About the Role**:
The Strategic Communication & Engagement (SCE) branch is responsible for the department's corporate communications, sponsorship and events as well as media and social media. Services provided by SCE ensure that the department has a strategic corporate communications framework and consistent approach to engaging with schools, members of the community, the media, business, and other government agencies.
The role is located in central Brisbane, and reports to the Manager, Media. No two days are the same in the media team as it handles multiple media enquiries each day and responds to emerging issues as well as supporting senior executives with communications needs.The media team provides a seven day a week service and so some after hours and on call work may be required for this position, as well as some travel away from base.
**Responsibilities include**:

- As the Communications Officer you will research, write and edit a range of communication materials including speeches, media releases, media responses and articles as well as contributions to departmental publications.
- The role involves preparing and gaining approval for responses to media enquiries within tight deadlines.
- Media team members also prepare, distribute, coordinate and promote departmental news and events via various channels and media including print, web, radio, TV and multimedia.
- The Communications Officer provides policy advice and assistance in implementing communications strategies, involving identifying and understanding client expectations and offering strategic public affairs advice that takes into consideration possible media implications.
- You will liaise and consult with key internal and external stakeholders to ensure enhanced communication of the branch's policies and programs across government, the department and to the public.
- Respond to multiple media enquiries daily, ensuring approvals processes followed correctly and deadlines met.
- Undertake the day to day monitoring of relevant media issues and provide advice in responding to these issues.
- Provide support to departmental officers and senior executives in managing media issues.
- Prepare and edit departmental communication to accurately represent departmental priorities.

**About You**:

- Experience in working to tight deadlines and liaising with internal and external stakeholders would be an advantage, and the ability to prioritise projects and tasks efficiently as part of a small team.

**Interested? To Apply**:

- Attach a brief resume including contact details for 2 referees (referees should have an understanding of your relevant work history).
- Attach a 1-page written statement about how your achievements and capabilities meet the requirements of the role.

We welcome all applicants to share any support needed to ensure our recruitment process is inclusive. Applications remain current for 12 months from the closing date and may be considered for appointment to identical or similar vacancies within the Department.
Applications from recruitment agencies will not be accepted.
When working in regulated employment an employee must have a current Working with Children Clearance (blue card) issued by Blue Card Services.
Salary rate shown is reflective of full-time (1.0 FTE).
The Department of Education is a family inclusive workplace. Click here to find out more about our Inclusion and Diversity strategies.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia License.