PR & Communications Advisor

PR & Communications Advisor

Employment Type: Full-time, 15-month maximum term contract (Parental Leave Cover)

Location: Sydney based

Hybrid Work arrangement: 3 days in the office, 2 days per week working from home

Salary: $80,000 – $90,000 plus super

About APCO

The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) is a not-for-profit, member-based organisation helping Australia transition to a circular economy for packaging. As the co-regulator for packaging, we work with industry and government to design out waste, improve recycling systems, and drive real environmental impact.

Joining APCO means being part of a fast-paced, purpose-led team at the forefront of sustainability, policy and innovation. Our work influences national reform, supports thousands of businesses across Australia, and delivers meaningful outcomes for the environment and the community. As we continue to expand our impact, this role offers the chance to help shape the future of packaging and contribute to positive, lasting change for both industry and the planet.

The Role

The PR & Communications Advisor supports APCO's reputation, media presence and external communication through high-quality writing, proactive media engagement, and clear, consistent messaging. This is a hands-on role that drafts media releases and speeches, supports campaign announcements, monitors headlines using Meltwater/Tellum, and prepares spokesperson briefing materials.

The Advisor ensures APCO's written outputs are accurate, accessible and aligned with organisational priorities. The role also contributes to sector storytelling through member case studies and supports issues preparedness by maintaining holding statements and background notes for emerging topics.

Key Responsibilities:

• Draft high-quality media releases, news stories, speeches, blogs, opinion pieces and stakeholder updates in clear, plain English.
• Monitor media sentiment, headlines and emerging issues using Meltwater, Tellum or similar tools, preparing summaries and risk updates for APCO leaders.
• Prepare spokesperson briefing packs, including talking points, Q&As, context papers, speaker bios and interview guidance.
• Maintain and update holding statements, background notes and reactive media tools to ensure APCO can respond quickly and confidently to enquiries.
• Work with digital and brand colleagues to ensure stories are optimised for digital channels and campaign outcomes.
• Build and maintain APCO's media contact list and contribute to pitching and media enquiries.
• Conduct desktop research and benchmarking to support campaigns, media responses and program communications.
• Support story development by gathering case studies, member examples and positive success stories from the sector.
• Coordinate with relevant APCO leaders—including Member Engagement, Government Relations, ARL, Compliance and program teams—to ensure messages are accurate, sequenced and aligned.
• Maintain strong workflow organisation, including version control, approvals and document management.

We are seeking someone with:

• Experience in public relations, communications, journalism, sustainability or a related field.
• Strong writing skills, with the ability to translate technical or regulatory information into clear, engaging content.
• Understanding of media processes, story development or pitching.
• Experience using media monitoring tools or reporting on headlines, risks or sentiment.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
• A collaborative approach, and confidence working across multiple teams and priorities.
• Tertiary qualifications in Communications, Journalism, Media, Marketing or related discipline.

You will be a great candidate if you have:

• Experience drafting media releases, speeches or opinion pieces, with a confident writing style and the ability to translate complex or technical information into clear, accessible language for public audiences.
• Experience using Meltwater, Tellum or similar media monitoring tools to track headlines, identify sentiment trends, surface risks or misinformation early, and prepare clear reports or alerts for leaders.
• Confidence preparing spokesperson briefing materials, including talking points, Q&As, key messages, background notes and interview guidance that help spokespeople feel clear, prepared and on-message.
• Skill in identifying newsworthy angles and positive storytelling, such as member success stories, policy milestones or campaign moments that demonstrate value and leadership.
• Ability to manage competing deadlines and deliver polished outputs at speed, including during busy announcement periods or time-sensitive media moments.
• A proactive and solutions-focused approach, with interest in issues preparedness, including maintaining holding statements and reactive lines so APCO can respond confidently to emerging enquiries.
• Curiosity and enthusiasm for sustainability and the circular economy, and motivation to help audiences understand why APCO's work matters for industry, the community and the environment.
• Experience working in a member-based, not-for-profit, consultancy or regulatory organisation (desirable), where communication must balance accuracy, stakeholder interests and reputational considerations.

We look forward to receiving your application.