Assistant Director, Communications and Media

Australian Sports Commission; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A national sports organization in Melbourne seeks an Assistant Director of Communications and Media. You will lead strategic communication engagements and deliver media training to enhance capability within the sector. The ideal candidate has extensive media industry experience and expertise in crisis communications. This ongoing position offers flexible working arrangements and a supportive team environment.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Annual allowances towards training

Customised learning and development calendar

Generous superannuation scheme

Onsite facilities including gym and pool

Qualifications

• Extensive industry experience with demonstrated exposure to the media industry.
• Strong sector relationships with stakeholders in sports and communications.
• Demonstrated expertise in crisis communications and reputation management.
• Experience developing and delivering media training workshops.
• Strong writing and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Drive and implement the organisational communication and engagement strategy.
• Lead the development and delivery of media strategies.
• Build and maintain relationships with media and stakeholders.
• Provide advice on communication risks.
• Deliver media training workshops.
• Manage content planning for communication channels.

Skills

Crisis communications

Media relations

Public relations

Communication strategy

Media training

Stakeholder engagement

Writing skills

Digital content creation

Education

Tertiary qualifications in communications, journalism, media, or a related field

Job description

Assistant Director, Communications and Media

Add expected salary to your profile for insights

Applications close at 11:30pm AEST Friday, 10 October (late applications will not be accepted).

The Australian Sports Commission is embarking on the Green and Gold decade. An exciting time filled with international sporting competitions on home soil, including the Men’s and Women’s Rugby World Cup, and culminating in the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We have an ambitious new Strategic Vision and we need the best players on our team to help us deliver real results for the sporting sector and all Australians.

Are you up for the challenge?

About the team – The Communications and Media team leads external and internal communications as well as social media for the ASC to maintain our reputation and position as the leading national voice for sport in Australia. We aim to lead, advocate and support stakeholders to inspire an active Australia.

About the role – As a senior member of the Communications and Media team, the Assistant Director will have an outward facing role that leads the engagement and delivery of strategic communication support to a range of stakeholders. This includes overseeing media relations, digital content, capability building, and issues management.

This role has a particular focus on crisis communications preparedness and response, as well as developing and delivering media training to build the capability athletes, senior leads and communications staff across the sector.

In consultation with the Director, Communications and Media, you’ll be asked to drive and implement the organisations’ strategic agenda to help achieve key outcomes.

Key responsibilities include:

• Drive and implement the organisational communication and engagement strategy across traditional and digital platforms.
• Lead the development and delivery of proactive and responsive media strategies, including crisis and issues management protocols.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with media, government, sports organisations, athletes, coaches, and administrators.
• Provide strategic advice and support to executives and program leaders on reputational issues, messaging, and communication risks.
• Deliver media training workshops to enhance internal and sector-wide communication capability.
• Oversee content planning and development for digital and internal communication channels.
• Analyse digital performance and media coverage, and provide actionable insights to senior leadership.
• Manage external contracts and services such as media monitoring and distribution.
• Promote an audience-centred approach to communications and champion high-quality digital engagement.
• Foster collaboration across business units and lead cross-functional projects to meet strategic goals.
• Uphold and model the ASC values and contribute to a high-performing, inclusive team culture.

About you – We are looking for a motivated individual with excellent attention to detail and the ability to work within a creative communications team. The successful candidate will have:

• Extensive industry experience with demonstrated exposure to the media industry from multiple perspectives (e.g., journalism, public relations, broadcast, sport communications).
• Strong sector relationships with athletes, administrators, coaches, media and key sporting stakeholders — highly desirable.
• Demonstrated expertise in crisis communications, media relations, and reputation management in complex or high-pressure environments.
• Experience developing and delivering media training workshops to a range of audiences.
• Tertiary qualifications in communications, journalism, media, or a related field, with senior-level experience.
• Strong writing and verbal communication skills across platforms and audiences.
• Proven ability to lead, influence, and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to manage high workloads, competing deadlines, and complex issues with sound judgment and strategic foresight.

This position is offered as a ONGOING position.

Why work with us?
The ASC offices are located in Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney. Across all locations, we offer:

• Options for flexible working arrangements.
• Annual allowances towards training based on individualised career goals.
• Access to a customised ASC L&D calendar for ongoing professional and career development.
• Generous superannuation scheme with up to 15.4% employer contributions.
• Access to Clearinghouse for Sport, an information sharing platform for Sporting professionals.

Additionally, our Canberra campus offers:

• Free onsite parking
• Onsite facilities including café, dining hall, gym, and swimming pool.
• Priority placement for your children to access the award winning, onsite AIS Caretaker’s Cottage Childcare Centre.

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please contact:

• Contact Officer: Leigh Meyrick, Director, Communications and Media

Acknowledgement of Country
The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands where its offices are located, the Ngunnawal people and recognises any other people or families with connection to the lands of the ACT and region, the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people of the Kulin Nation, the people of the Yugambeh Nation and the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. The ASC extends this acknowledgment to all the Traditional Custodians of the lands and First Nations peoples throughout Australia and would like to pay respects to all Elders past and present. The ASC recognises the outstanding contribution that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples make to society and sport in Australia and celebrates the power of sport to promote reconciliation and reduce inequality.

If you would like to learn more about this opportunity or to obtain the job description, click 'Apply' now

Unlock job insights

Salary match Number of applicants Skills match

The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) is a corporate Commonwealth entity within the Australian Government’s Department of Health portfolio. It was established in 1985 and operates under the Australian Sports Commission Act 1989. The ASC is governed by a board of commissioners appointed by the Australian Government. The board determines the ASC’s overall direction, decides on actual allocation of resources and policy for delegated decisions, and is accountable to the Minister of Sport and to Parliament.

Source: This is an extract from the company's own website.

Who we are

The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) is a corporate Commonwealth entity within the Australian Government’s Department of Health portfolio. It was established in 1985 and operates under the Australian Sports Commission Act 1989. The ASC is governed by a board of commissioners appointed by the Australian Government. The board determines the ASC’s overall direction, decides on actual allocation of resources and policy for delegated decisions, and is accountable to the Minister of Sport and to Parliament.

Source: This is an extract from the company's own website.

To help fast track investigation, please include here any other relevant details that prompted you to report this job ad as fraudulent / misleading / discriminatory / salary below minimum wage.

Researching careers? Find all the information and tips you need on career advice.