Assistant Director External Affairs

Comcare (Australian Government); Armidale; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Flexible working

Job summary

APVMA seeks an Assistant Director External Affairs to lead strategic external communications and stakeholder engagement within the Communications team. This role will drive media management, proactive communications, and collaboration with key stakeholders to promote the agency.

The position reports to the Director Engagement and Communications and focuses on shaping the agency's voice, managing complex media enquiries, and delivering strategic outcomes in a fast-paced public sector environment.

Qualifications

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in communications, media or related discipline.
• Extensive experience managing media protocols and sensitive issues.
• Experience developing and implementing stakeholder engagement plans.
• Understanding of agricultural and veterinary sectors and regulation.
• Experience communicating complex scientific matters clearly.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong interpersonal, communication and networking skills.

Responsibilities

• Drive the agency's external communications, stakeholder engagement and media management.
• Respond to complex and sensitive media enquiries and plan for future media interactions.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to support agency priorities and voice revitalisation.

Skills

Media protocols

Stakeholder engagement

Ministerial briefings

Strategic communications

Regulatory environment

Education

Tertiary qualifications in communications, media

Job description

Assistant Director External Affairs - Vacancy Details

Position:

Organisation Unit:

Location:

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Closing:

Synopsis:

• Join a world-class regulator and c ontribute to people and animal safety in Australia.
• Engage with scientific subject matter experts, manage media protocols, Ministerial briefings, stakeholder engagement and creative communication strategies for the APVMA.
• Unique potential for work-life balance with relocation assistance and flexible working.
• Open to Australian citizens only .

Position summary

Are you a highly skilled external affairs professional with extensive leadership experience in a public sector agency? Do communication strategies, stakeholder engagement and media management excite you?

The APVMA’s Office of the Executive General Counsel program is seeking applications for an Assistant Director External Affairs to join our Communications team.

The Communications team is responsible for promoting the APVMA through brand management, media, stakeholder engagement, publications and website publishing, to build and reinforce the APVMA’s reputation as a global leader of agricultural and veterinary chemical regulation.

Reporting to the Director Engagement and Communications, the Assistant Director External Affairs will drive the agency’s strategic external communications, stakeholder engagement and media management function to support the APVMA to work collaboratively in achieving its purpose. The focus of this role will be the strategic positioning of external communication, including proactive media, revitalising the voice of the agency and working closely with stakeholders.

The Assistant Director will respond to complex and sensitive media enquiries, handling multiple issues daily, as well as planning for future media interactions and stakeholder engagement on key decisions and agency priorities.

This position requires an understanding of or the capacity to rapidly acquire familiarity with the APVMA’s operating environment, and the ability and passion to share the stories and science behind how we protect the health of people, animals and the environment, and support primary industries, biosecurity, and trade.

More information on the position can be found in the Candidate Information Package below.

Our Ideal Candidate / Selection criteria

To be considered for this role you will need the following essential criteria:

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in communications, media or a closely related discipline.
• Extensive experience managing media protocols and highly sensitive issues, preparing Ministerial briefings, and providing advice to senior public sector leaders.
• Experience developing and implementing stakeholder engagement plans.
• An understanding of, or the ability to rapidly acquire an understanding of, the agricultural and veterinary sectors and their regulation and maintain an in-depth knowledge of relevant stakeholders and their expectations.
• Experience communicating complex scientific matters clearly and accurately.
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, remain flexible and proactive in a fast-paced environment and deliver strategic outcomes under pressure.
• Highly developed interpersonal, communication and networking skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships and contribute positively to a team environment.

The following desirable criteria will also be assessed:

• Experience in a regulatory environment.
• Familiarity with the agricultural, veterinary or related sectors.

Contact Us

At the APVMA, we value your skills and potential. We provide a collaborative and growth-oriented environment where your contributions are recognised and appreciated. If the prospect of working for a world-class regulator sounds like you and you're ready to take the next step in your career,

For further information on the position, please contact Kilifoti Eteuati, Executive General Counsel on 02 6770 2470 or [e-mail].

We look forward to receiving your application and exploring the possibility of welcoming you to our team!

Please note that this role is being advertised as either ongoing or non-ongoing. If an offer of non-ongoing employment is made, the successful applicant could be employed for an initial period of up to 12 months, which may be extended in accordance with subsection 333E (1) of the Fair Work Act 2009.