Assistant Director External Affairs

CS Executive Group; Armidale; Hybrid; AUD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) seeks an Assistant Director External Affairs to lead strategic external communications and media management. Located in Armidale NSW or Canberra ACT, the role drives stakeholder engagement and supports regulatory priorities.

You will respond to sensitive media enquiries, manage complex issues, and plan proactive media interactions while promoting science-based messaging across audiences.

Qualifications

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in communications, media or a closely related discipline.
• Experience handling media protocols and sensitive issues, briefing senior leaders.
• Proven ability to develop and implement stakeholder engagement plans.
• Understanding of agricultural, veterinary sectors and related regulation.
• Ability to communicate complex scientific matters clearly and accurately.

Responsibilities

• Drive the agency's strategic external communications, stakeholder engagement and media management.
• Respond to complex and sensitive media enquiries and plan future media interactions.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to support agency priorities and decisions.
• Share the stories and science behind APVMA's work to protect health and environment.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Media management

Strategic communications

Regulatory experience

Education

Tertiary qualification in communications

Job description

Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority – Armidale NSW

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.

Located in either Canberra ACT or regional Armidale NSW, you will gain experience in the Australian Public Service, have access to a variety of flexible working arrangements, and drive the APVMA's strategic external communications, stakeholder engagement and media management function to support the agency to work collaboratively in achieving its purpose.

The Role

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.

To be a strong contender for the role, you will have:

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

Want to know more?

At the APVMA, we value your skills and potential. We provide a collaborative and growth-oriented environment where your contributions are recognised and appreciated.

For further information on the position, please contact Cathy Sommerville, Director Engagement and Communications on 02 6770 2*** or ***************@apvma.gov.au.

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.

Applications close on 27 September 2026.