Community Engagement & Communications Officer

The University of Sydney; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 93,000 - 107,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

Hybrid work model

Job summary

The University of Sydney is seeking a Community Engagement & Communications Officer to join the Charles Perkins Centre research team. This part‑time, fixed‑term role will help translate research into meaningful community engagement and accessible communications across diverse audiences.

Working with researchers, clinicians and community partners, you will coordinate engagement activities, develop digital and print materials, support participant recruitment and retention, and help raise awareness

Qualifications

• Experience coordinating community engagement, communications, events or stakeholder engagement activities.
• Experience developing content across digital, social media and print channels.
• Ability to engage diverse audiences and build effective stakeholder relationships.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Experience supporting projects and working collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams.
• A relevant degree or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate community advisory panels, stakeholder meetings and engagement activities.
• Support community engagement initiatives involving children, young people, families, schools and community organisations.
• Develop and deliver communications and outreach activities that support participant recruitment and ongoing engagement.
• Create engaging digital and print communications, including social media content and promotional materials.
• Collaborate with academic, clinical and community stakeholders to strengthen relationships and increase awareness of research activities.
• Contribute to the evaluation, reporting and dissemination of engagement initiatives and research outcomes.
• Support community events and undertake occasional travel as required.
• Contribute to reports, presentations, publications, and other activities that communicate research impact and engagement outcomes.

Skills

Community engagement

Content creation

Stakeholder relationships

Project coordination

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Education

Relevant degree

Tools

MS Teams

Newsletter platforms

Canva

Job description

Community Engagement & Communications Officer

• Part-time (14 Hours per week) fixed-term opportunity for 12 months, with potential for extension
  
• Join a nationally significant research program focused on improving outcomes for children and families affected by type 1 diabetes and coeliac disease
  
• HEO5 Base Salary $93,345 + 17% superannuation OR HEO6 Base Salary $107,312 + 17% superannuation (appointment level dependent on skills, experience, and qualifications)
  
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements available, with working days and hours open to discussion
  

About the opportunity

An exciting opportunity exists for a Community Engagement & Communications Officer to join a multidisciplinary research team based at the Charles Perkins Centre.

Working closely with the Principal Investigator, Research Manager and research team at the Charles Perkins Centre, as well as a national multidisciplinary network of researchers, clinicians, and community stakeholders, you will help bridge the gap between research and practice.

This position supports an innovative research program focused on improving outcomes for children and families affected by type 1 diabetes and coeliac disease. You will help translate research into meaningful engagement opportunities and accessible communications, ensuring community perspectives are embedded throughout the research process.

Working across schools, families, community organisations, and healthcare settings, you will coordinate engagement activities, develop audience-focused communications and support participant recruitment and retention initiatives. You will also contribute to strengthening national partnerships, increasing awareness of research activities, and supporting the translation of research outcomes into community impact.

The position may be appointed at either HEO5 or HEO6 level depending on the successful applicant's demonstrated skills, experience, and capability.

Your key responsibilities will be to:

• coordinate community advisory panels, stakeholder meetings, and engagement activities
• support community engagement initiatives involving children, young people, families, schools, and community organisations
• develop and deliver communications and outreach activities that support participant recruitment and ongoing engagement
• create engaging digital and print communications, including social media content and promotional materials
• collaborate with academic, clinical and community stakeholders to strengthen relationships and increase awareness of research activities
• contribute to the evaluation, reporting and dissemination of engagement initiatives and research outcomes
• support community events and undertake occasional travel as required
• contribute to reports, presentations, publications, and other activities that communicate research impact and engagement outcomes

About you

For appointment at HEO5, you will demonstrate:

• experience coordinating community engagement, communications, events or stakeholder engagement activities
• experience developing content across digital, social media and print channels
• ability to engage diverse audiences and build effective stakeholder relationships
• strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities
• experience supporting projects and working collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams
• a relevant degree or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience

For appointment at HEO6, you will additionally demonstrate:

• substantial experience leading community engagement and communications initiatives
• ability to develop and implement engagement strategies that drive participation and strengthen stakeholder partnerships
• experience facilitating workshops, advisory groups and consultations across a variety of stakeholder groups
• demonstrated experience evaluating engagement outcomes and using insights to inform future initiatives and improvements
• ability to work independently, provide specialist advice and influence outcomes across complex stakeholder environments
• experience contributing to the dissemination of research, program outcomes, or community impact initiatives

For both levels, experience using communications platforms, including MS Teams andnewsletter platforms, and design tools such as Canva will be highly regarded.

To keep our community safe, please be aware of our COVID safety precautions which form our conditions of entry for all staff, students and visitors coming to campus.

Sponsorship / work rights for Australia

You must have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this employment to be eligible to apply. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment.

Pre-employment checks and declarations

Your employment is conditional upon the successful completion of all pre-employment or background checks required for the role in manner satisfactory to the University. Also, to meet the University’s obligations under the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Eliminate Gender-Based Violence you will be asked to declare if you have been investigated for, or found to engaged in, sexual harm or gender-based violence in the course of previous employment or in a legal process. Similarly, your ongoing employment is conditional upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements. If you do not meet these conditions, the University may take any necessary step, including the termination of your employment.

This position is designated as involving child-related work. To undertake or remain in this position, you are required to apply for and obtain a Working with Children Check clearance in accordance with the Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012.

EEO statement

At the University of Sydney, our shared values are trust, accountability and excellence and we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive. We are committed to creating a university community that thrives through diversity and reflects the wider community that we serve. We deliver on this through our commitment to diversity and inclusion, evidenced by our people and culture programs, as well as key strategies to increase participation and support the careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people living with a disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and those who identify as LGBTQIA+. We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.

We are proud to be recognised as an Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Platinum Employer. Find out more about our work on diversity and inclusion.