Director Communications and Engagement

Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency; Melbourne; Sur place; AUD 180 000 - 240 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

TEQSA in Melbourne seeks a Director of Communications and Engagement to lead the agency's communications and engagement teams, shaping a clear, credible voice across internal and external channels. You will advise the CEO and Commissioners, anticipate risks, and build relationships with a diverse stakeholder network.

The Director will lead a small, high‑performing team, balancing strategic thinking with hands‑on delivery and interstate travel where needed.

Responsabilités

• Plan and sequence strategic communications and engagement work programs to support the CEO's priorities and TEQSA objectives.
• Oversee core communications and engagement activities including corporate plan, annual report, TEQSA Talks, staff forums and sector updates.
• Lead and develop high‑performing teams, set strategic direction, allocate resources and manage performance.
• Provide timely, authoritative advice on media issues, risk messaging, stakeholder engagement, and government relations.
• Develop CEO speeches, presentations and correspondence to ensure consistent messaging.
• Develop and implement tailored internal and external comms strategies during regulatory reforms and major events.
• Collaborate with other teams to produce high‑quality content and materials (reports, submissions, publications, events).
• Build trusted relationships with providers, students, government, peak bodies, regulators to support engagement and regulatory outcomes.
• Contribute to TEQSA corporate planning, budgeting, performance reporting and statutory compliance.

Description du poste

Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency – Melbourne VIC

The Director Communications and Engagement leads TEQSA’s communications and engagement teams, ensuring a clear, consistent, and credible voice across all internal and external channels. Operating under broad direction, the Director shapes the agency’s communications and engagement strategy, drawing on expertise in strategic communications, stakeholder engagement and issues management.

The Director is the trusted advisor to TEQSA’s CEO and Commissioners on communications and engagement activities. They will anticipate risks, manage complex media issues, and build strong relationships with a diverse stakeholder network.

The Director will lead a small, high-performing team to deliver core services and develop and maintain a strong awareness of emerging sector-wide issues and risks. The role requires the ability to move seamlessly between strategic thinking, team leadership, and hands‑on delivery.

This position involves some interstate travel.

The key duties of the position include:

The Director Communications and Engagement will be responsible and accountable for:

• planning and sequencing strategic work programs across the communications and engagement functions to enable co‑ordinated delivery that supports the CEO’s priorities and TEQSA’s objectives and regulatory functions.
• overseeing the delivery of core communications and engagement activities, including the Corporate Plan, Annual Report, TEQSA Talks, staff forums, annual stakeholder survey, TEQSA conference, regular sector updates, and national and international engagement activities and events.
• leading and developing high‑performing teams by setting strategic direction, allocating resources, managing performance, resolving issues, and fostering a culture of integrity, psychological safety, and active staff engagement.
• providing timely and authoritative advice to the CEO, Commissioners, Senior Executive Team, and other senior leaders on complex media issues, reputation and risk management messaging, stakeholder engagement, and sensitive government relations to shape organisation‑wide messaging and responses to risks and issues.
• developing the CEO’s speeches, presentations, and correspondence so priorities and key messages are communicated consistently to internal and external audiences.
• developing and implementing tailored internal and external communications and engagement strategies to drive alignment and clarity during major regulatory reforms, emerging issues, and strategic events.
• in collaboration with other teams, ensuring the production of high‑quality, audience‑appropriate content and materials including reports, submissions, publications, correspondence, and event information.
• building trusted and influential relationships with providers, students, government, peak bodies, international regulators, and other stakeholders to support strategic engagement and impactful regulatory outcomes.
• contributing to TEQSA’s corporate and strategic management activities, including business planning, budgeting, performance reporting and compliance with statutory obligations.

Eligibility

The successful applicant must:

• be an Australian citizen.
• complete a National Police Check satisfactorily.
• be able to obtain and maintain an Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) clearance to Baseline status, supported by TEQSA, which must be maintained throughout the period of employment.

Failure to satisfy any of the above conditions may result in the withdrawal of an offer of employment or termination of employment.

Notes

• This recruitment process is being conducted to fill an ongoing vacancy.
• A merit pool of suitable applicants will be created from this process and may be used to fill similar ongoing and non‑ongoing vacancies. It is active for 18 months from the date of this advertisement.
• Before commencing in the role, the successful candidate will be required to disclose details of any material personal interests in connection with their employment at TEQSA via a Declaration of Interest form and seek approval to undertake any outside employment (paid or unpaid) via an Outside Employment application.
• For further information on this role, please contact Dhamendra Unka on 03 8306 2*** or email ***********@teqsa.gov.au

Getting to know the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency

The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) is Australia’s independent national quality assurance and regulatory agency for higher education. TEQSA’s purpose is to deliver quality assurance that protects the interests of students and the reputation and standing of Australian higher education.As an independent quality assurance and regulatory agency, TEQSA adopts a risk‑based approach that is guided by principles of necessity, risk, and proportionality, and which supports quality, diversity, innovation, and excellence in tertiary education.TEQSA has three strategic objectives in delivering its purpose:1. Promote and support good practice and effective self‑assurance across the sector.2. Identify, analyse, and respond to risks to the sector.3. Ensure compliance with applicable legislation through effective and efficient regulation.