Manager Biosecurity & Emergency Management Communications

Team 3Thirty; Dubbo; On-site; AUD 154,000 - 178,000; Full time

Job summary

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development in NSW seeks a senior communications leader to direct biosecurity and emergency management messaging across government, industry and communities.

You will oversee a capable team, translate high-risk information for diverse audiences, and support senior decision-makers with timely, accurate communications during complex incidents.

Qualifications

• Leading strategic communications and stakeholder engagement in complex or high-profile environments.
• Translating complex information into clear, audience-focused messages.
• Building trusted relationships and influencing outcomes across government, industry and community stakeholders.
• Leading high-performing teams and fostering a collaborative culture.
• Applying sound judgement and resilience across competing priorities, emerging issues and sensitive communications.

Responsibilities

• Spans public information campaigns, preparedness messaging, engagement programs and advice to senior leaders.
• Translating complex or high-risk information for different audiences and channels.
• Influencing decisions across organisational boundaries and keeping communications clear as priorities shift.
• Lead and develop a capable communications team to improve delivery under pressure.
• Provide strategic guidance during emergencies and complex incidents.

Skills

Strategic communications

Stakeholder engagement

Crisis/incident communication

Team leadership

Education

Tertiary qualifications in communications, media, public relations, journalism or similar

Job description

Manager Biosecurity & Emergency Management Communications role snapshot

Information

Role title Manager Biosecurity & Emergency Management Communications

Organisation Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

Business area Agriculture and Biosecurity

Location Statewide, with preference for regionally based candidates and a focus on Queanbeyan, Armidale, Dubbo and Coffs Harbour

Job reference 509955

I Work for NSW job number 591889

Work type Ongoing full-time, 35 hours per week

Grade Clerk Grade 11/12

Salary $154,231 to $178,369 per annum, plus super and leave loading

The Manager Biosecurity & Emergency Management Communications role suits a senior communications leader who can operate confidently during complex, sensitive and fast-moving situations. If you are working through how to apply for Manager Biosecurity & Emergency Management Communications, focus on evidence that shows strategic direction, calm judgement, trusted stakeholder relationships and leadership of a capable communications team.

The work spans public information campaigns, preparedness messaging, engagement programs and advice to senior leaders. Your examples should show how you have translated complex or high-risk information for different audiences, influenced decisions across organisational boundaries and kept communication clear when priorities changed quickly.

NSW Government candidate requirements

Candidate requirements are the experience, skills and behaviours the hiring team wants to see through your examples. For this role, the evidence needs to show senior-level communication judgement in environments where information can be sensitive, public expectations are high and several stakeholder groups need timely, accurate messages.

Candidate requirements for Manager Biosecurity & Emergency Management Communications at Primary Industries and Regional Development

Requirement or capability from role

How to demonstrate it

Leading strategic communications and stakeholder engagement in complex or high-profile environments Use an example where you set communication direction for a significant issue, program, incident or organisational priority. Explain the context, the audiences involved, the strategy you developed, how you adjusted the approach as risks emerged and the outcome your work supported.

Translating complex information into clear, audience-focused messages Show how you worked with technical, operational or policy specialists to identify what different audiences needed to know. Include the communication products or channels you used and how you checked that the messages were accurate, timely and understandable.

Building trusted relationships and influencing outcomes across government, industry and community stakeholders Choose an example with competing perspectives or sensitive interests. Explain how you established credibility, listened to concerns, advised decision-makers and built enough alignment to move the work forward.

Leading high-performing teams and fostering a collaborative culture Describe the team you led, the expectations you set and how you developed capability across the group. Strong evidence could include improving quality, building surge capacity, strengthening planning or supporting staff through demanding delivery periods.

Applying sound judgement and resilience across competing priorities, emerging issues and sensitive communications Use an example where the situation changed quickly or carried reputational, operational or community risk. Explain how you assessed urgency, escalated decisions, protected accuracy and kept the team focused under pressure.

The role also requires:

• Tertiary qualifications in communications, media, public relations, journalism or a similar field, and/or equivalent experience
• A current NSW driver's licence and the ability and willingness to travel
• Preparedness to participate in emergency responses as part of an Incident Management Team

Final candidates may also be asked to complete reference checks, a national police check, a bankruptcy check, a health assessment or other relevant assessments. Keep these conditions separate from the examples in your cover letter, but make sure your application is accurate about the qualifications, licence and operational availability you hold.

What the panel will want to see in your examples

• Personal responsibility for setting communication strategy and advising senior decision-makers
• Evidence of work in complex, high-profile, sensitive or rapidly changing environments
• Clear translation of technical or operational information for different audiences
• Credible influence across government, industry and community relationships
• Leadership that improves team capability, quality and delivery under pressure
• Measurable outcomes such as stronger preparedness, faster coordination, improved public understanding or better stakeholder alignment