Senior Adviser, Strategic Communications and Media

Department of Premier and Cabinet; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Department of Premier and Cabinet in Melbourne, VIC, seeks a Senior Adviser in Strategic Communications and Media to support government priorities and ministerial offices. You will lead multi-disciplinary communications, manage media risk, and drive stakeholder engagement with senior leaders.

The role requires sound judgement, excellent communication, and the ability to operate in a fast-paced public sector environment. Fixed-term until February 2028, with flexible working options where possible.

Qualifications

• Critical thinking and problem solving across complex policy issues.
• Ability to translate strategy into programs and actions.
• Understanding of political and organisational context and decision processes.
• Clear, credible oral and written communication across senior stakeholders.
• Ability to build mutually beneficial stakeholder partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Deliver strategic communications services aligned with government priorities.
• Provide expert advice on media relations, risk, and crisis communications.
• Build and maintain strong stakeholder relationships across departments.
• Ensure governance, records management and after-hours media responsiveness.

Skills

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Project Delivery

Political and Organisational Context

Communicate with Impact

Stakeholder Management

Education

Tertiary qualification in media or government communications

Job description

Senior Adviser, Strategic Communications and Media

Department of Premier and Cabinet – Melbourne VIC

We work for the people of Victoria by helping theGovernment achieve its strategicobjectives. We do this by supporting the Premier, the Minister forTreaty and First Peoplesand theMulticultural Affairs,as well as the Cabinet.Ourvision is to be recognised and respected leaders in whole-of-government policy and performance.

DPC upholds anddemonstratesthe values of the VPS and is the embodiment of VPS leadership. DPC’s values are adopted from thePublic Administration Act 2004:

• Leadership
• Integrity
• Impartiality
• Accountability
• Respect
• Commitment to Human Rights.

At the Department of Premier and Cabinet, we drive meaningful outcomes delivering real impact across Government and for Victorians. As a part of a central VPS agency supporting the Premier and Portfolio Ministers, you’ll be part of a diverse and inclusive workplace that values flexibility and innovation.

About the Group

The Public Administration group supports the Victorian Government and the DPC Secretary with expertise in public sector governance, strategic communication, protocol and intergovernmental relations, and advice on legal issues and legislation. The group also provides whole of government leadership and coordination in these areas. In doing so, the group gives special attention to the institutions and systems of Westminster government, including the operation of Cabinet and the Victorian Executive Council, and relationships with the Office of the Governor, Parliament, Chief Parliamentary Counsel, the Victorian Electoral Commission and the Victorian Public Sector Commission

About the Role

The Senior Adviser, Strategic Communications and Media provide high-level, multi-disciplinary communications advice and support the departments strategic priorities and government-wide initiatives. The role supports communication planning, media and stakeholder engagement, risk and issues management, and works closely with ministerial offices and senior departmental leaders.

Operating in a fast-paced and dynamic environment, the role requires sound judgement, excellent communication skills, and strong stakeholder engagement capability.

Key Accountabilities

1. Deliver strategic communications services by developing and implementing communication strategies, key messaging, communication materials, content publishing and stakeholder engagement plans aligned with government priorities. Monitor and evaluate communication effectiveness, media coverage and stakeholder engagement to inform continuous improvement.

2. Provide expert strategic communications advice and support to ministerial offices, executive leadership and departmental stakeholders on media relations, reputational risk, proactive and reactive communications, and crisis and issues management. Ensure timely, accurate and coordinated communication responses.

3. Build and maintain strong stakeholder relationships and communication capability by working collaboratively with senior executives, portfolio teams and ministerial offices. Contribute to whole-of-government communication policies, frameworks and initiatives, and support Victorian Government special events, including ceremonial, memorial and promotional activities.

4. Ensure effective communications governance and operational support by maintaining accurate documentation and records in accordance with legislative, information management and security requirements, and undertaking duties outside standard working hours, including participation in an after-hours media response roster as required.

About You

We are seeking applicants who have demonstrated experience from the following criteria:

• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: Takes into account wider business context within business unit when considering options to resolve issues. Identifies recurring problems and prevents future recurrence by integrating solutions into work process. Delivers tangible business outcomes as a result of critically evaluating problems from multiple perspectives and delivering effective solutions.
• Project Delivery: Translates strategies into programs or projects that enables achievement of outcomes required; defines governance e.g. success measures, roles and responsibilities, progress monitoring) required to manage risks and maximise probability of success.
• Political and Organisational Context: Uses formal and informal influencing relationships and decision-making processes; ensures solutions or actions adhere to values, ethics, responsibilities, legal obligations and limits that apply to an organisation; considers priorities and interests of various groups and key individuals.
• Communicate with Impact: Makes a positive impression on others and comes across with credibility; communicates orally in a manner that is clear fluent and holds the listeners’ attention; able to deal with difficult and sensitive topics and questions.
• Stakeholder Management: Identifies issues in common for one or more clients or stakeholders and uses them to build mutually beneficial partnerships; identifies and responds to stakeholder’s underlying needs; uses understanding of the stakeholder’s organisational context to ensure outcomes are achieved.

Technical Skills –

• Ability to lead on communication initiatives and manage external stakeholder relationships with minimal direction, demonstrating sound judgement and identifying and securing potential risks and issues as required.
• A relevant tertiary qualification in media, marketing or government communications would be highly regarded.

This role is a Fixed Term position until 4/02/2028.

This position is only open to applicants with relevant rights to work in Australia.

Other relevant information

To be eligible for appointment to this role, applicants will possess corresponding work rights for the advertised employment period. Appointment to an ongoing role is only available to an Australian/New Zealand citizen or an Australian Permanent Resident. Preferred applicants will be required to undertake pre-employment screening. DPC actively promotes diversity, inclusion and an equal opportunity workplace. We welcome applicants from all diverse backgrounds, including people with disabilities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. All roles at DPC can be worked flexibly, however it may differ from role to role.