Senior Communications Officer

Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions VIC; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 116,000 - 141,000; Full time

Job summary

Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions VIC – Melbourne is seeking a Senior Communications Officer to lead digital communications, shape strategies and support the engagement plan for a new state mRNA facility project. You will work with the Communications, Engagement and Brand Manager and Business Development to promote the entity and its portfolio.

You will provide specialist digital advice, manage channels and build strong relationships with senior stakeholders across government,

Qualifications

• Experience in digital communications leadership and stakeholder engagement.
• Ability to translate strategy into digital projects and programs.
• Strong written and verbal communication with diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Leads digital communications activities and aligns with engagement objectives.
• Manages digital channels and develops digital strategies.
• Provides specialist digital communications advice to senior stakeholders.
• Builds relationships across government, research and industry.
• Ensures channels meet government standards and branding guidelines.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Written communication

Verbal communication

Strategic thinking

Project delivery

Education

Tertiary qualification in communications or related field

Tools

Squiz Matrix

Drupal

Campaign Monitor

Figma

Adobe Creative Suite

Canva

Google Analytics

Hotjar

Monsido

Job description

Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions VIC – Melbourne VIC

Salary: $116,413 – $140,849 plus superannuation
Tenure: Fixed term (12 months)
Usual hours of work: Full time (flexibility may be available)
Usual work location: 121 Exhibition Street, Melbourne (flexibility may be available)

The Role

mRNA Victoria is seeking an experienced Senior Communications Officer to lead digital communications activities and support the communications and engagement objectives of a new state company associated with the BioNTech R&D and Clinical Scale mRNA Manufacturing Facility Project. Working closely with the Communications, Engagement and Brand Manager and Business Development team, you will develop and implement digital strategies, manage digital channels and identify opportunities to promote the achievements of the entity and its portfolio of asset companies. You will provide specialist digital communications advice, build strong relationships with senior stakeholders across government, research and industry, and ensure digital channels deliver effective outcomes while meeting government communications, branding and digital standards.

Main Accountabilities

• Manages consultation processes, including engagement with key stakeholders.
• Applies innovative thinking and analysis to influence developments within the area of responsibility.
• Focuses on understanding stakeholder issues.
• Provides specialist professional services or advice.
• Manages cross-functional delivery within a defined service.

The Team

The position of Senior Communications Officer forms part of mRNA Victoria within the Industry, Trade and Investment group.

The Industry, Trade and Investment group works with businesses locally and globally to grow Victorian jobs, drive innovation and strengthen Victoria's international competitiveness. It supports investment, trade, industry development and the growth of priority sectors, including health technologies and medical research.

mRNA Victoria leads the Victorian Government's commitment to establishing a world-class Australian mRNA vaccine and therapeutic industry. It works with domestic and international companies, researchers and stakeholders to strengthen research and development capabilities, support commercialisation and attract investment across the mRNA ecosystem.

About You

You can translate strategies into effective projects and programs that deliver intended outcomes, with an understanding of how to monitor performance and assess the impact of communications activities. You bring strong written and verbal communication skills, the ability to communicate complex or sensitive information clearly, and demonstrated experience engaging stakeholders and building collaborative partnerships. Your project delivery skills enable you to coordinate digital communications initiatives, manage competing priorities and deliver quality outcomes within agreed timeframes.

Experience with web content management systems such as Squiz Matrix or Drupal, CRM and EDM platforms such as Campaign Monitor, design and content production tools such as Figma, Adobe Creative Suite or Canva, and analytics tools such as Google Analytics, Hotjar and Monsido will be highly regarded. A relevant tertiary qualification is desirable.

Further Information

For a confidential discussion, please contact Alex Kirby, Communications, Engagement and Brand Manager, mRNA Victoria, on 0402 755 *** or **********@ecodev.vic.gov.au.

The Department is committed to creating and maintaining a child safe organisation. We have zero tolerance of child abuse and are committed to taking the necessary steps to protect children from harm by adopting a preventative, proactive and participatory approach to child safety in accordance with the Child Safe Standards.

Successful candidates will be required to undergo a National Police Records Check prior to commencing employment with the Department. For further information on the position, please refer to the attached position description.

The Department welcomes and encourages applications from diverse applicants, including First Peoples, refugees or asylum seekers, people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, LGBTIQ+ people and people with disability. All roles at DJSIR can be worked flexibly and we offer reasonable adjustments for applicants with disabilities.

Please note: We are committed to inclusive recruitment. If you require an adjustment to participate in any stage of the recruitment process or have a particular requirement to be communicated with by either telephone or email only, please notify the DJSIR Talent Acquisition Team on 0472 875 ***, or via email at ***********@ecodev.vic.gov.au with the position number in the subject line.

Applications close at 23:59 pm on 9 November 2026.