Strategic Communications Specialist

SA Water; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An essential water utility in South Australia is seeking a Strategic Communications Specialist. This role involves managing high-stakes communication, authoring Ministerial briefs, and ensuring alignment with government policies. The ideal candidate will have exceptional communication skills and experience in navigating political sensitivities. Join a team committed to continuous improvement and delivering impactful water solutions.

Qualifications

• Exceptional communication skills and ability to work in agile environments.
• Experience in authoring Ministerial briefs and Parliamentary correspondence.
• Strong commitment to maintaining compliance with organisational and legal standards.

Responsibilities

• Author researched and timely Ministerial briefs.
• Maintain accurate records of correspondence.
• Foster communication channels between SA Water and stakeholders.

Skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Political awareness

Ability to multitask

Education

Relevant tertiary qualification in Communications

Public Relations

Political Science

Job description

About the Company

SA Water is a successful, modern water utility wholly owned by the Government of South Australia. We employ more than 1,700 people across a broad range of disciplines who operate more than $14 billion worth of infrastructure to deliver essential water and sewerage services to more than 1.8 million South Australians.

We operate in a geographically and climatically diverse service area, with sites and locations from Ceduna through to Port Augusta, the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, across to the Riverland, down to Mount Gambier, and most places in between.

Our strength and expertise have been shaped by our history. For more than 165 years, South Australians have depended on us to innovate and deliver efficient and sustainable water services. With nationally and internationally recognised industry expertise, we’re focused on understanding and meeting our customers’ expectations.

As well as safely delivering smart and reliable services for our customers of today, we innovate to shape the water solutions of the future that will support thriving economies and healthy communities.

We are driven by our values; we value our people, we do work that matters, we keep it real, we know that our work has impact and we are future focussed. Staying true to our values ensures that we consistently deliver positive outcomes for all South Australians.

Join Our Growth Group!

With the establishment of our new Growth group, we have exciting and unique opportunities. These roles have been created to make a step change, supporting the South Australian Government’s growth ambitions and proactively preparing for the scale and complexities of anticipated future demands. This group will provide a single point of accountability for growth and dedicated oversight, focus and responsibility.

About the job

Reporting directly to the Manager Growth External Enquiries, the Strategic Communications Specialist will support the management of sensitive, high-stakes communication, ensuring the alignment of SA Water’s objectives with government policies and stakeholders’ expectations.

About the Person

The ideal candidate for the Growth Strategic Communications Specialist role will be a highly organised and detail-oriented professional with a strong commitment to maintaining compliance with organisational and legal standards. They will excel in authoring accurate and timely Ministerial briefs and Parliamentary correspondence, ensuring the integrity of information while navigating political sensitivities. This individual will have exceptional communication skills, ability to work in agile environments, and is proactive liaising with strategic stakeholders while managing sensitive matters with discretion. A key strength of theirs is identifying opportunities for continuous improvement in document quality and processes, coaching others to enhance communication standards, and maintaining flexibility to manage multiple deliverables.

In addition, your responsibilities will include:

• Author researched, considered, accurate, and timely Ministerial briefs and Parliamentary correspondence.
• Maintain accurate records of all Ministerial and Parliamentary correspondence for easy accessibility.
• Foster open channels of communication between SA Water, the Minister’s Office, and other strategic stakeholders.
• Coach others to improve the quality of Ministerial and Parliamentary communication.
• Build and maintain relationships with external parties to navigate evolving government objectives.
• Prepare presentations and information relating to the Growth group’s progress and achievements.

Your success in this role will come from

• A relevant tertiary qualification in Communications, Public Relations, Political Science, or a related field.
• A demonstrated excellence in written strategic communication, with a strong ability to prepare complex Ministerial and Parliamentary briefings.
• You have high levels of political awareness and understanding of government processes and stakeholder dynamics.
• With ease, you can multi-task and manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality results under tight deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to manage sensitive information and maintain confidentiality with high discretion.

Our Growth Group Behaviours

Our Growth group behaviours are deeply groundedin our SA Water values and are brought to life through our commitment to building a robust, future-focused and fun culture. We are building this together by:

• Fostering a culture of curiosity, collaboration and action.
• Encouraging bold ideas, celebrating continuous improvement and integrating timely progress into everything we do.
• Making decisions efficiently and with purpose to deliver meaningful impact, embracing progress over perfection.
• Championing transformation at all levels by breaking down barriers, balancing risk with opportunity, driving change readiness and enabling teams to shape the future.
• Leading with accountability, authenticity and integrity through being vulnerable, actively listening, embracing feedback and acting with transparency.

Position and application information

• Further information can be found in the attached PD –Growth Strategic Communications Specialist
• Applications close 11:55pm, 2 September 2025.

To apply, click 'Apply'. Please submit and complete the application form, upload a cover letter and current resume. For enquiries, please contact Steph Haines from the Talent Acquisition team [e-mail]

A great customer experience is best achieved by having a diverse and inclusive team that reflects the community we serve. Applications are encouraged from everyone, including people living with disability, job seekers of all ages, members of the LGBTIQA+ community, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and people from culturally diverse backgrounds.

Our Industry is like no other. Dive into the wonderful world of water and explore the boundless opportunities. Learn more about the water industry atcareersinwater.com.au.

Please note: We request that recruitment agencies do not submit candidates for this position, as they will not be accepted.