Senior Stakeholder Engagement and Media Officer

Direct exposure to ministerial and departmental media liaison in a live regulatory environment.

Our client is an independent Commonwealth regulatory agency operating within the agriculture portfolio. It makes scientific and regulatory decisions that affect farmers, industry and the broader community, and its work attracts ongoing public, industry and parliamentary interest.

The agency runs a dedicated Engagement and Communications function responsible for stakeholder relationships, media liaison and clear public communication of complex regulatory and scientific matters.

The Opportunity

This four-month contract sits within the agency’s Engagement and Communications team, reporting to the Assistant Director Media and Engagement. The team provides media liaison, issues management and secretariat support across the organisation’s stakeholder engagement program.

You’ll take on day-to-day media monitoring and liaison, help manage stakeholder consultation forums, and maintain relationships with colleagues in the department, the Minister’s office and external stakeholder groups.

Much of the work involves translating complex scientific and regulatory information for a public policy audience, so clear writing and sound judgement under scrutiny matter as much as any specific technical background.

• Direct exposure to departmental and ministerial liaison
• Hands-on ownership of media monitoring, statements and talking points, rather than a purely support role
• Secretariat experience running live stakeholder consultation forums
• The chance to build and shape the organisation’s stakeholder mapping and database work
• Practice communicating technical, scientific material to non-specialist audiences, a transferable skill across government communications

The Role

This is a hands-on media and stakeholder engagement role, covering everything from day-to-day media monitoring through to secretariat support for formal consultation processes.

You will be:

• Working with the Assistant Director Media and Engagement to identify and develop media opportunities
• Monitoring media and emerging issues daily, and manage direct media liaison
• Drafting media statements and talking points
• Acting as secretariat for stakeholder engagement forums and committees
• Mapping and analysing stakeholders, and maintain the organisation’s stakeholder databases
• Building and maintaining direct working relationships with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders

The Ideal Person

You’ve likely worked in media, communications or public affairs roles where issues can move quickly and the detail matters. You’re comfortable liaising directly with government stakeholders and translating technical information into plain, accurate language.

You will bring the following skills and experience:

• Experience in media and issues monitoring, media liaison and writing for media purposes
• A background in stakeholder engagement
• Strong organisational and time management skills, with genuine secretariat experience
• A track record of achieving positive media coverage across a range of issues
• A qualification or background in communications, science, media or journalism

Desirable:

• Experience in media relevant to science, agriculture, veterinary, health or environmental fields
• Experience with departmental or ministerial liaison

Salary

• $65/hr – $75/hr + 12% Super
• Four-month labour hire contract
• Based in Canberra