• Salary Offering: VALS E 1.1 – 1.4 - $89691.06 - $94754.39 (full-time equivalent) per annum plus 11.5% Superannuation
• Office Locations: 273, High Street Preston Victoria 3072.
• This role is full-time fixed term until 30th of June 2025 (renewal subject to ongoing funding for new financial year in July 2025)

Additional Benefits:

• 17.5% Leave Loading
• 5 extra days leave on top of 20 days annual leave
• Only required to work 35 hours per week, any extra hours worked will be calculated as your Time In Lieu (TOIL) – which you may use as additional leave hours
• Access to company vehicles for any work-related trips
• Salary packaging is available via Maxxia

Overview

The Senior Media Adviser plays a central role in ensuring that VALS’ advocacy and policy platform reflects the needs of our community.

The role is responsible for providing expert media advice, in line with the delivery of VALS’ media strategy. The role also includes managing and developing relationships with government and media organisations/representatives, preparing media releases, supporting and preparing the CEO and other staff for media interviews and public speaking events and proactively pursuing and participating in media and communications opportunities.

Key Performance Indicators, Duties & Responsibility

• Provide expert media advice to the CEO and senior leaders
• Develop and deliver VALS’ media strategy that is informed by VALS’ policy platform and community needs
• Write, review and pitch compelling and newsworthy content (including media releases and opinion pieces) for a range of broadcast, print and digital communications platforms, to promote VALS’ policy priorities and positions, VALS’ activities and articles that positively represent Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples and stories in a strengths-based approach
• Help ensure that VALS spokespeople are sufficiently equipped and prepared for media work and interviews
• Monitor media and any issues relevant to VALS, and provide regular reporting on trends and recommend appropriate courses of action where necessary to VALS senior leadership
• Respond to media requests with an appropriate course of action and support
• Develop and maintain relationships with broad network journalists and other members of the media
• Develop and maintain relationships with stakeholders, particularly in the legal and Aboriginal Community Controlled sectors, and identify opportunities to work collaboratively
• Work in collaboration with all sections of VALS to identify key priority areas and to formulate key messages
• Support the coordination of VALS’ online presence across social platforms as required
• Support the development of VALS’ social media content, as required
• Support the work of the Communications Team Leader, as required
• Ability to travel across Victoria to work on local media opportunities
• As directed, undertake other duties which are incidental and peripheral to the main tasks, provided that such duties are reasonably within the employee’s skills, competence and training

Internal Obligations:

• Commitment to VALS’s strategic plan.
• Attend and actively contribute at team and working group meetings.
• Mentor and support other members of the Policy, Communications and Strategy team.
• Undertake other duties & responsibilities within the scope of the role as directed.

Personal accountability

• Compliance with all VALS Values, code of conduct, policies and procedures and relevant government legislation and standards where relevant.
• Demonstrate a commitment to the principles of social justice and aim to ensure every individual is treated with dignity and respect regardless of their background, ability, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation or religion
• Ensure appropriate use of resources
• Actively participate in initiatives to maintain, build upon and promote a positive and collaborative workplace.
• Take reasonable care for your own health & safety, and health and safety of others (to extent required)
• Promptly respond to and report health and safety hazards, incidents and near misses to management.
• Attend mandatory training sessions (I.e. equal employment opportunity, health and safety, cultural safety) and mandatory training specific to position.

Key Selection Criteria

Mandatory:

• Relevant media qualifications such as in Journalism, Public Relations and Media and/or substantial experience working as a media, communications or PR advisor
• Excellent writing skills and attention to detail, with demonstrated expertise in writing content for media.
• Deep knowledge of the Australian media landscape
• Experience pitching to journalists and a demonstrated ability to produce proactive media stories.
• Strong organisational, time management and planning skills; with an ability to work autonomously and within a team
• High proficiency in Microsoft Office and media monitoring tools
• Passion for working with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and empowering their voices and advocacy.

Desirable:

• Experience working in the non-profit sector
• Video and/or podcast production and editing skills

Mandatory Requirement

• On offer of this position, you must provide:
• A copy of your current Employee Working with Children Check card
• A copy of your current Victorian Driver’s License
• You will be required to complete a current Criminal History Police Check
• Proof of rights to work in Australia, i.e. a copy of an Australian Passport, Birth Certificate or Immigration VISA documentation
• COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination Certificate or current and valid medical exemption certificate
• Copies of any certificates or degrees relevant to this role

We do not accept unsolicited resumes from employment agencies. No (search) fee will be paid in the event we hire a candidate whose resume is submitted by an employment agency to any of our employees without a valid written recruitment agreement. Such resumes shall be deemed the sole property of VALS.

To learn more about us, head to https://www.vals.org.au/about-vals/

For more details about our other roles, check our careers website: https://www.vals.org.au/careers/