Are you…

• passionate about evidence-informed policy?
• an excellent and engaging communicator?
• creative and eager to try out new approaches?

The Role

The Analysis & Policy Observatory (APO) is seeking a Communications and Project Officer who is passionate about improving public policy. They will be primarily responsible for writing content and managing digital communications to support the goals of APO and our clients.

The role will also involve supporting APO’s work to understand our audience, user experience and impact including assisting with the annual Subscriber Survey, metrics reporting and co-design of projects to facilitate evidence-informed policy.

We are looking for someone who loves learning new skills and is passionate about building engagement with public policy and research. This role is ideal for a candidate looking to excel their skills and make an impact in improving public policy in Australia.

Job Location: Melbourne in office or Canberra working from home

Reports to: APO Director

Role Type: 0.6-1FTE, 6-month contract

About APO

APO is an open access evidence platform that makes public policy and research – published by organisations – accessible and useable. We provide free weekly newsletter updates on the latest releases and a searchable repository of more than 40,000 resources.

APO also provides a number of services to support our work:

• Advertising on our website and in our newsletters
• My APO+ memberships that offer a range of services to save time and help you get the most out of our extensive repository
• Curated collections to build an evidence base and maximise engagement with it
• Organisational sponsorships.

In this role you will work closely with a small team who are passionate about making research and policy accessible to support evidence-based policy- and decision-making.

The Susan McKinnon Foundation

APO sits within the Susan McKinnon Foundation (SMF) – a Melbourne-based foundation dedicated to strengthening Australia’s democracy and enhancing public administration. Our goal is for Australian governments to be more effective, transparent and accountable. SMF supports practical programs that deliver tangible progress, and our work is motivated solely by the long-term public good. Our approach is non-partisan and undertaken in cooperation with all sides of politics.

Key responsibility areas

Through the following responsibilities, the Communications and Project Officer will be contributing to APO’s goals of understanding and increasing our audience to maximise our impact on improving public policy in Australia.

Writing communications materials

• Write content to achieve APO’s goals and maximise engagement with the website, newsletters and services, including content for:
  • APO social media channels (daily)
  • This Week’s Top Report (weekly)
  • APO email newsletters (weekly)
  • APO blog (monthly)
  • APO Update newsletter (quarterly)
• Support the Director to develop key messaging.

Digital communications

• Manage APO’s social media channels:
  • LinkedIn (daily)
  • X (Twitter) (daily)
  • Instagram (weekly)
  • APO blog (monthly)
  • YouTube (ad hoc)
• Create visual material to accompany communications using APO’s and our client’s branding materials on Canva.
• Ensure communications materials comply with any relevant branding guidelines.

Advertising

• Create and publish new listings for the regulation jobs board.
• Assist with the processing of online advertising purchases and any associated queries.

Feedback and research

• Set goals and report on impact of communications activity, using a variety of data sources such as Google Analytics and Mailchimp.
• Use existing templates and data dashboards to produce metrics reports for clients.
• Respond to and report on ad-hoc inquiries from APO website users and newsletter subscribers.
• Support the data collection, analysis and reporting of user research, including the annual Subscriber Survey.

Project support

• Provide secretariat support for the APO Advisory Board.
• Assist with the design and implementation of new projects.
• Other tasks as requested by the business on occasion.

Selection criteria

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualifications and proven experience in communications, marketing, media, journalism, public policy or other related areas.

Experience, Knowledge & Attributes

• Clear, concise and engaging communicator with high-level written and verbal communication skills and an eye for detail.
• Demonstrated experience in running social media channels or digital campaigns.
• Strong organisational and project management skills, to be able to take initiative, self-manage and work well in a team.
• Knowledge of basic data analysis and metrics to gauge results of communications and engagement activity.
• Proficiency with software applications: Wordpress, Canva and Mailchimp
• Interest in public policy and research impact.

How to apply

The Susan McKinnon Foundation is supportive of diversity in all its forms and strives to maintain an inclusive team environment. Please notify us if you require any adjustments to the recruitment process – we’ll do our best to find a solution.

To submit your application, please send your cover letter, resume and preferred location (either Melbourne or Canberra), via the Apply Now link.

For a confidential discussion about the role, please contact APO Director, Brigid van Wanrooy at [email protected], using the subject line: Communications and Project Officer - Melbourne / Canberra enquiry via EthicalJobs.