About SMLS

Established in 1973, South-East Monash Legal Service (SMLS) is a community legal centre that provides free legal assistance to people in Southeast Melbourne. SMLS provides legal information, advice and case work including representation for people experiencing disadvantage on a range of legal matters, such as family law and family violence, employment law, debt and fines, civil litigation, wills, power of attorney, and tenancy.

SMLS aims to empower and support members of the community to understand and make use of the law and the legal system to protect their rights and to increase their awareness of their legal responsibilities. SMLS is a strong advocate of and committed to the use of integrated service models to address multifaceted challenges facing our community members.

SMLS is committed to advocacy and social change. SMLS is a leader in the provision of community and clinical legal education; advocacy through policy submissions and lobbying; outreach services; and targeted referral programs.

Our Vision 

A fair and inclusive community where people can access the resources, networks and support they need to resolve legal issues and overcome barriers to social, cultural and economic inclusion and participation

Our Purpose

To help resolve people’s legal and interconnected issues and ensure that laws and legal processes are fair.

Our Values

Our core values are Respect, Community, Excellence and Courage.

Position Purpose

The Communications Specialist provides organisation-wide support for development and distribution of external facing communications.

Under the guidance and in consultation with the broader leadership team, they identify and act on opportunities to develop compelling content and distribute it through relevant channels to reach our stakeholders and clients.

They will contribute to the development and maintenance of a range of content through various channels, including blog posts, social media, website updates, newsletters, case studies, and engagement with news media outlets.

The Communications Specialist will provide advice on options and take direction from the leadership team to engage with our audiences in accessible, engaging ways to increase our reach and improve our reputation. They will work closely with subject matter experts to convert technical information into accessible content.

Position Responsibilities

Exceptional Content Development and Management

• Undertake research and develop communication strategies
• Maintain an active understanding of current and relevant political, economic and social issues impacting our community
• Understand key demographics and their communication needs
• Develop and distribute content on social media and other channels
• Support the maintenance of website content
• Develop and implement strategies for effective dissemination of submissions, research, SMLS public commentary
• Maintain regular public facing communication via social media, blog posts, newsletters and any other relevant channels
• Contribute to a cohesive team environment by sharing information, supporting team priorities and ensuring open communication
• Ability to design, develop and implement email marketing and campaigns (including Mailchimp)

Position Requirements

Essential Selection Criteria

• Tertiary qualifications, or equivalent experience, in communications.
• Active interest in social and political current affairs, with a social justice lens
• Ability to demonstrate strong and reliable organisational skills
• Demonstrated skills and experience in the development of high-quality targeted communications materials
• Excellent written communication skills with an emphasis on public commentary and critique, including the ability to develop content for culturally and linguistically diverse stakeholders
• Advanced computer skills including proficiency in the use of MS Office packages, website management (including WordPress), social media tools (including Hootsuite), and Canva
• Strong interpersonal skills including the ability to communicate sensitively and build mutually beneficial relationships with internal and external stakeholders

Desirable

• Demonstrated skills in engaging diverse stakeholders including political advisers, media representatives and community partners
• Experience working in a small, fast paced organisation.
• Experience working in the not-for-profit sector

What SMLS offers

•  5 weeks annual leave
• Extra days off over Christmas and New Years
• Paid above award
• Cultural and ceremonial leave
• Family violence leave
• Gender affirmation leave
• Professional development
• A culture of mentorship and opportunities for career progression

For more information please see the attached Position Description.

Any further questions can be forwarded to [email protected], using the subject line: Communications Specialist enquiry via EthicalJobs.