ABOUT TRANSCEND AUSTRALIA

Transcend Australia is a not-for-profit community led charity who delivers rights-based services and advocacy that celebrate gender diversity, affirm autonomy, and enhance the protective factors for strong families and young people’s health and wellbeing.

One of the primary aims of Transcend is to support families, parents, and carers to navigate the health system for transgender, gender diverse and non-binary children, young people and their families. In addition, we offer support to families in securing fair, respectful and inclusive outcomes for their children across of range of social and institutional settings that intersect with their lives.

Our 2024 – 2028 Strategic Plan is available on our website.

Transcend Australia has office locations in Parkville and Castlemaine, Victoria. There is opportunity for the successful candidate to be based at Parkville or Castlemaine. There are also options for some flexible work from home arrangements to help manage work/life balance.

About the Candidate

You are experienced with communications or public relations management, project cycles, stakeholder management, community development, evaluation frameworks and reporting.

You will be driven to bring your skills and experience together to facilitate the development and/or implementation of a range of programs and initiatives that contribute to Transcend's work towards improving the health outcomes for trans young people and building stronger families.

About the role of Director, Communications and Engagement

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer of Transcend Australia, the Director, Communications and Engagement will have a pivotal leadership role developing and supporting functions related to:

• Fundraising, business development and funding diversification strategies for organisational growth and sustainability. This includes, and is not limited to, activities such as fee for service, consultancy services, major gifts, workplace giving, etc.
• Strategic and organisational partnerships and engagement to drive impact, sustainability and success in delivering our strategic goals. Partnerships will include the communities we serve, governments, health services, funders, philanthropic organisations, trans organisations, LGBTIQA+ organisations, child and family organisations and mental health services.
• Develop and lead the execution and evaluation of specific strategies to support more effective public engagement, media, communications and policy development to enhance organisational reputation and impact.
• Strategically position Transcend Australia in mainstream media and social media to mobilise public support for social and policy change and to drive awareness of programs and services.
• Ensure alignment and compliance with donors/supporters' requirements related to public engagement and communication, including newsletters and reports.
• Develop and maintain media and communications plan and manage communications for key campaigns and events.
• Coordinate and organise annual best practice documentation in coordination and collaboration with the organisation and other teams.
• Ensure that stories, photos, and other materials are produced to standards of quality and safety required for informing, educating, and engaging donors, stakeholders and the public.
• Program leadership with community engaged education and advocacy programs. This will include oversight and development of Transcend’s evidence based resources and tools to be developed in close collaboration with the Operations team to ensure compelling content development and its use in support of organisational activities.
• Program leadership for community engagement activities and social connection events.

You will have a background, ideally from the health and public policy or community development sector, that demonstrates your strong understanding of mental health and primary care health services, how they integrate and how cross agency referrals are managed.

You will have some understanding of the healthcare needs of trans, gender diverse and non-binary young people and their families and the policy environment in which we work.

A position description is attached.