Country Fire Authority (CFA)

Media & Communications Advisor

To protect lives and property, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

  • Marketing

  • Full-time

  • Office | Melbourne, VIC, Australia

  • Visa sponsorship · No

  • Junior · A role for someone with some basic skills, good motivation and ability to learn. Typically 1-2 years of experience is required.

  • ·

Why Country Fire Authority (CFA)

We are tens of thousands of Victorians, committed to protecting lives and property.

We respond to a range of hazards, support our communities to be fire ready and we work as one with our emergency services partners.

Our people’s skills, experience and expertise in fire prevention, preparedness and response across a range of landscapes makes us unique in the emergency services sector.

Building on our proud history within one of the world’s most bushfire-prone environments, we know how to adapt to meet the challenges of a changing climate.

About the role

About the Role In the dynamic setting of the CFA, where maintaining a positive reputation and community engagement are central to fulfilling the organisation's vision and values, the Media Unit is a dedicated team of media experts tasked with formulating and executing CFA's media strategy.

Within this Media Unit, the Media and Communications Advisor will apply their media acumen, discernment and proficiency to support the achievement of the strategy's goals. This position reports directly to the Media Manager.

More specifically the Media and Communications Advisor will:

  • Represent the organisation in line with CFA media policies, providing timely and accurate information to internal and external stakeholders on organisational issues, at times outside regular business hours.
  • Handle administrative tasks for the CFA Media Unit, including issue monitoring and database management.
  • Offer authoritative media advice and training to CFA leaders and spokespersons.
  • Proactively create and execute media plans using various communication tools, including press releases, press conferences, and social media.
  • Identify opportunities to enhance CFA's presence in the media and address reputation-related concerns.
  • Develop and gain approvals for communication materials related to media events, releases, and speeches as directed by superiors.
  • Ensure the accuracy and reliability of information shared with the media.
  • Cultivate strong relationships with the media, CFA members, and emergency sector counterparts.
  • Take charge of media relations during incidents and emergencies, including shifts at control centres. A requirement of this role includes being part of a media on-call roster to respond to media requests after business hours, on weekends and public holidays along with shift work at the State Control Centre and Incident Control Centres around the state. You will also require a Victorian driver's license to travel to media events and other activities.

About You Our ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following;

  • Experience as a journalist/media officer in the media industry, government and/or corporate sector.
  • Strong writing skills with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to translate technical information into formats suitable for a range of audiences, including social media.
  • Demonstrated experience in proactively identifying and delivering media opportunities.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build strong relationships with key stakeholders across an organisation.
  • Ability to work under pressure as part of a highly disciplined team and deliver high quality and accurate communications.
  • Excellent time management skills, including the ability to prioritise tasks and produce high-quality work within tight timeframes.
  • The ability to create engaging digital content (e.g. videos / photos / graphics) in support of media events.
  • Understanding of CFA and emergency services environment in Victoria.

Why choose CFA

  • Meaningful Purpose: Your contribution truly makes a difference
  • Work-Life Balance: Paid parental leave, generous leave provisions
  • Growth Opportunities: Learning and development
  • Flexibility: Hybrid work options with flexible work arrangements
  • Discounts: Emergency Memberlink discounts on various services
  • Wellbeing Focus: Healthy for Life programs, flu vaccinations
  • Member Assistance Program: Access support across 8 service pathways

What you'll be responsible for

  • 🎤

    Communications Strategy

    Plan and execute the communications strategy that align with the goals of the company

Skills you'll need

  • ✍🏼

    Written communication

    Writes in a clear and structured format to convey information and ideas effectively to a target audience

  • 🎙

    Verbal communication

    Speaks clearly to convey information effectively to a target audience

  • 💡

    Problem solving

    Identifies problems and develops logical solutions that address the problems

Meet the team

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Marketing

Country Fire Authority (CFA)