The Role

The role of the APS6 Strategic Communications Officer is to provide direction across the Australian Army Cadets (AAC) program to meet the intent, spirit and requirements of the Defence Media and Communication policy and guidance in order to ensure accurate, timely and positive public messaging about the AAC, Army and Defence. This role is required to provide realistic guidance to all levels of the AAC on the effective and safe conduct of public communications activities that impact both strategic and community (external), and regional and local (internal), levels in particular the safe participation by volunteer youth and adults.

There is also the parallel requirement to act independently and without direction to provide public affairs guides and talking points, tailored to both the strategic, community and local levels, in support of short notice sensitive incident management issues; and short notice time critical requests from external media outlets for access to AAC activities and volunteer youth and adult civilian participants. This role includes the development and execution of social media.

Your responsibilities will necessitate interaction with the Headquarters of the Australian Army Cadets (HQ AAC) branches and the nine subordinate regional headquarters across Australia, all of which may produce and conduct targeted strategic and public communications materials and activities; and Army Headquarters branches, who respond to and/or support responses to internal and external agencies.

You will report to the Staff Officer Grade One (Lieutenant Colonel) Incident Management, and be required to back brief and advise the 1-star/Brigadier Commander of the Australian Army Cadets. The position will also provide input to Army and Defence strategic communications and public affairs, including Incident Management reporting and responses.

About our Team

The Australian Army Cadets is an Army youth development organisation, consisting of military, Defence Australian Public Service (APS), civilian volunteer adult staff and cadet youth. The organisation has approx. 21,000 participants, including over 19,000 cadet youth, across Australia that are enabled by the Headquarters of the Australian Army Cadets (HQ AAC) and nine Regional Headquarters across Australia.

HQ AAC is located in Canberra and is comprised of the 1-star/Brigadier Commander AAC and seven Branches: Operations & Logistics, Training, Safety, Policy, Personnel, Incident Management (including Strategic Communications & Public Affairs), and Information Communications & Technology (ICT). As part of a broader team, or as an individual, success in the role will require engagement within both Defence and Army.

Our Ideal Candidate

Our ideal candidate will possess excellent interpersonal and communications skills, as the ability to develop and maintain strong relationships and communicate effectively at all levels, both internal and external, is critical to success in this role.

The Position will:

• Be required to provide advice on effective and safe conduct of public communications activities.
• Ensure accuracy of communication and media products and activities.
• Provide public affairs guides and talking points, and short notice time critical requests for access to activities and participants.
• Identify communication and media risks and capitalise on opportunities to market youth and the Australian community.
• Design, develop and implement communications, media products and activities in support of objectives.
• Produce targeted communications, including and not limited to public affairs plans, promotion and marketing material, publications, newsletters, brochures and articles.

The candidate must be able to manage multiple activities in different forms and simultaneously provide advice/ support, with the ability to manage complex conflicting workloads, adapt to change and quickly analyse communications and incident management information. They must be able to meet short deadlines and provide critical information and support. The ideal candidate will be a strong communicator and engager who is comfortable with working independently within clear parameters, and providing advice, support and training. The candidate should be able to work independently and without direction, and have the ability to think strategically, analyse problems, apply judgement, provide advice and support, and conduct training.

Application Closing Date: Sunday 23 March 2025

For further information please review the job information pack, reference ARMY/01826/25 on www.defence.gov.au/apscareers.