Communications Specialist

Women’s Legal Services Australia | Melbourne CBD | Immediate start | Hybrid working model | Part time (0.4 FTE) | Ongoing

• Be a part of an inclusive feminist peak body working for gender equality, justice and safety.
• Your expertise will directly contribute to building a more gender-equitable society.
• $109,826 – $114,805 pro rata + super + NFP salary packaging, 5 weeks annual leave and flexible work arrangements

WLSA’s Mission

Women’s Legal Services Australia (WLSA) is the peak body for Women’s Legal Services, with 13 members across the country. It is hosted by Women’s Legal Service Victoria (Women’s Legal).

WLSA’s purpose is to:

• Engage in national advocacy for policy, law reform and systemic change to achieve justice, safety and equality for women and non-binary people.
• Build the capability of Women’s Legal Services to deliver gender-specialist, integrated legal services for women and non-binary people.
• Create collaborative spaces for Women’s Legal Services to work together, learn from each other and develop best practice services.

About the Role

Working closely with the WLSA Executive Director, the Communications Specialist is a new role that will support the delivery of WLSA’s communications, media, digital engagement, advocacy and member engagement activities. The role is responsible for developing and distributing communications content, maintaining WLSA’s digital presence, coordinating media engagement activities, and supporting advocacy objectives through effective communications initiatives.

Working closely with WLSA’s staff, WLSA members and external stakeholders, the Communications Specialist will help raise the profile of WLSA and promote key priorities, and advocacy projects by WLSA and its members. Key responsibilities include:

• Lead WLSA’s communications and media activities, developing compelling content including media releases, opinion pieces, newsletters and stakeholder communications, while managing media enquiries.
• Drive WLSA’s digital presence, managing social media channels and website content, creating engaging digital assets, and monitoring performance to maximise audience reach and engagement.
• Maintain and strengthen the WLSA brand, supporting the design and production of reports, publications, presentations, and communication resources.
• Support WLSA member engagement and coordination, identifying opportunities for collaboration on advocacy initiatives and for communications capability building, and monitoring for opportunities and risks for Women’s Legal Services.

About You

You are a creative and proactive communications professional who is passionate about using strategic communications to support gender justice and equality. You enjoy crafting compelling content, working collaboratively and finding engaging ways to communicate complex issues. With experience across media, digital communications and stakeholder engagement, you thrive in a small and collaborative team, can manage competing priorities, and are motivated by the opportunity to contribute to meaningful outcomes for women and non-binary people across Australia.

Key to your success is your:

• Experience delivering communications, media and stakeholder engagement activities across multiple channels, including social media, website and email communications.
• Highly developed communication skills, with the ability to translate complex policy, legal or technical information into accessible and powerful content for a range of audiences.
• Experience managing digital communications and using analytics and performance data to evaluate effectiveness and improve engagement.
• Ability to develop high-quality branded communications materials, including publications, reports, presentations, social media content, and visual assets using Canva, Adobe Creative Suite or similar tools.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills, including the ability to work effectively with WLSA members, journalists and external stakeholders.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, exercise sound judgement and deliver high-quality materials within agreed deadlines.
• Demonstrated commitment to social justice, gender equality and access to justice.

You will have:

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, Media, or a related discipline, or equivalent demonstrated experience.
• Experience working in the social justice, gender equality or legal assistance sector is highly desirable.

Why Women’s Legal?

Be a part of a supportive, inclusive and purpose-driven workplace where your work truly matters.  We offer:

• Competitive remuneration, NFP salary packaging benefits (up to $15,900 in tax-free pay every year) plus meals & entertainment benefits (up to $2,650 tax-free pay per year)
• 5 weeks annual leave, plus bonus paid leave between Christmas and New Year!
• Paid cultural, parental, reproductive health, and gender affirmation leave
• A strong commitment to your professional development, personal development, and wellbeing
• A true hybrid working model and flexible working environment that supports work-life balance
• Fresh fruit available in the office
• Support for your wellbeing with access to our EAP and annual reimbursement limit for your own mental health professional

To apply

Submit a resume and covering letter to tell us how you are the right candidate for this role.  Please ensure the cover letter addresses how you personally align to Women’s Legal values and intersectional feminist principles as described in the attached position description.

Research shows that women are less likely to apply for roles if they don’t meet 100% of the selection criteria. We encourage you to apply if you don’t meet all the criteria, but this role sounds like a good fit for you. 

All successful candidates will be required to produce a national criminal history check prior to the commencement of their employment.

Disclosure of a criminal record does not necessarily preclude appointment by Women’s Legal, but if needed, we invite applicants to address this issue early in the application phase. Should a criminal record disclosure be advised by a candidate, Women’s Legal will endeavour to provide clarity over whether the conviction would preclude a candidate from being able to carry out the position duties.

Enquiries

Enquiries can be emailed to Judy Ma, People & Culture Officer at hr@womenslegal.org.au.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and respectful workplace. We recognise our work benefits greatly from the unique knowledge, skills, and expertise of individuals with diverse experiences, including women and non-binary people who are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, with disability, with lived experience of family and sexual violence, and from migrant, refugee, culturally and racially marginalised backgrounds.  If this is you, we strongly encourage you to apply.

Note, Women’s Legal relies on an exception under the Equal Opportunity Act to employ women and non-binary people only.