Work with Shape

Position Description – Communications Consultant/Senior Consultant (Public Communications)
Salary – Competitive salary based on experience
Employment – Full time or part time (3-5 days per week)
Location – Fully flexible (home or office-based, depending on preference and location)
Reports to – Associate Director/Head of Public Communications

About the Role

The Shape Agency’s Public Communications team are looking for a talented and engaged media and communications professional to join a growing communications agency with an exciting, purpose-driven client list.

As part of a high performing team of experienced professionals, this person will work on nationally significant communications campaigns, making a difference on critical issues like renewable energy, workers’ rights, justice reform, and mental health.

The successful candidate will be an excellent writer with the ability to swiftly digest and distil complex information to develop high-quality communications materials (think media releases, op-eds, briefing documents, online content) to deadline. You’ll have good media contacts, strong news sense, and know how to find great hooks for stories (and pitch them!).

You’ll have at least 5 years’ experience in journalism, politics, PR/communications, or consulting with exposure to challenging political issues and a passion for making the world a better place. Digitally fluent, you’ll have an up-to-date understanding of the role of digital and social media in communications and campaigns. You will be organised and able to manage your time in line with competing priorities, with a willingness to pitch in, learn new skills and engage with novel subject matter.

Key Selection Criteria

• Minimum 5 years’ relevant experience
• Relevant Bachelor’s Degree or additional and demonstrable relevant experience
• Highly developed writing and communication skills
• Ability to think strategically and confidently provide advice
• Exposure to and interest in news, politics and political issues
• Awareness of and interest in issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• Strong skills across digital communications platforms, and ideally experience driving engagement on digital/social media campaigns
• Excellent organisational skills and ability to manage competing priorities
• Ability to work independently and to collaborate as part of a team

About Shape

The Shape Agency specialises in communicating on complex issues in political-charged contexts. We combine market research, strategic analysis, and effective execution to help shape public debate and stakeholder perceptions. Our clients include well-known NGOs, high profile government agencies, and socially interested corporates working on some of the biggest challenges facing society.

We create the space for progress on issues as diverse as energy and climate change, criminal justice reform, workers’ rights, finance and superannuation, obesity and body image, mental health, and voluntary assisted dying.

We select our clients based on their purpose (in other words, we work for the good guys!). We’re proud of our work, and who we work for – which includes many organisations led by people with lived experience of the issues they seek to address.

Working at Shape

At Shape we work creatively and collaboratively to deliver results for our clients. As experienced experts in our field we fight to win, but act with integrity, honesty, and respect. These values reflect our approach to work and life, so we pride ourselves on remaining true to them in our words and actions.

Together with our sister research business The Insight Centre, Shape has more than 15 consultants working from different parts of Australia. We are a highly flexible workplace, utilising technology to make us more effective and cooperative. You will be able to work from home as often as you like – permanently if that is your preference.

The Shape Agency is a diverse and welcoming place with a commitment to equality. We encourage applications from people with lived experience of diversity. Achieving equality and justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is at the heart of much of our work, and we encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Apply

Submit your application including a cover letter addressing the selection criteria and your resume to tim@theshapeagency.com.au by COB 31 July 2024.

For more information about Shape, visit www.theshapeagency.com.au

For more information about the role, speak to Tim – 0409 059 617

Position Description – Communications Coordinator
Salary – Competitive salary available, based on experience
Employment – Full time and part time available (3-5 days per week)
Hours of Work – Flexible
Reports to – Associate Director

We’re looking for skilled media, communications, public affairs and/or campaigns professionals to join our team of consultants, in a growing agency with an exciting, purpose-driven client list.

Working with very experienced professionals in a high-performance team, you’ll have the opportunity to work on nationally significant communications campaigns.

This is a permanent part-time or full-time role with flexible work arrangements suited to your situation.

About Shape

The Shape Agency helps its clients communicate on complex issues and in highly political contexts, to help them achieve a social-interest purpose. Some of our clients are very well-known advocacy organisations and others are government clients pursuing progressive policy initiatives.

We bring together market research, communications strategy and execution across all communications channels to help our clients shape the perception of their issues and to create the space for positive social change.

We only work for organisations with a social interest purpose at their heart of their work which aligns with our values and purpose at Shape.

We’ve worked on issues and campaigns as diverse as: the net zero energy transition, climate change, industrial relations reform, voluntary euthanasia, criminal justice reform, addressing obesity stigma, mental health and suicide prevention; while also helping many organisations develop and refine their organisation-wide communications and engagement strategies.

Selection criteria

This role requires a person with a qualification in media, communications, marketing or a related public affairs field. you will likely have some early professional experience in communications, media, public affairs or campaigning.

You will:

• Be extremely proficient working on digital media channels, including all major social media channels and digital platforms and using content creation tools such as Canva. You will also have a good understanding of advertising and search optimisation tactics.
• Be confident developing social media content and calendars.
• Be capable of working with the media, tracking issues and sometimes pitching stories to journalists at the direction of a Senior Consultant, based on an understanding of media distribution tools, tactics and the dynamics of the modern media environment.
• Be a great writer, able to work across various communications formats such as: key message sheets, social media content, website copy, media alerts, media releases, and media plans.
• Have a solid understanding of the role of politics, public policy and Government in shaping the issues you are working on for our clients.
• Be able to multitask, working across 4-5 client accounts at a time, reporting to Senior Consultants on client work and one Associate Director.

About you

You will:

• Have a qualification in communications, campaigning, PR, journalism and/or marketing, ideally with exposure to politics or political issues. You may have some experience working professionally in these fields, however we are also open to graduate applications.
• Have excellent organisational and time management skills, and the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Be a natural collaborator, understanding that progressing social change requires working together with others effectively.
• Enjoy helping others achieve their goals as an enabler of change.
• Be drawn to ‘purpose-based’ work and care about issues like tackling disadvantage, community inclusion, social and economic inequality and environmental issues.
• Understand the critical role of government in addressing these societal issues.
• Be comfortable working across a wide range of issues, recognising the diverse nature of the policy issues our clients are engaged with.

Flexibility and work culture

We take pride in our very high staff retention rate which reflects a very positive work culture.

We believe strongly in flexibility and in utilising technology to work effectively and collaboratively.

We believe in fitting work arrangements around the individual which we have found contributes to the happiness of our people.

We believe in trusting our people to deliver results and assessing performance on outcomes and delivery.

Shape has consultants in different parts of Australia, so we are a highly flexible workplace. You will be able to work from home as often as you like – permanently if that is your preference. Alternatively, you may work in our office.

We are prioritising finding the right candidate, so we are also open to the successful candidate working 3, 4 or 5 days per week.

The role can be based anywhere in Australia.

Apply now

Submit your application including a cover letter addressing the selection criteria and your resume to tim@theshapeagency.com.au by COB 31 July 2024.

For more information about Shape, visit www.theshapeagency.com.au