Senior Communications Advisor

The Hospital:

The Royal Children’s Hospital’s (RCH) Vision is “A world where all kids thrive”.

RCH is a cornerstone member of the Melbourne Children’s Campus, partnering with Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, The University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics and The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation.

RCH has cared for the children and young people of Victoria for more than 150 years since it was founded in 1870. A full range of paediatrics and adolescent health services are provided plus tertiary and quaternary care for the most critically ill and medically complex patients in Victoria, Tasmania, southern NSW and other states around Australia and overseas. The Hospital has more than 6,000 staff, a budget of $850M, 12 wards and 350 beds. Annually, the RCH has 300,000+ Specialist Clinic appointments, 90,000+ Emergency Department presentations and 20,000 elective surgeries.

RCH enjoys high employee engagement and is committed to staff safety and a positive culture through enactment of our Compact.

About Us:

Join a high-performing team at the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH), where we are dedicated to making a positive impact on the health and well-being of children. Our Communications team is small but dynamic, offering a collaborative and innovative environment. We are looking for a Senior Communications Advisor to lead our social media channels, create engaging content, and manage complex stakeholder relationships to deliver impactful internal and external communications campaigns.

What you’ll achieve in this role:

• Create and roll out an industry-leading social media strategy: Launch new channels, develop new ways of creating content and make sure we are constantly evolving.
• Lead complex communications campaigns: Work with world-leading clinicians and healthcare workers to ensure RCH services are communicated clearly to those who need it.
• Own and roll out an effective content strategy: Create and manage a robust content calendar for social media platforms, ensuring timely and consistent content delivery.
• Gain experience in crisis communication management: Handle crisis situations and issues management effectively, minimising reputational risks, ensuring timely and appropriate responses to media enquiries, and maintaining positive media relations.
• Collaborative team efforts: Work closely with the Communications team, leveraging videography, photography, and graphic design resources for integrated communication efforts, sharing responsibilities for general communications tasks, and contributing to a cohesive team environment.
• Performance monitoring and constant improvement: Evaluate the success of your campaigns and initiatives, report back to the client and the communications team, and look for ways to improve next time.

What experience you bring:

• Social Media Management: Proven ability to lead and manage social media channels, aligning with organisational values and brand identity.
• Strategic Planning: Experience in developing and implementing comprehensive social media strategies, focusing on short-form video content.
• Content Creation: Skilled in creating and managing content calendars, and writing high-quality content for websites, intranet, newsletters, media releases, and presentations.
• Campaign Coordination: Expertise in developing and coordinating internal and external communications campaigns, providing strategic direction and overseeing execution.
• Media Relations: Ability to respond to media inquiries promptly, organise hospital media events, and support executives and staff during these events.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Strong skills in building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders including clinicians, operational staff, patients, families, government agencies, and health service providers.

• Process Improvement: Proactively seeking opportunities for innovation and improvement within the communications function.

Qualifications:

• Proven experience in a similar role, with a strong background in managing social media channels and developing content strategies.
• Excellent writing and editing skills, with the ability to produce engaging and high-quality content.
• Strong understanding of media and issues management.
• Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Experience in coordinating and delivering comprehensive communications campaigns.
• Strong strategic thinking and project management skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment, handling multiple tasks simultaneously.

Why Join Us?

• Be part of a dedicated and high-performing team making a difference to children, their families, and the wider health sector.
• Opportunity to lead and innovate in a dynamic communications environment.
• Engage with a diverse range of stakeholders, contributing to impactful health communications.
• Supportive and collaborative team culture focussing on improvement, growth and development.

A few more details:

• We offer Salary Packaging
• Work two days from home, three in the Parkville office
• Take advantage of discounted on-site car parking.

 Other requirements:

• Current National Criminal Record Check, or willing to obtain
• Valid Working with Children Check
• Compliance with RCHs “Staff Immunisation - Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases” procedure.

How to Apply:

To apply, you will need a resume and a tailored cover letter outlining your skills, experience, and suitability for the position in line with the requirements of the position description. Shortlisting for this position will commence immediately, we encourage you to apply promptly.

Why work at the RCH?

RCH enjoys high employee engagement and is committed to staff safety and a positive culture through enactment of our Compact. We offer the opportunity to work in world-class facilities,  surrounded by Royal Park and only a short tram trip from the heart of Melbourne city.

We also offer discounted staff parking, salary packaging, and an award-winning health and wellbeing program.

The RCH is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and/or linguistically diverse background,  all members of the LGBTQI community and people with disability.

It is a requirement of your employment that you be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, and Influenza annually for Category A and B roles, in compliance with any public health orders in place at the relevant time, unless you have a medical exception in line with those public health orders, which has been accepted by The Royal Children’s Hospital.  Applicants will be required to provide their Australian Government Immunisation History Statement, it is a requirement of the RCH to collect, record and hold vaccination information.

It is also a requirement of your employment that you comply with any direction given by The Royal Children’s Hospital that you be vaccinated against, or prove immunity to, any other disease, unless you have a relevant exemption

Are you ready to join our team? 

 Apply online by clicking on the “Apply” button

Applications close 19 June 2024