Aso8 Principal Communications & Engagement Advisor, …, Adelaide

**Office for Early Childhood Development** **Job reference**: 830117 **Location**: 5000
- ADELAIDE **Job status**: Long Term Contract **Eligibility**: Open to Everyone

**Why work with us**: The Office for Early Childhood Development (OECD) has been formed with a explicit mandate: to create a fairer and better future for all children in South Australia by implementing the accepted recommendations of the Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care.

As the steward of the early childhood development system, the Office will act on government's behalf, and work in collaboration with the sector, to organise and connect the system to reduce developmental vulnerability.

This includes providing universal access to quality, teacher-led preschool from the age of 3, growing and sustaining a quality early childhood workforce, and greater supports and connected services for families in the 1000 days of a child’s life.

The OECD prides itself on building and maintaining a culturally safe workplace and is committed to working in partnership with Aboriginal leadership and Communities to co-design and invest in support for Aboriginal children and families. Central to this is a recognition that culture shapes how children learn grow and connect with the world.

**About this role**: By providing expert communications advice and delivering strategic, culturally-responsive communications, media and engagement plans, you will support the implementation South Australia’s Flying Start early childhood reforms among Aboriginal families and Communities.

In this role you will work with internal stakeholders, relevant government agencies and Communities to identify communications objectives, priorities and key messages, provide end-to-end high-quality communications advice and develop and implement a strategic communications program and associated collateral.

Working with external stakeholders you will manage suppliers, oversee and evaluate campaigns and deliver impactful and culturally responsive resources and collateral.

**Your Key Responsibilities**:

- Establish, develop and implement an Aboriginal culturally-informed communications program including high-level strategic communications and engagement strategies in consultation with key internal and external stakeholders, undertaking risk assessments, maintaining forward planners, crafting key messages, developing collateral and selecting appropriate tactics and channels.
- Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels, and strengthen and sustain partnerships with Aboriginal families, Communities and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations.
- Ensure wise practice and culturally
- informed outcomes by seeking guidance, endorsement and input from the Office’s Empowering Aboriginal Children’s team, Aboriginal Workforce team and the Office’s Aboriginal Leadership Committee.
- Write, edit and distribute compelling, clear and culturally
- responsive communications and media content, tailored to the audience and channel. This includes, but is not limited, to community facing collateral, digital and social content, media releases, newsletter copy, speech notes, and marketing campaigns. Manage communications projects, including with external suppliers, ensuring timelines, milestones, and deliverables are met to a high standard, and procurement and contract management processes are compliant and culturally responsive.
- **About you**: **Join us in making a real impact!** We’re looking for a dynamic professional who can bring exceptional communication skills and a passion for working with Aboriginal people and Communities. In this role, you’ll lead strategic communication and engagement initiatives, using innovative approaches to connect with Aboriginal audiences and drive meaningful outcomes. You’ll champion best-practice co-design, fostering genuine collaboration and shared decision-making, while ensuring cultural responsiveness and respect for Aboriginal histories, stories, and knowledge. Your ability to build trusted relationships, navigate complex stakeholder needs, and balance priorities will be key to success. If you thrive on managing projects, solving problems, and delivering results in a fast-paced environment, this is your opportunity to make a difference for Aboriginal children and families in South Australia.

To succeed in this role, you will be:

- An **Exceptional Communicator**: Proven ability to engage with Aboriginal peoples and Communities and craft compelling stories across diverse platforms.
- A **Strategic Planner**: Expert in designing and delivering impactful communication strategies that engage Aboriginal audiences and drive results.
- An **Exceptional Co-designer**: Skilled facilitator of genuine collaboration and shared decision-making through best-practice co-design principles.
- Deeply **Contextually & Culturally Responsive**: Deep understanding of Aboriginal cultures, histories, and so Apply on Kit Job: kitjobau.com/job/3qzaby