Careers

• Parental Leave - Primary Carer 12 weeks paid leave, Secondary Carer 2 weeks paid leave.
• Diversity Leave - 1 Day Leave to celebrate any Cultural and/or religious event. Purchase Leave - Purchase up to 4 weeks of extra leave.
• Mental Health Leave - 3 Days Paid Leave for any type of Mental Health Leave. Elders Care Leave - 3 Days Paid Leave to care for elderly parents.
• Grandparents Leave - 1 Day Paid Leave upon arrival of a grandchild.

• Mental Health - EAP Acacia & AIS Mental Health Referral Network. Annual Flu Vaccinations - Free Flu Vaccines for all individuals on a yearly basis.
• Fresh Fruit & Breakfast Supplied in Office each week.

• Study and Development - Learning and Development Pathways for staff, including access to Go1 Learning Management System.
• Tertiary Study - Study assistance for staff to develop their skills and knowledge to extend individual competence and organisational effectiveness.

• Lakeside Chat - Every 6 weeks coffee catch up with CEO, a GM and staff. Wellbeing & Inclusion Calendar - Identifying significant days throughout the year. Quarterly Newsletter "The Inside Track - Inform staff on what's happening at AA. Monthly All Staff Meetings
• Puma Discount - 40% off full-priced Puma Products Online.
• HelloFresh Partnership - Discount for staff on YouFoodz, HelloFresh and Everyplate ready meals.

• V.I.B.E - Valuing Individuals & Building Excellence - Peer-to-peer recognition program aligned to Australian Athletics Values and Behaviours. Staff achievements and actions are recognised by their colleagues through nominations.

About the Role:

The Head of Media & Communications is accountable for developing and executing a media and communications strategy for Australian Athletics (AA) that focuses on positively positioning the organisation in all aspects of media, communications and PR activity, across owned, earned, and stakeholder channels. 

Your core duties will include:

• Develop and execute comprehensive media and communications strategies across traditional and digital platforms to maximise sport and athlete coverage. 
• Create targeted strategies to recruit new audiences, particularly recreational running communities and sports adjacent fans. 
• Lead crisis communication planning, response protocols, and reputation management for Australian Athletics. 
• Build and maintain positive relationships with stakeholders across sport, government, media, and running communities. 
• Lead, develop, and upskill the communications team to deliver high-quality content aligned with organisational strategy.

What we are looking for: 

An experienced media, communications, or PR professional with a proven track record in shaping brand reputation and delivering high-quality content, ideally within a sporting environment. You demonstrate significant understanding of the sporting landscape coupled with innovative and creative thinking to deliver accurate and timely media content and communications.

You thrive under pressure, managing crisis communications with confidence while meeting deadlines in fast-paced environments. Strong stakeholder management, attention to detail, and the ability to deliver engaging, multi-platform content are at the core of your skill set.

We’re looking for someone who can grow and diversify audiences, from recreational runners to broader fitness and sports communities while positioning Australian Athletics as a thought leader in the industry. Experience developing media and communication strategies, leading campaigns, partnerships and corporate communications and driving digital engagement will be highly regarded.

Ideally you will have:

• Tertiary qualifications in communications, PR, marketing, or other relevant disciplines. 
• Demonstrate passion for athletics and strong understanding of the Australian sports media landscape. 
• Strong background in developing and implementing effective media, PR, and communication strategies that deliver measurable outcomes. 
• Proven ability to collaborate with broadcast production teams and broadcasters to manage event coverage and content.  
• Strong background in leading social media strategy and execution across multiple platforms. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with exceptional attention to detail. 
• A keen commitment to clean sport and abiding by AA's National Integrity Framework suite of policies including the Australian National Anti-doping Policy, Safeguarding Children and Young Persons Policy, and Code of Conduct. 
• Hold and maintain a valid Working with Children Check and (or ability to hold) Police Check.

Applications close Sunday 12th October 2025, 11.59pm AEDT.