"Communications Lead"

Job no: 580736

Work type: Full-time

Location: Geelong - City, Melbourne - Burwood

Categories: Marketing and Communications

• Based at either our Burwood or Geelong Waterfront Campus 
• Full-time and continuing 
• HEW 9 $138,102 - $146,374 + 17% Superannuation (pro rata) 

Benefits of working with us! 

At Deakin, we offer more than just a job — we offer a lifestyle. Across our campuses in Geelong, Melbourne, and regional Victoria, you’ll find everything you need to thrive: on-site childcare, gyms, medical centres, cafes, accessible public transport, and convenient parking. Enjoy flexible working arrangements that support your work-life balance, generous leave entitlements, including extended parental leave, the option to purchase additional time off, and a wide range of staff discounts on travel and more. Our health and wellbeing services, ongoing professional development opportunities, and inclusive, supportive culture make Deakin a place where you can grow — whether you're working remotely or immersed in the vibrant energy of campus life. 

Who are we? 

Deakin is a cutting-edge public university headquartered in Victoria, revolutionising education with 61,000 students across our campuses: Melbourne Burwood, Geelong Waurn Ponds, Geelong Waterfront, Warrnambool, Deakin University Lancaster University Indonesia (DLI), GIFT City, India, and our vibrant online environment. We're proud to be a progressive and open-minded university, delivering the highest student satisfaction in Victoria and consistently ranked among the top 1% of universities worldwide. 

Deakin isn't just adopting AI – we're building it. With Deakin GEM now live and our AI Factory accelerating capability across the institution, ambitious work is underway across multiple streams. We need a strategic communications leader to coordinate and align that work, connect stakeholders, and shape a narrative that cuts through. 

This is a role in the central University Communications team within the Office of the Vice-Chancellor. You'll be the connective tissue between AI initiatives across Deakin – bringing coherence to fast-moving, cross-institutional work and driving the strategic communications and storytelling that help Deakin own this space. 

As a Communications Lead, you will: 

• Coordinate and align communications across AI initiatives by integrating disparate workstreams and projects into a coherent strategy 
• Shape the AI story at Deakin by developing corporate and strategic documents, publications, and plans that are connected, compelling and future-focused 
• Bring major moments to life through standout narrative, storytelling and communication content and collateral that activate milestones, events, publications and flagship projects
• Deliver corporate communications that matter, providing high-level engagement and advice, research and analysis to produce polished reports, briefings, correspondence and positioning materials. 
• Drive executive influence by contributing to a proactive communications program for Executive leaders and by leveraging speaking opportunities across internal and external channels 
• Build trusted partnerships and drive change by fostering strong stakeholder relationships, championing a communications community of practice, and confidently navigating complex issues and overcoming resistance. 

What you will bring: 

• Proven strategic and corporate communications experience, ideally in technology, change or transformation programs 
• A track record of coordinating complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives 
• Sharp writing; you can move between a keynote speech and a briefing note without losing your voice 
• The ability to make complex things clear without dumbing them down 
• Comfort working at pace in a rapidly changing environment 

To be successful, you will have: 

• Relevant qualifications and/or extensive professional experience in communications, or an equivalent combination of education, training and practical expertise. 
• Demonstrated leadership and management capability within a communications environment, with the ability to operate confidently in complex organisations. 
• Exceptional writing skills, with a proven ability to craft compelling narratives and adapt tone and voice for diverse audiences. 
• End-to-end experience delivering strategic communication materials, including reports, plans, briefings, correspondence and positioning advice. 
• Strong project management skills, with a proven ability to manage multiple priorities, respond to shifting demands and deliver high-quality outcomes under tight deadlines. 

Here's how to apply:  

Please submit your updated resume and a short cover letter outlining your skills and experience.  

For a confidential discussion regarding this role, please contact Glen Atwell, Director, Communications, via glen.atwell@deakin.edu.au   

For a copy of the position description, please see below: 

PD_Lead, Communications.pdf

Applications for this position close at 5:00pm, Tuesday, 17th February 2026