Media and Communications Officer

Location: 90 Sippy Downs Drive, UniSC Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia, 4556

Employment Type: Individual contributor | Full-Time

Salary: Level 6, $95,986 - $103,873 p.a., plus up to 17% employer superannuation

Department: Marketing and Communications | UniSC Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs

Hours: Full-time (36.25 hours per week), ongoing appointment

The Opportunity

Join UniSC’s Marketing and Communications team as a Media and Communications Officer, where you will play a vital role in building and protecting the University’s reputation through compelling storytelling and high-quality media content. Working within Strategic Communications, you will help identify, develop, and pitch newsworthy stories, produce engaging media releases, and contribute to a broad range of communications that showcase the University’s achievements.

This is a fast-paced and varied role that involves working closely with academics, researchers, and professional staff to uncover stories of impact, while also supporting media relations activities, including responding to media enquiries, coordinating interviews, and maintaining strong relationships with journalists and media outlets. You will also contribute to internal communications, digital content, and crisis communications support when required, ensuring consistent and effective messaging across all channels.

Please note: This role requires travel between UniSC campuses and external locations throughout the year. Flexibility in work hours, including after-hours and weekend work, will also be required.

You will

• plan, write, and pitch high-quality news stories, media releases, and articles that align with UniSC’s strategic priorities and enhance its reputation;
• provide media relations support, including responding to enquiries, coordinating interviews, and offering advice and guidance to staff on media engagement; and
• contribute to a range of communications activities, including crisis communications support, content coordination (photo/video), and internal and digital communications.

About you

You are an experienced communications professional or journalist with strong news-writing skills and a solid understanding of how the media operates in a fast-paced environment. You are confident managing multiple priorities, working to tight deadlines, and translating complex information into clear, engaging content for diverse audiences. You bring strong stakeholder engagement skills and are comfortable working with academics, researchers, and senior staff to identify and develop compelling stories, and you are proactive, detail-focused, and capable of contributing to both strategic communications planning and day-to-day media relations activities.

You will possess:

• A tertiary qualification in journalism, communications, public relations, marketing, or a related discipline, coupled with relevant professional experience;
• Demonstrated expertise in news writing and the development of high-quality, engaging content across multiple channels;
• Proven experience in media relations, including managing media enquiries and effectively liaising with journalists;
• Strong organisational and project coordination skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and deliver to deadlines;
• Highly developed interpersonal and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships across diverse audiences; and
• Experience contributing to communications planning and supporting internal communications initiatives.

UniSC is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and inclusion. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, including those with disabilities, women in STEM, First Nations Peoples, and individuals of diverse cultures, genders, abilities, and experiences. We value achievement relative to opportunity and encourage your commentary on your achievements in this context. For additional support during the application process, please contact us at unisc-careers@usc.edu.au or call +61 7 5430 2830.

Position Description: 494485_Media and Communications Officer

UniSC values a diverse and talented workforce and invites applications from candidates who already have legal work rights in Australia.

All applications must be lodged through our website. To apply please visit our website at: Careers at UniSC

Applications for this position close midnight, Sunday 31 May 2026

Your completed application must include:

• a resume and a statement of suitability (not to exceed two pages), which be reviewed in alignment to the specified selection criteria as outlined within the position description.

Further information regarding how to prepare your application is available on our website: Join our team

UniSC does not accept unsolicited applications. For agency inquiries, contact unisc-careers@usc.edu.au

Have questions or want to know more? For a confidential discussion, please contact:

Janelle Kirkland

Senior Media and Communications Officer – Marketing and Communications

Telephone: 07 5459 4553

Email: jkirkland@usc.edu.au

Discover UniSC

We’re all about doing work that matters, connecting with great people, and being part of an incredible journey. While we’re not the largest university, we are one of the fastest growing in Australia, now with over 2,000 staff across five campuses in South East Queensland and an expanding presence in major capital cities, and we’re making a big impact every day through ground-breaking research, a strong commitment to sustainability, high-performance sport, and award-winning alumni.

We are committed to delivering high-quality research and teaching that address major global and regional challenges, with established and emerging strengths in sustainability, environmental systems, biodiversity, aquaculture, preventative health and regional resilience. Our research excellence is internationally recognised through strong performance in global benchmarking, including leading rankings in the 2025 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings for “Zero Hunger,” “Climate Action” and “Life on Land.” UniSC is also recognised for its teaching excellence, with a strong emphasis on student success, innovative and engaging learning experiences, and strong graduate outcomes that equip learners to make meaningful contributions in their chosen fields. As the only university operating within three UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, UniSC is uniquely positioned to leverage its natural environment to advance impactful research, teaching and partnerships that support sustainable futures, with sustainability embedded across all aspects of our teaching, research and operations.

We foster a collaborative and supportive environment that encourages continuous professional development and provides the tools and resources to grow your career. We value the contributions of every team member and the role they play in our culture and success. We’re not afraid to do things differently, and we’re looking for people who share our values and want to be part of a team working together to make a meaningful difference to local and global challenges.

Our Culture & Benefits:

• Our collaborative, passionate and welcoming culture is what really sets us apart.
• Modern teaching & research facilities.
• Professional development and career pathway opportunities.
• We are a proud recipient of the prestigious Athena SWAN Bronze Award, granted as part of the Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) initiative.
• Flexible work arrangements & generous leave options.
• Salary packing options + 17% Super.
• EAP, fitness passport & discounted private health.