Job Description

• Daily rate contract role – 6 month role, Program Communications Lead
• Kensington, Sydney with Hybrid working, 2-3 days in the office weekly

The UNSW IT Change Practice Team provide change management expertise and advice to project teams, uplifting the maturity of the design and implementation of change management initiatives across the IT investment portfolio and creating greater visibility of the level and impact of change within and across the university.

The Program Communications Lead plays a strategic leadership role in designing and delivering communications and engagement for major university-wide programs, ensuring stakeholders are informed, engaged, and ready to adopt change, the role provides expert advice and leadership on program-level communications strategy, working across multiple workstreams to translate complex initiatives into clear, compelling narratives tailored to diverse audiences including staff, students, and leadership.

The Program Communications Lead is responsible for shaping the program story, driving consistent messaging, and embedding a human-centred, audience-first approach to communications, ensuring alignment with university priorities and enhancing the overall experience of change.

The role works closely with program leadership, change teams, and business stakeholders, and may lead a small team of communications specialists and content contributors

The Program Communications Lead reports to the UNSW IT Director Engagement and Change and works cross-functionally across the University.

Accountabilities

• Develop and lead the program-wide communications and engagement strategy, aligned to program objectives and university priorities.
• Define clear messaging frameworks, narrative, and positioning for the program across all workstreams and ensure consistency of messaging across channels, audiences, and project teams.
• Provide strategic communications advice to program leadership, project teams, and senior stakeholders.
• Act as a key liaison to ensure communications reflect stakeholder needs, concerns, and context across Faculties, Divisions, and student groups.
• Coach leaders to communicate effectively, including briefings, key messages, and supporting materials.
• Lead the development of targeted communications plans and artefacts tailored to different audience segments, applying human-centred design principles.
• Embed feedback mechanisms and listening channels to continuously refine messaging and approach.
• Oversee creation and delivery of high-quality communication artefacts, including but exclusive to: executive briefings and slide decks; email campaigns and newsletters; web/intranet content; video, events, and digital assets.
• Ensure effective use of appropriate communication channels and platforms to maximise reach and engagement.
• Collaborate with change, training, and project teams to ensure communications are integrated into program delivery plans, milestones, and business readiness activities.
• Align communications with broader change and engagement activities to support adoption and minimise disruption.
• Define and track communications success metrics (e.g. reach, engagement, understanding, readiness), monitor effectiveness and adjust strategies based on insights and feedback.
• Identify and manage communications risks, including misinformation, low engagement, or stakeholder resistance. Develop mitigation strategies and support program leadership in managing sensitive or complex messaging.
• Build communications capability across program teams by providing guidance, templates, and tools.
• Align with and actively demonstrate the UNSW Values in Action: Our Behaviours and the UNSW Code of Conduct.

Who you are

• Relevant tertiary qualifications with at least 6+ years’ experience leading and implementing medium to large sized programs in complex environments and/or extensive relevant experience gained through any other combination of education, training and/or experience.
• Demonstrated experience working with all levels of stakeholders including senior stakeholders in designing and delivering communications activities to support business leaders and their teams through integrated communications activities for the program plans.
• Demonstrated understanding and extensive experience in leading and providing change advice and support across multiple projects or program streams within agreed timeframes and supporting business users to adopt and embed change.
• Experience in higher education sector is desirable.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to successfully meet deadlines and manage multiple tasks with changing priorities.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to build and maintain effective internal and external working relationships, influence leaders and liaise effectively with a range of stakeholders to ensure successful outcomes.
• An understanding of and commitment to UNSW’s aims, objectives and values in action, together with relevant policies and guidelines.
• Knowledge of health and safety responsibilities and commitment to attending relevant health and safety training