At C&K, our purpose is to make a positive impact on children’s lives. It’s what we’ve been doing for more than 116 years. Through evidence-based thinking, hard work and true compassion, we’ve built a trusted reputation as Queensland’s leading provider of early childhood education. And as a child safe organisation, we put children's safety and wellbeing at the heart of everything we do, creating nurturing spaces where children can learn, explore, play and grow. 

As the Strategic Communications and Public Affairs Manager, you will lead a small team to strengthen C&K's reputation and influence as a trusted leader in early childhood education and care. Partnering closely with the Head of Communications, Advocacy and Partnerships, you'll translate complex policy and sector issues into compelling messages that support advocacy priorities, engage stakeholders and showcase C&K's expertise. This is an exciting opportunity to influence meaningful conversations and create lasting impact for children, families and communities.

What You’ll Be Doing: 

• Implement C&K’s communications strategy to strengthen the organisation’s reputation, influence and positioning as a sector leader in early childhood education and care.
• Translate complex policy and advocacy priorities into compelling, audience-specific messages that influence stakeholders and advance sector priorities.
• Lead the production of key corporate publications, including the C&K Annual Report, and ensure quality content creation for media releases, speeches, briefs, and social media.
• Maintain positive and effective relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, including local, state and federal governments, national organisations, strategic partners and media.
• Support media crisis management, respond to media requests and proactively engage media outlets to deliver on media strategy. 

Why You’ll Love This Role: 

• Working flexible hours Monday – Friday with 2 days WFH option and option of 1 ADO a month.
• Conveniently located in Kedron with ample street parking and close to public transport options.

Find Your Better Way and Enjoy the Benefits 

• Every C&K career helps children belong and grow. We’ll set you up for success with a range of benefits, programs and opportunities to help you earn, be well and grow. 
• Find a healthy work-life balance with family-friendly priority access to C&K childcare centres and discounts of up to 35% of the gap fee. 
• Be well and prosper with an Employee Assistance Program that includes financial counselling, nutrition coaching, individual counselling and specialist support for LGBTIQA+ and First Nations individuals. 
• BUPA health insurance discounts 
• Funded Blue Card and National Police Check.  
• Take your career to new heights with professional development opportunities. 
• Plus so much more. 

What you’ll bring 

We strongly uphold our child safety policies and procedures. To thrive and succeed in this role, you will have: 

• A tertiary qualification in journalism, communications, public affairs, advocacy or related discipline.
• 5 to 7 years’ experience in public affairs, media or communications roles in regulated or politically sensitive environments.
• Valid Blue Card and National Police Check or willingness to obtain (we will fund this for you) 

You will bring a passion for achieving long-lasting, high-quality outcomes for children, their families and the community alongside a team-player mindset - when you join C&K, you join a village of good-hearted, talented people, so you can lean on them as they lean on you. 

Join us and find a better way with C&K - for children, for you, for always.  

C&K is a child-safe organisation and all C&K employees are required to undergo a police check and not be a ‘Restricted Person’ or Suspended Educator under the QLD Blue Card System. 

We welcome applicants who identify as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, have a Culturally and /or Linguistically Diverse background and/or those with additional needs.  

Kedron, QLD