Director, Media And Communications

Director, Media and Communications at Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) Permanent, Full time ARENA is at the forefront of Australia's renewable energy transition, funding and supporting innovative solutions that make real impact. By investing in cutting edge technologies, sharing insights with the market and collaborating with industry leaders, we're accelerating progress towards a cleaner, more sustainable future. Every role here contributes to meaningful change and shapes Australia's transition to renewable energy. Join our purpose-driven team where innovation thrives and your work matters. With a values-driven culture built on knowledge sharing and impact, we offer an environment where you can grow your skills, expand your expertise in the renewable energy sector and make a lasting positive impact. If you're ready to be part of something bigger, transforming the future of energy for a sustainable future, explore our opportunities today. About the team: The Marketing and Communications team is a strategic enabler of ARENA's mission: driving impact through communications, engagement, and reputation management. We operate as a high-performing, multi-skilled team that integrates communications, marketing, media, stakeholder engagement, and digital strategy to support the agency's goals. About the position: The Director, Media and Communications provides strategic oversight and direction of ARENA's media, public affairs, strategic communications and marketing functions. The role guides functions embedded in business teams to find integrated strategies that drive business outcomes, amplify insights and funding opportunities and raise awareness of ARENA's impact. Responsibilities Oversee and guide strategic direction for ARENA's communications, marketing and media functions in line with business priorities and government expectations. Determine communications priorities and initiatives that deliver the greatest organisational and portfolio value. Guide the agency's strategic narrative and thought leadership across ARENA's priorities. Collaborate with the Director of Corporate Brand, Engagement and Channels to ensure integration and amplification of corporate messaging. Lead high-profile media and marketing initiatives that enhance ARENA's reputation, influence and strategic clarity. Provide direction on issues and reputation management through proactive and responsive communications and media relations. Oversee and guide Strategic Communications and Marketing Managers to ensure technology-specific messaging aligns with corporate priorities and cadence. Provide guidance and direction for B2B marketing initiatives that generate pipeline leads, activate the market and amplify insights to foster innovation and awareness of funding opportunities. Support embedded impact team functions in identifying communications and marketing solutions to business problems, enabling integrated and collaborative outcomes. Lead strategic relationships with Ministerial and Departmental media offices to ensure alignment with government protocols, communications strategies and media products. Develop strong relationships with key media outlets, journalists and influential publishers to build ARENA's public media profile. Provide quality assurance, review and sign off on media and communications materials. Provide strategic counsel to senior leaders and spokespeople on media appearances and public positioning. Support the General Manager, Corporate Affairs with SLT, Board and Ministerial briefings, messaging and reporting. Represent Corporate Affairs in internal forums and cross-agency working groups to support strategic planning and cohesion. Lead and mentor direct reports, fostering a high-performance culture and continuous improvement across the team. Key opportunities Shape ARENA's national narrative and influence Australia's renewable energy transition through strategic media and communications leadership. Drive high-profile campaigns and initiatives that amplify ARENA's impact, funding opportunities, and industry thought leadership. Lead integrated communications and marketing strategies that drive market activation and foster innovation across the energy sector. Build and strengthen strategic relationships with Ministerial offices, government agencies, industry leaders, and major media outlets. >Guide reputation and issues management at the highest level, ensuring ARENA's public standing and credibility remain strong. Mentor and inspire a high-performing team, fostering collaboration and continuous improvement in a dynamic environment. Collaborate with senior executives and the Board, providing strategic counsel on messaging, media engagement, and public positioning. What we are looking for Knowledge and experience Demonstrated ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with counterparts in Ministerial offices, government departments and agencies, energy sector bodies, industry, and media. Deep understanding of business-to-business marketing strategies that generate leads, activate markets, and amplify insights to drive innovation and awareness. Demonstrated experience in managing media units and leading high-performing teams. Experience providing strategic media and messaging advice to senior executives and spokespeople. Proven experience in delivering integrated, creative and multi-channel communications, marketing and media campaigns that drive business outcomes. Strong leadership capability with experience managing diverse teams in high-profile, fast-paced, and evolving environments. Skills and capabilities Ability to set and align communications and marketing strategies with organisational and government priorities. Skilled in identifying reputational risks and managing proactive and responsive media strategies that protect and enhance public standing. Proven judgement in assessing and navigating sensitive issues including timely escalation to appropriate stakeholders to ensuring coordinated responses. Proven capability to lead, mentor and inspire high-performing teams. Demonstrated ability to synthesise complex issues into clear, actionable insights that inform strategic communications. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor messaging to varied audiences. High level of attention to detail, ensuring accuracy and consistency across media and corporate communications. Strong task and time management skills, with the ability to quickly establish priorities, meet deadlines, and manage competing demands. Proven ability to set clear work programs, priorities, and deliverables, and to hold team members accountable for achieving outcomes. #J- Ljbffr #J-18808-Ljbffr