Media & Communications Specialist

About the role

Animal Welfare League Queensland (AWLQ), a community-funded charity founded in 1959, is looking for a Media & Communications Specialist to join its marketing and communications function. Reporting to the Head of Marketing and Digital, you will work closely with the CEO and the leadership team to uncover stories, shape priority communications and build earned-media presence, editorial content and campaigns that move people to care, act and support. The role sits in a modernising, data-informed communications function and offers a career-accelerating position in a high-growth role.

Key responsibilities

• Build proactive media relations: prepare releases, pitches, statements and briefing materials, coordinate responses to enquiries and monitor coverage and emerging issues.
• Write, edit and quality-assure communications for campaigns, publications, newsletters, EDMs, websites, stakeholder updates and internal channels.
• Develop messaging frameworks, joint stakeholder announcements and integrated communications with stakeholders.
• Work with the CEO and executives to identify significant stories and craft authentic narratives.
• Apply media and brand protocols, support spokespeople on critical messaging and escalate sensitive or reputational matters promptly.
• Use audience insight, media monitoring and campaign data to improve communications, and help test smarter ways to produce, repurpose and measure content.

Required profile

• Tertiary qualification in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
• Demonstrated experience in media relations, PR, corporate communications or journalism; a strong portfolio of writing or campaign work is valued.
• Exceptional writing, editing and communication skills, with the ability to adapt messages for different audiences and channels.
• Strong relationship-building skills with media, senior leaders, frontline teams and external partners.
• Curiosity about data and performance, and excellent planning and prioritisation skills.
• A genuine love for animals and flexibility to work reasonable additional or out-of-hours periods.

Required skills

• Confidence with Microsoft Office, project-management platforms, CMS, CRM or EDM systems, media-monitoring tools and approved generative-AI tools.
• Desirable: experience in a newsroom, media, PR or agency environment, and in fundraising, advocacy, community engagement, crisis or issues communications.

What we offer

• $80k per annum plus superannuation.
• Flexible work arrangements and a hybrid work policy.
• Convenient Coombabah (Gold Coast) location with free onsite parking, plus employee discounts on pet food and veterinary services.