Senior Communications Officer, ARC Training Centre in Predictive Breeding

Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI)

Full-time (100%), fixed-term position for up to 3 years

Base salary will be in the range $89,861.38 - $96,402.32 + 17% Superannuation

Based at our St Lucia Campus

About This Opportunity

The purpose of this position is to showcase the objectives, research projects, and training initiatives within the ARC Training Centre in Predictive Breeding. Using a range of different communication channels, as the Communications Officer, you will be responsible for creating all Centre content across various platforms. You will play an integral role in coordinating communication between internal and external stakeholders across multiple Centre Nodes, including five universities and 36 partner organisations. You will be based within the Centre office at the UQ St Lucia Campus and will work closely with the Centre Director, Centre Manager and Training and Events Coordinator to communicate the exciting work of the ARC Training Centre in Predictive Breeding. View website predictive-breeding.org

Key responsibilities will include:

Develop and deliver an annual communication strategy for the Centre, ensuring effective engagement with internal and external stakeholders.

Create innovative content for the Centre's communication channels, for example, press releases, blog posts, infographics, flyers, brochures, and the Centre's Annual Report.

Manage the Centre's website and be responsible for uploading and curating all website content.

Liaise with external web developers on new features for the Centre website and resolve any issues that may arise.

Produce, script, film and edit videos showcasing Centre events, training opportunities, and research outputs.

Establish Centre social media channels (e.g. Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram etc.), and create engaging campaigns that showcase Centre activities and opportunities of interest from the plant and animal breeding community.

Design and circulate a monthly Centre newsletter to internal and external stakeholders and manage the relevant mailing lists.

Coordinate Centre channels on MS Teams to ensure effective communication between individuals and groups across multiple organisations.

Coordinate the marketing of Centre events, short courses and training workshops, working collaboratively with all Centre Nodes and partners.

Establish effective working relationships with the relevant communication and marketing teams at all Centre Nodes, and the ARC, ensuring content complies with their policies and procedures.

Monitor analytics data for the Centre's communication activities, analyse the effectiveness of different strategies, and regularly disseminate findings to the Centre Leadership Team and Executive Management Committee.

About UQ

As part of the UQ community, you will have the opportunity to work alongside the brightest minds, who have joined us from all over the world.

Everyone here has a role to play. As a member of our professional staff cohort, you will be actively involved in working towards our vision of a better world. By supporting the academic endeavour across teaching, research, and the student life, you will have the opportunity to contribute to activities that have a lasting impact on our community.

Join a community where excellence is at the core of our culture, contributions are valued and a range of benefits and rewards are available, such as:

26 weeks paid parental leave or 14 weeks paid primary caregiver leave

17% superannuation contributions

17.5% annual leave loading

Access to flexible working arrangements including hybrid working options, flexible start/finish times, purchased leave, and a condensed fortnight

Health and wellness discounts – fitness passport access, free yearly flu vaccinations, discounted health insurance, and access to our Employee Assistance Program for staff and their immediate family

UQ Study for Staff

On campus childcare options

Cheap parking (from just $5.75 a day)

Salary packaging options

About the ARC Training Centre in Predictive Breeding

The Australian Research Council (ARC) Training Centre in Predictive Breeding aims to develop the advanced capacity needed to secure Australia's food and fibre production and export value into the future. Leveraging immense industry support, the Centre expects to develop and integrate cutting-edge plant and animal breeding technologies and deliver world-class training that addresses critical demand for highly skilled industry leaders. Expected outcomes include a future-ready predictive breeding industry able to transform data into optimised decisions, and the human capacity to drive it. This should provide significant benefits to enhance the sustainability and profitability of all major Australian agriculture sectors, including livestock, grains, horticulture, cotton, wine, dairy, forestry and fisheries. Website predictive- breeding.org

The ARC Training Centre is administered by The University of Queensland (UQ), based within the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), and operates collaboratively across several schools at UQ, including the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, School of the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, the Business School and the Law School. The ARC Training Centre in Predictive Breeding has four other university nodes around Australia, including The University of Western Australia, The University of New England, La Trobe University and University of Wollongong. There are also a number of domestic and international partner organisations spanning universities, industry and government.

The ARC announced funding for the Training Centre in Predictive Breeding in July 2023 and operations commenced on 31 July 2024.

About You

Qualifications and training equivalent to an undergraduate degree in science communication, marketing, journalism, or a related discipline with at least three years of relevant work experience and/or an equivalent combination of relevant experience and/or education/training.

Experience of developing and/or delivering a communication and engagement strategy in a relevant setting.

Demonstrated experience of maintaining websites, preferably using a content management system such as WordPress.

Experience of managing different social media platforms (e.g. Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram) for a complex organisation/university setting.

Demonstrated experience of email marketing platforms, such as Mailchimp.

Experience of using professional video editing software to create and edit video content.

Proven experience of translating complex scientific information into clear, engaging content.

Good eye for detail, and creative flair, with experience of using graphic design software (e.g. Adobe InDesign and Photoshop).

Excellent organisational skills and the ability to work under pressure to tight deadlines, solve problems independently, work under own guidance and as part of a team.

Highly developed interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to build relationships and communicate effectively with a range of diverse stakeholders (spanning disciplines, cultures, career stage, gender, community, industry, government).

Highly developed written communication skills and a demonstrated ability to create engaging and innovative content.

The successful candidate may be required to complete a number of pre- employment checks, including: right to work in Australia, criminal check, education check etc

Questions?

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Centre Manager, Dr Carly Hamilton [email protected] For application queries, please contact [email protected] stating the job reference number (below) in the subject line.

Want to Apply?

All applicants must upload the following documents in order for your application to be considered:

Cover letter summarising how your background aligns to the ‘About You' section

Resume

Other Information

UQ is committed to a fair, equitable and inclusive selection process, which recognises that some applicants may face additional barriers and challenges which have impacted and/or continue to impact their career trajectory. Candidates who don't meet all criteria are encouraged to apply and demonstrate their potential. The selection panel considers both potential and performance relative to opportunities when assessing suitability for the role.

We know one of our strengths as an institution lies in our diverse colleagues. We're dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion, fostering an environment that mirrors our wider community. We're committed to attracting, retaining, and promoting diverse talent. Reach out to [email protected] for accessibility support or adjustments.

Applications close 22 September 2024 at 11.00pm AEST (R-40820).

Please note applications will be reviewed as received. Candidates may be interviewed prior to the job closing date. We encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible. The University of Queensland reserves the right to close this application process early.