Communications & Community Engagement Specialist

Position

Communications & Community Engagement Specialist

Team

Marketing & Communications Team

Role Classification

SCHADS Level 5  

Employment Type/Hours

Par Time, Fixed term 
 

Location

Hampton East (Keith Street Community House)/Sandringham - Onsite role (Bunurong Land)

From time to time the incumbent may be requested to work from, or be based at, other Family Life sites.

Reports To

Marketing & Communications Manager 

Effective Date

February 2026

Overview of Program 

Family Life is a specialist family services organisation supporting children, families, and communities across the Bayside Peninsula region and expanding areas in Melbourne’s South East. We are dedicated to driving long-term, positive social change through evidence-informed, community-led initiatives.

Our Creating Capable Communities program delivers community leadership and strengthening initiatives through a structured, place‑based neighbourhood model. This model enables meaningful partnerships, deeper community connections, and sustainable impact for vulnerable families and local communities.

Position Objective

As a key member of the Marketing & Communication Team, the Communications & Community Engagement Specialist enhances local partnerships, elevates community engagement, and drives impactful communication strategies to support place‑based community change.

This role develops and implements communication and stakeholder engagement plans for a collaborative impact project designed to strengthen communities and improve long‑term outcomes for children and families in targeted Bayside neighbourhoods.

The role bridges strategic communication, marketing, on‑the‑ground engagement, and partnership building to ensure project visibility, alignment, and community relevance.

Key Responsibilities

The key responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

Communication & Stakeholder Engagement

• Develop and deliver strategic external communication and stakeholder engagement plans in collaboration with local development project teams.


• Champion and apply the project’s brand identity in all communication activities, ensuring alignment with organisational branding guidelines. Work closely with the wider marketing and design team to plan and coordinate inclusive, accessible content across digital, print and media platforms. Monitor and report on engagement, media coverage and performance metrics.


• Identify and manage community and stakeholder risks through proactive communication.


• Maintain accurate records of communication and engagement activity and prepare reports for management, stakeholders, and funders.

Community Engagement & Collaboration

• Provide expertise and support for community engagement initiatives, including surveys, focus groups, workshops and targeted activities.


• Attend, coordinate and facilitate community and stakeholder events, consultations, workshops and forums (in-person and online).Build strong, trust-based relationships with internal teams, community partners, and project participants.


• Ensure all engagement approaches are culturally safe, trauma-informed, inclusive, and accessible.


• Support collaborative impact partners to ensure consistent alignment with messaging, branding and style guidelines.


• Lead the development and dissemination of community resources (e.g., toolkits, fact sheets, videos, digital content).


• Promote project activities, opportunities and impact through a multi‑modal engagement strategy including events, collateral, communications and local advertising.
  

Project Planning & Support

• Support strategic planning, project development and implementation.


• Provide specialist insights to inform continuous improvement and strategic alignment.


• Contribute to operational planning and goals of both the Marketing & Communications team and Community Activation team.


• Track and report on key performance indicators and project outcomes.
  Operational Requirements


• Reliable car and valid Victorian Driver’s Licence.


• Flexibility to travel between Family Life sites across Bayside, Kingston, Port Phillip and occasionally Frankston.
  
  

Key Deliverables

• Comprehensive Communication Plan


• Community Engagement Plan


• Project branding and associated style guidelines


• Promotional and engagement materials


• Community consultations, forums and events


•  Reporting on metrics, insights and engagement outcomes
  
  

Key Selection Criteria

1. Minimum 5 years’ experience in communications, stakeholder engagement, marketing or community development.


2. Strong writing, editing and content development skills across multiple platforms.


3. Demonstrated experience developing targeted campaigns, community events and engagement initiatives.


4. Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholders.


5. Demonstrated capability in community engagement, stakeholder relations or outreach.


6. Understanding of issues impacting vulnerable communities in Australia.


7. Experience delivering workshops, forums, consultations or digital events.


8. Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and respectful relationships.


9. High attention to detail in planning, recordkeeping and reporting.


10. Strong organisational skills with an ability to support multiple priorities within a collaborative team.


11. Proficiency with Microsoft Office; CRM experience desirable (especially Salesforce).


12. Adaptable, flexible and collaborative working style.