Senior Internal Communications Advisor (12 month contract)

The role

The Internal Communications Advisor develops, implements and evaluates a consistent, effective communication approach (strategy and plan) to inform and engage key stakeholders and APRA’s employees for a number of APRA’s key work programs, in line with APRA’s strategic objectives. This is a 12 month contract in Sydney to cover leave.

The team

The Corporate Affairs team operates in the Chief of Staff & Enterprise Services Division (ChES) of APRA and is responsible for managing, measuring and improving APRA’s reputation with employees, industry, media, Government agencies and peer regulators, the general public and others. It assists APRA to achieve its strategic vision and objectives both in business as usual and in crisis/issues-based events through the communications function, both proactive and reactive. The Corporate Affairs team is broadly organised around – External Communications, Internal Communications, Digital Communications and Brand & Design.

ChES, as the broader division, is responsible for the provision of corporate policy and services which support the achievement of APRA’s strategic objectives. ChES is made up of the following teams: Corporate Affairs; Strategy; Governance; Regulatory Affairs; People & Culture; Finance & Procurement; Supervision Excellence; Enterprise Risk; Facilities & Workplace Services; Project Delivery; Portfolio Management; and Management & Performance Reporting.

Key responsibilities

• Drive the delivery of the communications objectives across a number of strategic activities, including the Corporate Plan 2025-26 and the multi-year GUIDE (Governance Uplift & Investment in Data Enablement) program;
• Provide high level, strategic communication advice and support to senior leaders (specifically as the Communications business partner to our risk team, change team, and Data, Technology & Security division) and program leadership teams to protect and enhance APRA’s reputation with our employees;
• Develop and lead outcome-focussed, measurable communication plans to target internal audiences and achieve stakeholder engagement outcomes to support organisational change;
• Support the strategic objectives of the Corporate Affairs team by taking part in team activities, using agreed channels, processes and procedures and working with members of the team to achieve the best outcomes for the whole of APRA;
• Develop effective measurement tools and feedback loops to evaluate communication effectiveness; and
• Engage and influence employees and senior executives for best practice communication techniques and tactics to support the achievement of organisational objectives.

About you

• Able to build strong, respectful relationships within an organisation, particularly at a senior leadership level;
• Experienced in corporate communications, internal communications, or public communications, either in-house or in an agency environment in a financial services / B2B industry environment;
• Extensive experience in the design and implementation of communication campaigns and strategies on large projects, within a complex environment with multiple internal and external stakeholders, to deliver business outcomes;
• Proven excellent copywriting skills and demonstrated ability to write for a wide range of purposes, media and audiences, creating compelling and engaging content for complex, sensitive and technical subjects;
• Proven experience and ability in change communication, to facilitate organisation and culture change;
• Highly developed strategic, analytical and decision-making skills along with organisational and priority management skills;
• A collaborative team player with highly developed communication, negotiation, conflict resolution and interpersonal skills;
• Someone who brings a ‘can-do’ attitude and exemplifies APRA’s values: integrity, collaboration, accountability, respect, excellence; and
• Tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline.

To work with us, you must be an Australian citizen with eligibility to gain a Baseline Security clearance through the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency.

About APRA

Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) was established in 1998 as an independent statutory authority that supervises almost 1,200 financial institutions that manage $8.6 trillion in assets for Australians across the banking, insurance and superannuation sectors.

In overseeing the safety, competitiveness and stability of the financial system, we seek to recruit, develop and retain highly skilled professionals, who want to help shape financial services and protect the financial wellbeing of the Australian community. Our employee base of almost 900 come predominantly from the commercial financial services industry or other government agencies; as such, we have the feel of a small corporate organisation that can work flexibly and with agility.

Why Work for APRA

We recognise the skills, experience and commitment that our staff bring to their professional lives, and we seek to reward them accordingly. We also recognise that for our staff to be able to perform at their best, we need to ensure that they are able to bring their best selves to work. Our commitment to wellbeing is having engaged people supported by resilient leaders within a values-aligned culture.

At APRA, we’re committed to providing an inclusive workplace where everyone belongs, feels valued and respected. We aspire to attract and foster diversity of background, thought, and experience, recognising that a broad range of perspectives, approaches and ideas makes us stronger, and better enables us to meet our obligation to protect the financial wellbeing of the Australian community. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, please inform at application stage so we can do our best to accommodate your requirements.