Public Diplomacy and Communications Officer

The successful applicant will be engaged as a locally engaged staff member by the Australian Embassy, Madrid.

**About the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade**

The role of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is to advance the interests of Australia and Australians internationally. This involves strengthening Australia’s security, enhancing Australia’s prosperity, delivering an effective and high-quality overseas aid program and helping Australian travellers and Australians overseas.

The department provides foreign, trade and development policy advice to the Australian Government. DFAT also works with other Australian government agencies to drive coordination of Australia’s pursuit of global, regional and bilateral interests.

**About the Position**

Under general supervision, the Public Diplomacy and Communications Officer is responsible for leading on the design, planning and delivery of high-quality public diplomacy activities and events, the public diplomacy strategy and managing the Embassy’s social media platforms.

**The key responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to**:

- Contribute towards the development and implementation of the Embassy’s broader public diplomacy strategy and support the Embassy’s media engagement. Identify opportunities for improvement within the public diplomacy program.
- Lead on the design, planning and delivery of Embassy public diplomacy events and activities.
- Draft social media content and oversee the Embassy’s social media accounts (currently LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Instagram and the Embassy website). Manage the Embassy public diplomacy inbox and respond to enquiries.
- Assist with drafting, translating and preparing official correspondence, talking points and speeches in English and Spanish. Provide information and advice that may influence other decision makers.
- Develop and maintain strong networks and productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including with contacts across government, business, academia, media, think tanks and the arts and cultural sectors, as well as other diplomatic missions as required.
- Monitor Spanish media sources and provide accurate summaries and analysis of key trade, economic and political developments, as well as overviews of local media reporting on Australian policies or current events.
- Support visits by Australian ministers and senior officials by assisting with event planning, logistics, appointments and other elements of visit programs.
- Represent and promote the interests of Australians at a range of forums, events and meetings and provide advice on Australian participation, operational and policy issues.
- Provide backup to other positions in the Political and Economic, and Administration Sections as required.

**Qualifications/Experience**
- Knowledge of strategic communication and community engagement strategies.
- Experience working with social media platforms and an ability to draft written and visual content and improve digital engagement.
- Well-developed planning, organisational and project management skills with an ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities to meet tight deadlines.
- Initiative and flexibility to manage tasks, using strong judgment and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent written and oral Spanish and English communication skills with the ability to translate between the two and communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability to work well independently within a small and busy team.
- Knowledge of Australia and international issues relevant to Australia would be an advantage.

**Selection Criteria**

Please ensure you provide a response to each of the listed selection criteria below. In your response, you must include relevant high-level examples from your experience that support your claims against the role.

A. Proven ability to conduct comprehensive and high-quality research, analyse and present the findings to a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders.

B. Demonstrated knowledge of strategic communication and community engagement strategies and experience creating engaging content for digital platforms.

C. A high level of written and oral proficiency in English and Spanish, with a proven ability to prepare tailored media messaging in a logical, succinct and persuasive manner.

D. Ability to liaise effectively with internal and external stakeholders, demonstrating excellent interpersonal skills, including building and maintaining a strong network and effective stakeholder relations.

E. Well-developed planning and organisational skills, demonstrating the ability to work under pressure, prioritise tasks and show initiative.

The Australian Embassy, Madrid is looking for a Public Diplomacy and Communications Officer to join the team.