Executive General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Comm & Engagement

Lead corporate affairs, communications and engagement for Australia's first high speed rail network.

About the High Speed Rail Authority

The Australian Government is planning a future high speed rail network to connect Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and regional communities across the east coast of Australia.  

 The High Speed Rail Authority (the Authority) is an independent corporate Commonwealth entity governed by an independent board, established to lead the development and delivery of high speed rail.  

High Speed Rail – Line 1 connects Newcastle to Sydney in around one hour on a dedicated high speed railway.  From the Central Coast it will take around 30 minutes to get to Newcastle or to Sydney.  With funding now committed to progress Line 1, HSRA are forming an executive team to develop and deliver this generational program.   

High speed rail will contribute to key Australian Government priorities, including increased economic productivity, new housing options, regional economic and tourism development and contributing to net zero.  

About the role

The primary purpose of this role during the Development Phase is to lead the corporate affairs, communications and engagement function and develop strategies that enhance social license and support for the Authority across both the project and the future planned route along the East Coast from Brisbane to Melbourne.

The role defines, develops and implements the strategic direction of all corporate and public affairs, internal and external communications, and stakeholder, industry, First Nations, community and regional development engagement across the organisation.

What you'll lead

• Oversee public affairs and media communication, maintaining clear messaging and strategic communication, and lead the development of the organisation's public-facing communication strategy.

• Oversee the development and implementation of comprehensive internal organisation-wide communication strategies aligned to the Agency's strategic objectives.

• Own communications processes, providing support and advice to the executive leadership team, and lead engagement with senior stakeholders.

• Manage Government Relations, acting as a consistent interface for the Authority, and oversee cross-jurisdictional engagement with local, state and Australian government stakeholders.

• Lead engagement with communities impacted by the HSR project, deliver program-specific community engagements, and oversee the design of targeted stakeholder research approaches.

• Lead targeted program-specific community engagement initiatives involving key cultural stakeholders, including First Nations and Cultural Heritage groups.

• Lead targeted engagements with key industry stakeholders to ensure close collaboration, and oversee research to understand the needs of industry.

• Build social license by partnering with the regional community.

• Leverage procurement decisions to deliver social and economic benefits, including local employment and community development, and collaborate with industry leaders on workforce planning.

About you

We are seeking a senior corporate affairs and engagement executive with the expertise to build social license and lead communications and engagement for a major infrastructure program. Specifically, you bring:

• Corporate and public affairs leadership — overseeing media engagement, leading public affairs communications and brand management, and acting as the Agency's public representative.

• Project communications expertise — deep narrative crafting skills and the ability to proactively manage communications on sensitive or high-risk initiatives, including spearheading change communication.

• Government affairs experience — leading engagement with Parliamentarians, Ministerial Offices and Government Departments, and with local, State and Commonwealth Government agencies.

• Community and partnership engagement — leading engagements as a Government entity, taking a sensitive, culturally informed approach to engagement with First Nations Communities, and designing inclusive engagement strategies that reflect regional community values.

• Industry and workforce engagement — cultivating strong industry relationships, embedding social value into procurement decisions to drive local employment and supplier diversity, and partnering with industry and education leaders to identify skills needs.

Eligibility

Employment with the Authority is subject to the conditions prescribed within the Public Service Act 1999. To be eligible, you must: 

• Be an Australian citizen & hold a degree or equivalent working experience. 

• Hold or be able to obtain a Baseline security clearance & satisfy a National Police check (mandatory pre-employment screening). 

Next Steps

Applications close on Thursday 28th May at 5pm AEST.

To apply, please submit your CV together with a suitability statement to our recruitment partners, Robert Walters, via email to HSRAExecutive@robertwalters.com.au

A full position description is available to download on www.robertwalters.com.au/hsra.html or via request at HSRAExecutive@robertwalters.com.au