Brand Strategist
Help shape the story of Australia's largest bookseller
Location: QBD Head Office, Richlands, Brisbane (onsite)
Employment: Full-time,
Reports to: General Manager – Digital Transformation
As QBD Books turns 150 years old, we're looking for a Brand Strategist to help tell our story through the media, influencer relationships, major events and to be part of the broader literary conversation and culture. We're looking for someone who enjoys shaping a powerful narrative, that loves reading and has strong commercial acumen to drive brand stories into sales growth.
The role
As Brand Strategist, you'll lead QBD's brand presence, visibility and reputation across Australia. You'll shape how we're talked about, create new opportunities for who talks about us, and why people choose us. You'll expand our influence beyond retail and into culture, literacy and community.
This is a strategic role for someone who knows how to build brands that deeply connect with people, in this case – readers.
What you'll do
PR & media
* Lead all PR activity from story development to press releases to journalist relationships
* Put QBD into national conversations around books, literacy, retail and culture
* Prepare senior leaders for interviews, speaking roles and media moments
* Own media monitoring, sentiment tracking and reporting through Meltwater
Writing & storytelling
* Write sharp, compelling media releases, opinion pieces, speeches and long-form content
* Set the editorial standard across all public-facing content
* Support copywriting across the business when needed
Brand strategy & reputation
* Develop and deliver a clear, confident brand strategy
* Be the custodian of the QBD brand across every touchpoint
* Ensure consistency across visual, editorial and experiential channels
* Strengthen QBD's position as Australia's destination for books and reading culture
Influencers & creators
* Build and run a proactive influencer strategy (including BookTok)
* Develop creative campaigns, gifting ideas and press kits
* Measure reach, engagement, sentiment and real sales impact
Large scale events
Lead major, high-visibility events including:
* QBD's internal ACE Gala, this year celebrating 150 years
* Conferences and leadership events
* Supanova activations
* Large public and community events
* Own everything from run sheets to talent to post-event reporting
* Integrate media and influencers into event strategy from day one
Social strategy
* Own the overall social media strategy and brand direction
* Set content pillars, tone, messaging frameworks and platform priorities
* Ensure social tells a cohesive, story-led brand narrative
* Report on performance and financial impact
Measurement & insight
* Track brand health, sentiment, media impact and audience growth
* Connect brand activity back to business results
* Turn insight into action
About you
You're strategic, creative and commercially sharp. You can think big, write beautifully, and get things done.
You likely have:
* 8+ years' experience in PR, communications or senior brand roles
* Strong media relationships or the confidence to build them fast
* Exceptional writing skills across PR, editorial and executive comms
* Experience leading influencer strategies and major events
* A deep understanding of social media as a brand and sales driver
* Strong data literacy and comfort with media and sentiment tools
* A genuine love of books, culture and community storytelling
How we'll measure success
* Strong growth in positive media coverage and brand visibility
* Clear uplift in brand sentiment, trust and advocacy
* High-impact events that people actually talk about
* Influencer activity that feels authentic and performs
* A consistent, confident QBD brand everywhere it shows up
* A tangible contribution to QBD's growth through storytelling and influence
* Direct sales impact
Why QBD?
It is the year of analogue after all. But seriously, we're a growing business with 91 stores and new ones opening this year. We are the largest book and puzzle retailer in the country. But most excitingly, we have thousands of incredible stories to share, created by the world's most amazing authors. We work with every global and local publisher bringing the latest and greatest literary works to the community. And who wouldn't want to be surrounded by books?
Your submission
Please send over your CV, a cover letter and something to show your creative approach to storytelling. It could be a media release and angle for QBD, it could be an influencer engagement idea, or a social media campaign concept. You choose what you'd like to share but show us how you think