Purpose:
You will lead the transformation of our external narrative: securing high-impact media, crafting thought leadership, building strategic partnerships and influencer networks, driving SEO/backlink power, and ensuring our impact reports, blog and owned channels reflect a voice of authority, urgency and movement. You will serve every part of our business - programs, advocacy, fundraising, community - so that our mission not only reaches but mobilises audiences.
Key responsibilities
* Develop and implement a holistic communications & partnerships strategy that spans earned media, digital/backlink strategy, influencer/creator collaborations, partner campaigns, and thought leadership content.
* Secure high-quality media coverage (national/regional/tier-1 & niche environmental outlets) and ensure earned placements deliver SEO value as well as brand visibility.
* Create compelling narrative-assets: press releases, op-eds, spokes-profiles, by-lined articles, blog/LinkedIn content authored by senior leadership or key spokespeople; content must align to our impact agenda and storytelling mission.
* Lead impact-report communications: collaborate with program/fundraising teams to shape content of annual/reporting documents, translate donor/program data into media/partner-stories, repurpose into blog, LinkedIn, email.
* Build and manage strategic partnerships and influencer networks: identify aligned brands, NGOs, tourism operators, community groups, creators; co-design campaigns or co-content; manage deliverables, amplification and measurement.
* Collaborate tightly with the Digital Content & Community Engagement Coordinator to ensure message/voice consistency across earned, owned and partner channels; feed media hits into owned digital assets; repurpose content for community platforms.
* Monitor, measure and report on media/partnership/index metrics: media mentions (volume, tier), backlinks gained, referral traffic to site, sentiment, share of voice, partner engagement, conversion from media/partners to actions (e.g., sign-ups, donations, program enquiries).
* Manage reputation & issues: build basic crisis-communications frameworks, monitor for emerging reputational risk (especially for conservation/reef context), advise CEO/leadership swiftly.
* Occasional field content capture and event PR: attend field programs, partner activation events, site visits; support media/partner/influencer visits.
Skills & experience
5+ years (or equivalent) in a hybrid PR/digital communications role — ideally combining media relations, digital storytelling/backlink strategy, influencer/partnership management.
Proven track record securing significant media coverage and building strategic partnerships in environment/non-profit/conservation or purpose-driven sectors.
Strong writing skills: press releases, op-eds, thought-leadership articles, blog posts/LinkedIn pieces.
Digital-savvy: understands SEO/backlink fundamentals, content amplification, metrics like referral traffic, domain authority, and how media placements feed a digital ecosystem.
Comfortable working in a lean team/NFP environment: hands-on, self-starter, comfortable with ambiguity and field travel.
Passionate about ocean, reef conservation or marine science - and able to translate that into compelling public narratives.
Skilled in community/partner engagement: influencer/creator collaborations, stakeholder relationship management, campaign concept to execution.
Analytical mindset: uses data to inform PR strategy, report to leadership and adjust approaches.
Based in or willing to relocate to Cairns, QLD (preferred) – to maintain local presence, close partner/program relationships and field-access.