Communications and Public Diplomacy Specialist, Infrastructure - Fiji Social Infrastructure Program

Fiji Program Support Platform (FPSP) 

• Long term position
• Contract duration: commencing as soon as possible to 30 June 2027, with the intent to extend to 2 years with possible further extension (subject to Program end date extension and program funding)
• This position is open to national applicants only.

FPSP Overview: 

The Fiji Program Support Platform (FPSP, or the ‘Platform’) is a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) investment that will contribute to the delivery of Fiji’s national development priorities, in line with the Australia’s International Development Policy, the Fiji-Australia Vuvale Partnership and the Development Partnership Plan. 

The Platform will deliver key bilateral programs, such as health, education, scholarships, social infrastructure, governance, climate and emergency preparedness and response. Platform activities will identify and address climate risks, promote climate action, and gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) across and beyond the sector programs. 

The Platform has three functional Outcomes: 

1. The Platform has delivered its sector program outcomes, including through supporting strategic coherence, planning, partnerships management, data and learning across the portfolio of investments. 
2. The Platform has prioritised gender equality and disability-inclusive development, and climate and disaster resilience, in its systems and practices. This includes in how it undertakes sector programming and its engagement with selected Government of Fiji agencies. 
3. The Platform administers timely and efficient programming that is: value for money; maximises use of local supply chains; and supports good governance and public diplomacy, effective decision making and risk management. 

The Platform implements over fifty percent of Australia’s bilateral development support to Fiji across a range of sector programs in education, health, Australia Awards, disaster response, cyclone recovery, social infrastructure and technical assistance to improve public sector governance in Fiji.   

The Platform integrates cross-cutting themes, including gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI), climate and disaster resilience, across sectoral programs. In particular, the Platform seeks to strengthen program outcomes by better addressing the needs of targeted beneficiaries including those who are often marginalised. 

Program Overview: 

The Australian Government is currently delivering three social infrastructure programs (Infrastructure Programs) in Fiji:

• The New National Hospital Master Plan Program will deliver a comprehensive masterplan for a new national referral hospital in Fiji. 
• Fiji Social Infrastructure Program will support upgrades to school and health infrastructure, commencing with priority schools and hospitals identified; and provide technical assistance to the Ministries of Education and Health to uplift their systems, process and capacity for maintenance and upgrades over the medium term.

Position Summary: 

The Communications and Public Diplomacy Specialist - Infrastructure will be embedded within the Infrastructure Team and report functionally to the PMU Performance, Learning and Communications (PLC) team. As such, the Specialist will operate within a matrix management structure with the Communications & Public Diplomacy Manager providing task management and oversight, quality assurance, final approval of all communications products, and alignment with Platform-wide communications standards, public diplomacy protocols, and DFAT requirements as well as performance management. The Senior Program Manager will provide day-to-day direction on Infrastructure priorities, technical content approval, sequencing of communications around delivery milestones, and engagement with Infrastructure stakeholders. This embedded model is intended to strengthen responsiveness to Infrastructure delivery while maintaining consistent Platform-wide communications quality and risk management.

The role will provide dedicated communications and public diplomacy support across the Infrastructure portfolio, ensuring high-quality, strategic and timely external and internal communications aligned with Platform and DFAT requirements.

The position will lead the development and implementation of Infrastructure communications plans and products, including media releases, public diplomacy briefing packs, social media content and high-quality visual materials. The Specialist will ensure Infrastructure reporting and external-facing documents are professionally written, visually compelling and aligned with PMU systems, branding and quality standards.

The role requires strong writing and creative capability, graphic design proficiency (e.g. InDesign or similar), competence with photography and videography, and the ability to translate complex technical infrastructure content into accessible, engaging narratives for diverse audiences including DFAT, Government of Fiji stakeholders and the broader public.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Communications Planning

• Develop and implement an Infrastructure Communications and Public Diplomacy Plan aligned with Platform strategy and DFAT priorities, aligned to Fiji Australia Vuvale Partnership.
• Maintain an Infrastructure communications tracker and public diplomacy events calendar and communications tracker covering key milestones, launches, site visits and announcements.
• Identify proactive communications opportunities and manage reputational risks in consultation with the PMU PLC Communications & PD Manager and Team Leader - Infrastructure.
• Ensure Infrastructure communications reflect cross-cutting priorities including climate resilience, DRR, localisation and GEDSI.

Public Diplomacy and External Engagement

• Draft high-quality communications products including:
  o    Media release
  o    Briefing packs and talking points for DFAT, the High Commission and Platform leadership
  o    Ministerial and senior stakeholder engagement materials
  o    Case studies and stories of change
  o    Social media content and campaign packages
• Provide rapid response drafting support for emerging issues or media interest.
• Build and maintain relationships with relevant program stakeholders, local communicators, public diplomacy officers and media representatives, in coordination with the Communications & PD Manager

Visual Content and Creative Production

• Develop visually compelling communications materials including factsheets, placemats, infographics, reports and presentations using InDesign or equivalent software.
• Ensure compliance with FPSP branding, accessibility and safeguarding standards.
• Capture high-quality photography and video content from infrastructure sites, stakeholder engagements and events including stakeholder impact stories.
• Manage Infrastructure visual content libraries, including consent management and asset organisation.

Reporting, Learning and Knowledge Sharing

• Work closely with MEL specialists to ensure Infrastructure data and results are translated into accurate, compelling narratives aligned to the Vuvale Partnership.
• Contribute to Infrastructure reporting by strengthening narrative clarity, formatting and presentation quality.
• Support learning and reflection processes by identifying communications opportunities arising from program reviews, evaluations and Talanoa sessions.
• Track and report on Infrastructure communications outputs and engagement metrics.

Systems Alignment and Team Collaboration

• Work closely with the PMU PLC Hub to ensure a unified Platform communications approach.
• Where Infrastructure requirements are interlinked with broader Platform and Sector Program communications and public diplomacy activities, provide reasonable additional support beyond Infrastructure[RK4.1] needs, as directed by the Communications & Public Diplomacy Manager, during periods of heightened demand to ensure timeliness of delivery and cohesive action to communications activities.
• Support Infrastructure team members to understand communications processes, approval pathways and quality standards.
• Participate in and contribute to the Communications Community of Practice.
• Provide technical oversight and guidance to any contracted communications suppliers supporting Infrastructure outputs.

Other duties as requested by Communications & PD Manager and Team Leader, Infrastructure.
 

Key Deliverables: 

• Infrastructure Communications and Public Diplomacy Plan (annual, with quarterly updates).
• Infrastructure public diplomacy calendar and communications tracker maintained and actioned.
• Suite of high-quality Infrastructure communications products aligned to major milestones.
• Professionally designed communication materials (factsheets, infographics, briefing packs, presentations).
• Curated Infrastructure photo and video library compliant with safeguarding standards.
• Strengthened narrative and visual presentation across Infrastructure external reports.
• Quarterly summary of Infrastructure communications outputs, media engagement and performance metrics.
• Demonstrated alignment with the spirit and priorities of the Vuvale Partnership across all Infrastructure communications.

Key Working Relationships:

• Line management and reporting matriX
  o    Directly reporting to: Communications & PD Manager (PMU): will provide task management, ensure strategic coherence, provide quality assurance and approvals of all communications products, and ensure alignment with Platform-wide communications standards, public diplomacy protocols, and DFAT requirements. 
  o    Indirectly reporting to: Senior Program Manager, Infrastructure for day-to-day Infrastructure priorities and task assignments
  o    Where priorities conflict, the Communications & PD Manager and Team Leader – Infrastructure will resolve issues jointly, escalating only if required.
  o    The Communications & PD Manager is the formal performance manager and is responsible for performance reviews with input from the Team Leader - Infrastructure.

• Working in close collaboration with: 
  o    The Infrastructure Senior Management Team including Team Leader and other Senior Project Managers
  o    PMU PLC Hub Team
  o    Relevant DFAT representatives, Government of Fiji Stakeholders and partners
   

Selection Criteria
 

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualification in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing, media, graphic design or a related discipline.
• Formal training or demonstrated proficiency in graphic design software (e.g. Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop or equivalent).
• Certification or demonstrated experience in photography and/or videography is desirable.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience
 

• 6+ years’ experience in a communications, public diplomacy or media role, preferably within development, infrastructure, government or international programs.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing communications or public diplomacy plans.
• Proven ability to draft high-quality communications products including media releases, briefing packs, talking points, case studies and social media content.
• Strong graphic design capability, including experience producing professional publications, factsheets, infographics and reports.
• Demonstrated ability to capture and curate high-quality photography and visual content for program communications.
• Experience working within donor-funded or government environments, with an understanding of compliance, branding and approval processes (DFAT experience desirable).
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate concepts into clear, compelling narratives for diverse audiences.
• High attention to detail and advanced document formatting capability, ensuring professional presentation of external-facing materials.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills, with proven experience working across multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, respond rapidly to emerging issues and deliver high-quality outputs under tight timeframes.
• High level of proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and digital content platforms.

How to apply: