Director, External Relations (Media and Public Affairs) at Future Fund Australia

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

21 Jul, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

22 Apr, 26

Experience

10 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Media relations, Public affairs, Issues management, Reputation management, Strategic communication, Stakeholder management, Crisis communication, Public reporting, Government relations, Regulatory compliance, Leadership, Risk management, Media monitoring, Executive advisory, Policy analysis

Industry

Financial Services

Description

About Future Fund At the Future Fund, we’re for future minds – like yours. The new investors and creators who thrive on different thinking and doing it together. Those who glimpse opportunity before it strikes and step up every day to grab it. The Future Fund is Australia's Sovereign Wealth Fund, managing over $340 billion across seven public asset funds with the same purpose: growing Australia’s future. We are a global investor and work closely with world leading investment organisations to access the best investment ideas. Where others see challenges, we see more interesting investment experiences. Every person, every skillset, every mindset is an asset. We’ve got every future generation to consider, yet our approach to investing is incredibly pure: we think about it deeply, and daily. Ours is a culture where great people grow the future together, with the rare ability to work collaboratively, think freely, and make a real difference. Are you Futureminded? Let’s create what’s next. The Opportunity This is a high‑impact leadership role at the centre of reputation, media and public accountability for one of Australia’s most significant public institutions. As Director, External Relations (Media and Public Affairs), you’ll shape how the organisation is seen, heard and understood — leading complex issues, media engagement and public reporting in a highly visible environment. You’ll be the trusted adviser on sensitive and high‑profile matters, working closely with senior executives to navigate reputational risk and deliver clear, confident public messaging. From emerging issues to media strategy and statutory reporting, you’ll take ownership end‑to‑end, balancing public interest, legislative obligations and commercial sensitivities. This role suits an experienced external relations leader who thrives in complexity, enjoys influencing at the highest levels, and wants to make a genuine impact. You’ll lead a small, specialist team, collaborate across the organisation, and play a key role in protecting and strengthening the organisation’s reputation. Key Responsibilities As Director, External Relations, your key responsibilities will include: Lead the identification and management of emerging and active issues with potential media or reputational impact, providing clear advice to senior executives Own issues management end‑to‑end, including messaging development, approvals, monitoring and post‑issue review Lead proactive and reactive media engagement on complex and sensitive matters, ensuring accurate, consistent and timely messaging Act as the central point of coordination for media matters, including oversight of media monitoring and analysis Oversee delivery of the Agency’s public accountability and reporting obligations, including public reports and FOI responses Provide strategic advice on reputational risk, messaging and engagement approaches across current and potential investments Lead the organisation’s approach to reputation awareness, insight and reporting, strengthening internal capability and understanding Work closely with senior leaders and Corporate Affairs colleagues to ensure aligned, coordinated external messaging Provide leadership and direction to a small specialist team, fostering accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement About You We’re looking for a senior external relations leader with strong judgement, credibility and experience operating in complex, highly scrutinised environments. You’re confident advising executives on sensitive and high‑profile issues and thrive when navigating ambiguity, competing priorities and reputational risk. You bring a strategic mindset, but you’re also comfortable being hands‑on — shaping messaging, managing issues end‑to‑end and ensuring public communications are accurate, timely and aligned with organisational and legislative obligations. You build trusted relationships quickly, communicate with clarity and influence, and remain calm and decisive under pressure. You’re also an inclusive and collaborative leader who values partnership, invests in people and creates an environment where teams perform at their best. You’ll bring: Extensive experience in media relations, public affairs, issues management or reputation management, ideally within government, financial services or similarly complex environments A strong understanding of government processes, public accountability and regulatory obligations Proven ability to lead complex and sensitive issues, including briefing senior leaders and shaping clear, defensible public messaging at short notice Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distil complex information into clear advice and compelling narratives Strong stakeholder management skills, with experience working across diverse internal and external groups Demonstrated people leadership experience, fostering accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement A strategic, risk‑aware approach, balancing reputational considerations with legal, commercial and policy requirements Relevant tertiary qualifications or equivalent professional experience will be highly regarded. Please note that the opportunity is open to Australian citizens only. We Are For Everyone At Future Fund, we are better for our differences. Every person, every skillset, every mindset is an asset. We want everyone to feel comfortable bringing their authentic selves to work. Which is why we’re looking for future minds like yours. Your past experiences help us expand our collective knowledge, add value and create something better. When doing your job means Australia has more money to invest in renewables, education, healthcare and medical breakthroughs – there’s a tangible impact to what we do. And we want you to be part of it. Are you Futureminded? Learn more about us at our LinkedIn Life page. The Future Fund acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waters on which we live and work. We pay respect to Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as we work to create meaningful change for reconciliation. Job Posting End Date 30/04/2026 At Future Fund, we’re for future minds. Those who glimpse opportunity before it strikes and step up every day to grab it. The new investors, who thrive on different thinking and doing it together. We’re growing Australia’s future. Every person, every skillset, every mindset is an asset. No two future minds think the same, yet we all start each day on the same page. Ours is a culture where great people grow the future together, with the rare ability to work collaboratively, think freely, and make a real difference. To learn more about our recruitment process and our organisation visit our LinkedIn page or the Careers page of our website.

Responsibilities

The Director of External Relations will lead media engagement, public affairs, and issues management to protect and enhance the organization's reputation. They will provide strategic advice to senior executives and oversee public accountability reporting and legislative obligations.