Communications Manager / Speechwriter

About This Opportunity

At the heart of the University’s leadership and strategic voice, this role offers a rare opportunity to shape how one of Australia’s leading universities speaks to the world. As Communications Manager/Speechwriter, you will play a trusted advisory role within the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, crafting compelling, high-impact communications that support the Vice-Chancellor’s engagement priorities across government, industry, academia and the broader community.

Working in a close‑knit, high‑performing executive environment, you will collaborate with senior leaders and communications specialists to translate complex ideas into clear, influential narratives that reflect UQ’s ambition, values and purpose.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Partnering with the Executive Communications Manager to deliver the Vice-Chancellor’s communication program, aligned to UQ’s strategic priorities and engagement objectives.
• Researching, writing and refining speeches, presentations, briefing notes and information papers for a diverse range of internal and external forums.
• Developing high-quality written content including speeches, correspondence, forewords, messages, thought leadership pieces and opinion articles.
• Supporting internal communications from the Office of the Vice-Chancellor to enable consistent, clear and timely university-wide messaging.

About You

This role will appeal to an experienced communications professional who genuinely enjoys the craft of speechwriting and finds real satisfaction in shaping messages that have meaning and impact. You bring strong attention to detail, producing work that is accurate, credible and authentic, and that connects naturally with diverse audiences.

A thoughtful understanding of how different stakeholder groups engage with information will be highly beneficial, supporting confident, strategic advice to senior executives. Intellectual curiosity, along with an awareness of current affairs and the broader environment, will help ensure communications are timely, relevant and grounded in the world around us.

You will also demonstrate:

• Relevant tertiary qualifications with extensive experience in senior communications, corporate affairs or public relations roles supporting executive leaders, or an equivalent combination of experience and education.
• A proven track record of producing sophisticated speeches, briefings and presentations aligned to organisational strategy and tailored to diverse stakeholder audiences.
• Exceptional research, analytical and writing skills, with the ability to distil complex information into precise, engaging and authoritative content.
• Strong problem‑solving capability and the capacity to deliver high‑quality work to tight deadlines while maintaining professionalism and attention to detail.
• Highly developed interpersonal, influencing and advisory skills, enabling effective collaboration with senior leaders and stakeholders across a large, complex organisation.
• Experience within higher education, government or similarly complex environments will be highly regarded.

About UQ

As part of the UQ community, you’ll have the opportunity to work alongside the brightest minds, who have joined us from all over the world, working together to create a better world. Join a community where excellence is at the core of our culture, contributions are valued and a range of benefits and rewards are available.

Enjoy up to 26 weeks paid parental and primary care leave, 17% super, 17.5% leave loading, flexible and hybrid working options, health and wellbeing programs, a heavily discounted Study for Staff program, on‑campus childcare, affordable parking, and salary packaging.

Interested? For more information about this opportunity, please contact Paul O’Farrell, Executive Communications Manager - VC & President at p.ofarrell@uq.edu.au. For application inquiries, please reach out to the Talent Acquisition team at talent@uq.edu.au, stating the job reference number (below) in the subject line.

When you apply, please ensure you upload a resume and cover letter summarising how your background aligns to the ‘About You’ section.

Other Information

Pre-employment checks may include verification of the right to work in Australia, qualifications and criminal history checks. This may also include checks relating to gender-based violence matters or other integrity and conduct requirements. You must maintain unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this appointment to apply. Employer sponsored work rights are not available for this appointment.

We're dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We recognise that career pathways and opportunities differ, and encourage applications from candidates who may not meet every criteria but can demonstrate their potential relative to opportunity. We’re also happy to support any accessibility needs throughout the recruitment process. Just let us know how we can help by emailing talent@uq.edu.au or calling +61 7 3365 2623.

Applications close Friday 29 May 2026 at 11.00pm AEST (R-64467). Please note that interviews have been tentatively scheduled for the week of the 29th June 2026.

The University of Queensland (UQ) acknowledges the Traditional Owners and their custodianship of the lands on which UQ is situated. We pay our respects to their Ancestors and their descendants, who continue cultural and spiritual connections to Country.

At the University of Queensland, we are proud to be one of Australia’s leading research and teaching institutions, consistently ranking among the top 50 universities worldwide. As a member of the prestigious Group of Eight (Go8) universities, UQ is widely recognised for its intensive focus on research and teaching excellence – evidenced by our numerous accolades including more teaching awards than any other Australian University and reflected in UQ being the number one recipient of ARC Fellowships and Awards nationally across all scheme years (totalling 452 awards worth $339 million).

Our state-of-the-art facilities, libraries, and cutting-edge research centres offer unparalleled opportunities for academic and professional growth. With five faculties, a number of globally recognised research institutes, and over 100 research centres, we attract an interdisciplinary community of more than 7000 staff, supporting more than 55,000 current students from over 137 countries.

UQ is dedicated to supporting the career aspirations of our students and staff. Our comprehensive career services provide personalized guidance, skills development, and networking opportunities to help you achieve your professional goals. Whether you are a student seeking internships and job placements or a staff member looking for career advancement, UQ is here to support you every step of the way.

UQ values equity, diversity and inclusion and seeks to reflect the broader community by attracting and retaining high-quality staff from a range of backgrounds. Our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion aims to ensure that everyone at UQ feels valued and empowered to achieve their full potential. We are particularly interested to hear from people who bring diversity to UQ – whether that be gender identity, LGBTQIA+, cultural and/or linguistic, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, or people with a disability.

Whether you are a recent graduate, an Academic, or an experienced professional, UQ offers a wide range of opportunities to help you grow and succeed. Explore our current job openings, discover our programs, and become part of a community that is dedicated to creating lasting, meaningful impact for the communities in which we live and work.

For more information about working at UQ and our employee benefits (such as generous leave provisions, 17% superannuation, flexible working arrangements, and health and wellness discounts) please visit Why Work at UQ.