Design Communication Manager

Agency Purpose

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is an independent statutory authority established by the Australian Government to maintain an impartial and independent electoral system for eligible voters through active electoral roll management, efficient delivery of polling services, and targeted education and public awareness programs.

The AEC’s values and commitments

The AEC values and commitments are an essential component of our operating environment and frame how AEC staff work. The AEC's focus is on electoral integrity through the values of quality, agility and professionalism.

The Team

The Communication and Campaigns section sits within the Communication Education and Engagement Branch at the AEC. The branch is a team of energetic, passionate and skilled practitioners, responsible for ensuring all people are informed about the process of voting in federal elections and referendums and encouraging voters to participate. This includes consideration of people who experience barriers and may need additional support to equitably participate. This is achieved through the collective work of our sections, covering electoral education, strategic communication, campaigns, community engagement, Indigenous electoral participation, and design.

The Communication and Campaigns section has three teams of communication experts who deliver federal election and referendum advertising campaigns, provide quality design materials through the AEC design team and manage the agency internal communication services.

Advertising campaigns are critical to the success of major electoral events and help ensure people have all the information they need to be able to participate. The design team produces all corporate materials, education resources, and election materials such as ballot papers. The internal communication team plays an important role in knowledge sharing across the organisation and informing and engaging staff.

The Opportunity

The Design Communication Manager manages a small dynamic team responsible for servicing the AEC through the efficient execution of design materials, ensuring that all work adheres to the AEC’s brand identity and meets client needs.

As part of the Communications and Campaigns section leadership team, the Design Communication Manager will participate in section planning and aligning longer term plans with agency goals and objectives.

The role is responsible for undertaking very complex and/or sensitive work, under broad direction, utilising expertise and knowledge within the area of graphic design and production.

Key position responsibilities include leading a technical design team, delivering high-quality user-cantered graphic design services across the AEC. In this role, you’ll work closely with internal stakeholders to understand their needs, uphold the AEC’s visual identity in line with government and accessibility standards, and manage multiple projects from concept to completion.

You’ll provide strategic visual communication advice to senior leadership, contribute to doctrine and election readiness activities and ensure compliance with legislation, governance and reporting requirements. We’re looking for someone with strong professional judgment, a collaborative approach, and a passion for building team capability in a fast-paced environment.

To excel you’ll have:

• Strong creative and design sensibility and with an understanding of contemporary design, usability and accessibility standards.
• Strong organisational and leadership skills to manage the workflow of the team while meeting agency priorities.
• A strong digital design portfolio of recent design work that demonstrates both print and digital media.
• Fluent in design tools such as Adobe Creative Cloud with an understanding of web design and the ability to effectively communicate with technical stakeholders to ensure designs are translated into the final product.
• Ability to communicate with clarity, and deliver succinct communication to a range of audiences, including senior executives and internal clients, while remaining calm and solutions focussed under pressure.
• Demonstrated high levels of personal integrity, accuracy and impartiality while achieving results within legislative and policy parameters.
• Demonstrated management of staff while developing capabilities, encouraging career development and embedding professionalism.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple competing priorities with flexibility and positivity in the face of changing priorities and deadlines.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills including demonstrated ability to prepare briefing documents and submissions and explain complex issues simply.

Desirable

• Tertiary qualification in visual communication, design or related field.
• Knowledge of, or ability to, quickly gain knowledge of:
  • Australian federal electoral laws and practice.
  • Commonwealth frameworks, including Resource Management Framework and Procurement Framework.

Eligibility

• AEC employees must be Australian citizens.
• Any person who is, and seen to be active in political affairs, and intends to publicly carry on this activity, may compromise the strict neutrality of the AEC and cannot be considered.
• Applicants are required to consent to, undergo, obtain and maintain a character clearance.
• Applicants are required to consent to, undergo, obtain and maintain the security clearance required for this role.