Communications Business Partner Location: City of Melville Civic Centre Salary: Level 7 $103,074.80 to $109,271.88 pro-rata p.a. 12% Super Employment Type: Permanent Full Time/Permanent Part Time The City of Melville is seeking an experienced Communications Business Partner to embed within our business units and provide practical, politically aware communications advice and delivery. This role suits someone who enjoys working side-by-side with project teams, understands the realities of local government projects, and can confidently balance competing priorities, risks and expectations. What You’ll Be Doing Partnering with business units as their primary communications advisor, embedding into day-to-day operations Developing and delivering end-to-end communications plans for projects, programs and services Providing proactive, politically aware advice to support decision-making and manage risk Creating clear, engaging and on-brand content across a range of channels Supporting the Mayor as a spokesperson, including preparing messaging, speeches and media materials Identifying and managing reputational and community risks through effective communication strategies Ensuring alignment with the Council Plan, organisational priorities and endorsed strategies Managing communications budgets and evaluating effectiveness to drive continuous improvement Overseeing and maintaining accurate, current and engaging website content Identifying opportunities to promote Council services, projects and achievements What We’re Looking For Reporting to the Communications Coordinator, you will act as the primary communications contact for allocated business units becoming a trusted advisor who understands their work, pressures and opportunities. Essential: Tertiary qualifications in communications, public relations, marketing or a related field (or equivalent experience) Proven experience delivering communications in complex and/or politically sensitive environments Strong stakeholder engagement skills and the ability to provide trusted, strategic advice Excellent writing skills and experience producing content across multiple platforms Experience managing communications budgets and balancing scope against risk and impact. Strong organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise in a dynamic environment Highly regarded: Experience in local government or the public sector Understanding of community sentiment, issues management and reputational risk Experience managing website content or working with CMS platforms *The successful applicant may be required to attend meetings or events outside normal business hours. How to Apply Apply online via the Apply button and provide a comprehensive resume and cover letter (no more than 2 pages) demonstrating fulfilment of essential requirements outlined in the Position Description attached. Closing Date: Wednesday 20 May 2026, 11.59PM AWST. For further information about this position, please contact: Rosslind Ellis, Manager Communications and Engagement on 08 9364 0 If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, we strongly advise you apply as soon as possible as the City reserves the right to close this advertisement before the closing date. Why The City of Melville? We are a welcoming and diverse community that enjoys a blend of retail and business precincts and an abundance of open spaces in a unique, natural landscape, along the shores of the beautiful Swan and Canning Rivers. We are proud to be recognised as an Inclusive Employer 2024-2025 – a prestigious award that benchmarks workplace inclusion across various diversity areas. This recognition is the only one of its kind in Australia and highlights our commitment to fostering a workplace where diversity is celebrated, and inclusion thrives. In everything we do, we focus on our EPIC values of Excellence, Participation, Integrity and Caring and we aim to achieve an inclusive, vibrant, and sustainable future. Why Belong? Elevate your work experience with the City of Melville’s benefits! Join an award-winning, Inclusive Employer recognised for diversity, accessibility and welcoming workplaces Enjoy annual salary increases of 4%, effective each year from 1 July 2025 to 1 July 2027 Enjoy flexible working arrangements that help balance work and life Stay active with a free LeisureFit membership Save time and money with free on-site parking Celebrate your special day with Birthday Leave – no work on your big day! Access paid parental leave to support your family Take more time to recharge with 2 extra days of annual leave plus the option to purchase additional leave (up to 10 weeks off per year) Benefit from a generous superannuation co-contribution of up to 15.5% Maximise your pay with salary packaging and novated leasing options Grow your career with structured professional development and study assistance programs Look after your wellbeing with wellness initiatives and Employee Assistance Programs Connect outside of work with a vibrant social club The City of Melville celebrates diversity, inclusion, and belonging. We welcome and strongly encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including but not limited to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally diverse backgrounds, and people living with disabilities. Please note that the City does not offer visa sponsorship. While permanent positions are generally only open to Australian citizens or permanent residents, permanent positions may occasionally be filled on a fixed-term basis. In such cases and for fixed-term or casual roles, applicants with temporary unrestricted work rights in Australia (and residing in Perth) may be considered, provided they have unrestricted work rights for the duration of the appointment. All candidates applying for a position where the use of ‘plant and machinery’ or driving a vehicle is an inherent requirement of the role and other ‘high risk’ facilities where public safety is at risk, will be required to pass a drug and alcohol test as part of a pre-employment medical. We appreciate the interest from Recruitment Agencies in collaborating with us, however, at this time, the City of Melville is managing the recruitment process for this role. Please refrain from submitting candidate profiles to our team. Rest assured, should the need for external assistance arise in the future, we will not hesitate to reach out to recruitment agencies.
