Head of Public Relations & Brand

At the Y NSW, we have an ambitious vision that all children and young people are positively impacted and living inspired lives due to our programs.

The Head of PR & Brand is a senior leadership role responsible for shaping and safeguarding our public narrative, reputation and brand. Reporting to the Executive General Manager, Strategy & Government Relations, this role ensures our organisation is trusted, visible and influential with media, government, partners and known in the community. 

This role is distinct from Growth Marketing. Its primary accountability is sharing the Y’s vision, community impact, advocacy campaigns and risk management— not acquisition, revenue growth or customer‑focused marketing campaigns. 

Key responsibilities 

Public relations  

• Develop and deliver an organisation‑wide Public Relations Strategy aligned to our vision, advocacy priorities and long‑term strategy. 
• Provide expert PR and reputation advice to the Executive Leadership Team and senior leaders. 
• Ensure consistency of key messages, tone and public positioning across all external communications. 

Media & spokesperson engagement 

• Lead proactive and reactive media engagement including media releases, interviews, opinion pieces and briefings. 
• Build strong, trusted relationships with journalists and media outlets. 
• Prepare spokesperson briefs and support Y NSW staff in media engagement. 

Reputation, issues & crisis management 

• Monitor media, social media, and stakeholder sentiment to identify emerging issues and reputational risks. 
• Lead responses to sensitive or high‑risk issues. 
• Develop and maintain crisis communications plans, holding statements, Q&As and escalation protocols. 

Advocacy & policy communications 

• Lead PR for advocacy campaigns, translating complex policy positions into clear, compelling public narratives. 
• Increase awareness and influence of advocacy positions with decision‑makers and key stakeholders. 

Brand leadership & custodianship 

• Act as the custodian of the brand, ensuring alignment with our values of Safe, Connect and Thrive. 
• Ensure external communications reflect our purpose, culture and commitment to inspiring lives. 
• Collaborate with marketing colleagues without owning growth, acquisition, promotional or fundraising campaigns. 

Financial stewardship 

• Manage the Public Relations budget and oversee external agencies and suppliers to ensure effective use of resources. 

About you 

You are a senior PR and brand leader with deep experience in media relations, reputation management and advocacy.

You are values‑led in your judgement, calm under pressure, and confident advising senior leaders on complex public relations issues. You bring strong stakeholder relationships, excellent writing skills, are highly organised, and have an instinct for protecting and strengthening organisational trust. 

• 7–10+ years’ experience in senior communications roles. 
• Demonstrated experience leading PR strategy, brand strategy, planning, portfolio management and advocacy campaign execution at scale 
• Relationship management with journalists and media outlets 
• Strong capability in data analysis, performance measurement, reporting and commercial decision-making. 
• Experience managing leaders and specialist teams. 
• Relevant tertiary qualifications in Journalism, Communications, Marketing, Business, or related fields, preferably post-graduate. 

Apply Now

Please include a cover letter with your application.

Who What Y? 

The Y NSW is a profit-for-purpose organisation focused on healthy living, social impact, and empowering young people. We operate more than 60 sites, employing over 1,000 staff across NSW to deliver enriching community programs. 

We’re committed to building a diverse, inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome applicants of all genders, ages, religions, abilities, sexual orientations, and cultural backgrounds—including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

Commitment to Safeguarding 

At the Y, we are committed to empowering all Children and Young People to feel safe and be safe, at the Y, in their families and in their communities. We embed Safeguarding into everything that we do to make sure Children and Young People are kept safe at all times.  

Safeguarding Children | The Y