Communications Lead - Social Impact

Communications Lead - Social Impact at Uniting

This is a strategic and influential role for a Communications Lead at Uniting NSW.ACT, focusing on driving the organisation's thought leadership and social impact agenda. This full-time, permanent position is based at the Sydney CBD Head Office and is crucial for elevating Uniting's voice and influence across key sectors and systems to disrupt disadvantage.

You will lead with influence, shape compelling narratives, and position Uniting as a trusted and authoritative voice in social justice. This is not a media, marketing, or internal communications role, but one centered on strategy, positioning, and systemic influence.

Applications close Wednesday, 4th March 2026 E.O.D.

About Uniting

Uniting's clear purpose is to inspire people, enliven communities, and confront injustice. The organisation operates with core values of Compassion, Respect, Imagination, and Boldness, contributing to the work and mission of the Uniting Church in NSW and the ACT through social justice advocacy, community services, and spiritual care. They focus on providing care and support for people experiencing disadvantage and vulnerability.

Uniting is a Child Safe Organisation committed to promoting the safety, wellbeing, and inclusion of children and young people, and fosters a culture empowered by diversity, reflecting the vibrant diversity of its colleagues, clients, and communities.

The Opportunity

Uniting is seeking a bold and strategic Communications Lead to spearhead its thought leadership agenda and significantly increase its influence across the sectors and systems it aims to change. Reporting to the Head of External Relations & Engagement within the Social Impact & Advocacy Directorate, your responsibilities will include:

• Leading and growing Uniting’s thought leadership function.
• Shaping the narrative around Uniting’s social impact and advocacy priorities.
• Influencing decision-makers and sector leaders.
• Positioning Uniting as a trusted and authoritative voice.

In this role, you will meticulously map sectors and systems for influence, identify high-impact opportunities, and amplify Uniting’s evidence, innovation, and best practices. Your leadership will be instrumental in strengthening Uniting's reputation for excellence and driving systemic change.

What You’ll Do

Lead with Strategy

• Develop and drive Uniting’s social impact communications plan, aligning it with the 10-Year Strategy and brand.
• Shape positioning and narrative to enhance influence with government, philanthropy, sector partners, and policy leaders.
• Provide expert advice to senior stakeholders on thought leadership and external engagement.

Drive Organisational Influence

• Lead complex cross-directorate initiatives, ensuring clear governance, objectives, and measurable outcomes.
• Identify emerging risks and opportunities within the external environment.
• Establish frameworks and standards for consistency and quality across all social impact communications.
• Measure and evaluate reach, influence, and impact, continuously refining strategic approaches.

Lead and Build Capability

• Lead and develop a small, high-performing professional team.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and innovation.
• Coach and empower leaders across the organisation to articulate and promote their work confidently.
• Uplift capability across teams to strengthen sector engagement and influence.

About You

You are a strategic, intellectually curious professional, deeply committed to social justice. You understand that influence is built on credibility, evidence, and a clear narrative. You are adept at both shaping sector-level positioning strategies and guiding leaders to communicate complex research compellingly. The ideal candidate brings:

• At least 8 years’ senior experience in communications, thought leadership, advocacy, or public affairs.
• Demonstrated experience leading strategic communications initiatives across multiple teams.
• Strong understanding of policy, advocacy, and systems change environments.
• Experience influencing senior leaders and external stakeholders across government, NFP, philanthropy, or research sectors.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven experience leading and developing small professional teams.
• Strategic judgement, resilience, and delivery discipline in complex environments.

Ideally, you also have experience in social justice sectors or systems-change initiatives, and cultural capability for working with First Nations people and diverse communities.

Why This Role Matters

This Communications Lead - Social Impact role is vital for ensuring Uniting’s ideas, evidence, and innovations actively shape systems, policy, and practice, rather than remaining confined to reports. Many priorities amplified by this role are central to creating a more just and equitable society, including expanding access to early learning, reducing children in out-of-home care, supporting young people leaving care, and ensuring older people thrive.

You will bring visibility, clarity, and influence to this critical work, ensuring Uniting’s expertise, research, and practice inform public debate, influence decision-makers, and contribute to systemic reform. This is a unique opportunity to:

• Lead thought leadership that genuinely influences public policy and sector reform.
• Help shape national conversations on early learning, child wellbeing, family support, community services, and care for older people.
• Work alongside passionate experts dedicated to disrupting disadvantage.
• Build capability across an organisation deeply embedded in communities.
• Shape conversations that matter and outcomes that last.

If you are driven by impact, energised by complexity, and motivated by purpose, this is a rare chance to lead communications that transcend visibility to achieve profound influence. Lead with purpose, amplify what matters, and help disrupt disadvantage. Applications are welcome from candidates ready to shape the future of social impact communications at Uniting.

For further information and a copy of the position description, please contact Louise Massie via email at mmassie@uniting.org.

Key skills/competency

• Strategic Communications
• Thought Leadership
• Advocacy
• Policy Influence
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Narrative Development
• Systemic Change
• Team Leadership
• Public Affairs
• Social Justice