Public Affairs Officer
As a Public Affairs Officer, you’ll perform a wide range of public affairs duties in a military context across the ADF, often working alongside members of the Navy and Army in Australia and overseas. You’ll provide proactive and reactive specialist media and communication advice, develop and implement campaigns and identify opportunities to promote and support Air Force and broader Defence strategies.
What you'll do
You’ll act as an advisor to senior leadership on communication matters and assist in the preparation of spokespeople for media engagements. You will lead Military Camera Teams in the field on military exercises and operations, support Air Force participation at High Profile Public Events, and develop dynamic public affairs content that meets organisational intent. You’ll also manage media liaison, social media engagement and media product development, attend events and ceremonies, and be part of crises response teams.
Your duties may include:
- public affairs support to military operations, exercises and activities within Australia and overseas
- preparing public affairs plans and strategies
- writing and editing public information products such as print and digital articles, social media content and media releases
- leading military camera teams to deliver timely public affairs products
- preparing senior officers and military personnel for media engagements
- media liaison and escorting
- drafting responses to media requests for information
- public affairs advice and issues management
- community engagement.
Opportunities for progression and upskilling will continue throughout your career as an officer. As you progress, the Air Force will provide you with leadership, management and communications training to develop your ability to effectively manage your teams. You’ll also be provided with training opportunities to further develop your job-related skills. This world-class training will strengthen your skillset and enable you to become an influential leader in the Air Force.
As an officer in the Air Force, you may also undertake a posting to an Any Officer role during your career, such as instructor/training roles and staff officer roles. This experience helps you broaden your skill set and prepare for more senior roles.
Following training, you could serve on a flexible basis at one of the many Air Force bases across Australia, though you may be expected to live within a minimum distance. You may also be deployed to another Australian or foreign military base during exercises and in response to international events.
The Air Force is currently recruiting for positions nationally. Priority locations include Brisbane, Darwin, Sydney and Townsville.
Discover where the Air Force operates across Australia on our base locations map.
Requirements and training
You must be an Australian citizen to serve in the ADF. However, Australian permanent residents may be eligible. For more details, visit the "Citizenship" tab on the Eligibility Requirements page.
You can apply for a role in the ADF from 16.5 years of age and must be at least 17 to join. For Reserve service, the maximum age to apply is 60 years, with a Compulsory Retirement Age (CRA) of 65. Candidates who wish to enlist into the Reserves beyond the age of 61 years will need further assessment to ensure they can complete all pre-requisite training in their chosen field prior to reaching CRA.
For this role, you’ll need an Australian state or territory full, provisional or probationary C Class licence. If your licence is suspended or cancelled, you won’t be eligible until that suspension or cancellation has been lifted or has expired.
All ADF members require a security clearance. As an ADF member, you’ll need to obtain the appropriate level of security clearance for your role. You’ll need a collection of relevant information including background checks and/or interviews so the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) can make an informed assessment to ensure the protection of Government resources and information. Your Careers Coach will explain what level of clearance is required for the career you are considering.
For more information or to learn about how security clearance will apply to you, view the eligibility requirements page.
The minimum requirement for entry into this role is a relevant tertiary qualification, along with a minimum of 3 years’ substantial experience that demonstrates breadth and depth of skills in one of the/multiple below areas:
- public affairs
- strategic/corporate communication
- journalism
- media engagement/management.
To join the ADF, you must be healthy and physically fit. This is partially assessed from the completion of an extensive questionnaire covering your medical history, followed by a physical examination.
You’ll also be required to successfully pass a physical fitness assessment.
Female
- Sit-ups (feet held): 20
- Shuttle Run Score: 5.1.
Male
- Sit-ups (feet held): 20
- Shuttle Run Score: 6.1.
For further details on medical and physical fitness standards, refer to physical fitness standards for entry into the ADF and medical process for entry into the ADF.
There is no minimum number of years required in the ADF Reserve as service is voluntary. You can volunteer until the Defence retirement age of 65, subject to the requirements and your suitability for further service.
Reserve service is flexible and can fit around your family, life and work responsibilities. You choose your level of commitment ranging from a minimum of 20 days and up to 150 days per year, with the potential to extend to 200 days. In your first year, this includes both Initial Employment and Military Training. On training completion, you can serve from as little as a couple of days a week, one weekend a month or in consecutive weeks - in a way that suits your lifestyle.
Course: Specialist Reserve Officer Induction Course
Duration: 5 days
Location: RAAF Base East Sale, Vic
This course will provide you with general service knowledge, including:
- Air Force customs
- mess etiquette
- air power studies
- organisation of the ADF
- basic practical instruction in drill movements.
Course: Unit Public Affairs Officer Course
Duration: 4 weeks
Location: Online
You’ll complete this course in your first year of military public affairs. It will provide you with a basic understanding of military public affairs processes and key documents.
You’ll also complete the following courses:
Course: Military Public Affairs Officer Basic Course
Duration: 12 weeks
Location: Online, and Joint Training Command (JTC), Simpson Barracks, Melbourne, Vic
This course is a blended learning course over a 12-week period consisting of 10 online sessions over 10 weeks followed by a 9-day residential phase.
Following at least one year of military public affairs experience, this course will develop your military public affairs skills in the ADF environment including military camera team leading, public affairs planning and incident management in the military environment.
Course: Military Public Affairs Officer Advanced Course
Duration: 12 days
Location: Online, and Joint Training Command (JTC), Simpson Barracks, Melbourne, Vic
This course is a blended learning course of 6 online sessions over 6 weeks followed by a 6-day residential phase.
This course will prepare senior Military Public Affairs Officers with the theoretical and practical capability to work effectively and collaboratively with international partners and domestic stakeholders across the complex and dynamic information environment. Assessments focus on MPA planning and coordination, incident management, media embed coordination, and mentoring junior MPA personnel.
As your Public Affairs Officer career progresses, opportunities may be provided to undertake other military training, including in information operations, joint operations, military instructing, and other relevant areas.