Program Overview

Australia is supporting the Government of Papua New Guinea (GoPNG) to provide communities with access to quality health services by delivering quality health infrastructure as part of the Papua New Guinea Australia Partnership.

The Strategic Health Infrastructure Investment (SHI) is an Australia Government program funded under the Papua New Guinea PNG-Australia Partnership. The program aims to design and deliver high-quality, resilient, and universally accessible health infrastructure projects with a significant focus on gender equality, disability and social inclusion, and adhere to Australia’s safeguarding policies and development effectiveness guidelines. In addition, the program’s infrastructure will incorporate sustainability and resiliency design elements to mitigate climate change forecasts and disaster risk outlooks.

The SHI program investment is working to improve health care services in two priority locations. In Morobe Province, the project will design and refurbish the old Emergency Department (the Gware building) in the ANGAU Hospital in Lae. In Daru, Western Province, the project will provide safe, secure and accessible accommodation for health workers and PHA staff with new Daru Hospital staff housing.

Responsibilities

The Communications and Public Diplomacy Specialist is responsible for providing expert advice and strategically communicating the relevance and impact of the Strategic Health Infrastructure Investment to key stakeholders and audiences. The Communications and Public Diplomacy Specialist oversees the collection of key content for communicating the progress and success of the Project, mentoring the broader SHI team (including MEL and Communications Coordinator), and takes a leading role to ensure the project delivers positive impact by maintaining a consultative, collaborative, socially inclusive and child-safe approach to all project activities.

• Maintain the Communications and Public Diplomacy Strategy for the project, setting out details of public relations and communication initiatives to maximise opportunities and program impact;
• Develop tools, templates and products to guide Project team’s communications work;
• Mentor and support the full time PNG-based team to implement the Communications and Public Diplomacy Strategy, including providing hands-on support for media releases, social media content, electronic and print brochures, and presentations that are aligned with DFAT’s and JID’S public diplomacy standards and branding requirements;
• Support the Stakeholder Engagement Lead to produce communications approaches and outputs which aid project governance mechanisms;
• Provide expert advice and potential recommendations to the PDO for further communications initiatives related to the projects and health service delivery.

Required Experience

• 10+ years professional experience
• Fluent English essential, tok pisin desirable
• Experience in leading Communications and Public Diplomacy strategies, plans and activities for major programs essential
• Experience in the Pacific desirable, experience in international development essential
• Experience in development partner funded programs (e.g. DFAT) highly desirable
• Degree in communications, development studies, or similar preferred
• Experience in infrastructure programs preferred but not essential
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills

About the company

JID specialises in international development program management. We design, manage and deliver fit for purpose and sustainable solutions for positive social and economic impact. We bring end-to-end project management and commercial expertise to the projects we deliver and work closely with partner governments and international donor agencies to deliver complex projects in remote or challenging contexts.

Why choose JID?

• A fantastic work culture built on our values of Committed, Collaborative, Inclusive, Curious and Adventurous
• Opportunities for career development
• Deliver a meaningful project that will deliver high-quality, resilient, and universally accessible health infrastructure in PNG
• Competitive Package

Call to action

Does this look like an opportunity you could see yourself working in?
Please find the application page on JID’s website: Johnstaff International Development | Careers
Please click the 'Apply' button on the JID careers page and submit your resume (PDF only) and we will review your application and get back to you.

Applications will close 11/07/25

Applications from recruitment agencies will not be accepted.

JID recognises the value of the expertise, experience, and creativity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We work with First Nations in our business and across our portfolio and ensure to provide a culturally inclusive and welcoming environment across our diverse workforce.

We are an equal opportunity employer dedicated to fair recruitment practices based on merit, skills and abilities considerate of the benefits of diversity and inclusion. We actively encourage staff of various abilities, orientations, backgrounds, faiths, and genders to apply, including First Nations experts.

As an organisation, JID are dedicated to safeguarding our teams, stakeholders and vulnerable groups that we work with. JID participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. This scheme facilitates the sharing of misconduct data between employers and in line with this we will request information from applicants’ previous employers about any findings related to sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment during their employment. By submitting an application, job applicants confirm their understanding of these recruitment processes. More information about the scheme can be found at https://misconduct-disclosure-scheme.org/