Head of External Affairs

Melbourne is Australia’s fastest growing city, and public transport is vital to keeping it moving. Since 2009, Metro has proudly operated and maintained a world-class train service and delivered major transport projects that shape the future of our city. Guided by our value of Safely Always, we are one team dedicated to ensuring everyone gets home safely while helping to connect and create a better Melbourne.

We are delighted to announce that we are looking for a Head of External Affairs to lead the External Affairs function within Metro’s External Affairs & Communications department in the Corporate Affairs Division.

This position is a senior leadership role in the business, and interfaces with multiple stakeholders including the executive and will have 4 direct reports reporting into the General Manager, External Affairs & Communications.

Key Areas of Responsibility

Your role will foster a ‘customer first’ approach for the development and delivery of all initiatives and create an environment that values feedback and innovation to encourage team members to find ways to continually improve business outcomes.

Critical to this role is taking an enterprise-wide view and delivering strategically and to the business plan. An ability to influence at Executive level and think at a strategic organisational level is important to this role, while at the same time working through the team to deliver earned media, crisis communications, issues management, content, social channels and corporate newsroom, government and stakeholder engagement, community investment and First Nations engagement and participation.

• Lead the External Affairs team to collaborate to develop and implement effective strategies across Government & Stakeholder, Media & Content, Community Investment, First Nations, and strategically position Metro and steward Metro’s reputation aligned with strategic business pillars.
• Work with the Head of Communications, and other divisional Heads of including Passenger Improvement to mitigate risks and amplify opportunities.
• Proactively manage business, operational, and high-risk reputational issues in conjunction with the General Manager, External Affairs & Communications.
• Provide crisis management and issues management advice and support to the business as required, always looking for ways to mitigate issues and raise risks as appropriate, including refining Metro’s strategy and supporting the delivery of an annual crisis and incident management team exercise.
• Work with Corporate Affairs colleagues to enable consistency and integration of programs and messages across internal communications, Metro developed digital assets, social media, media, government, and stakeholder channels.
• Collaborate with the Head of Communications to develop an annual CEO engagement plan.
• Lead the annual government and stakeholder engagement strategy leveraging all Corporate Affairs components to position Metro appropriately and provide advice and support to Metro’s Executive and other leaders in developing effective stakeholder relationships and opportunities as appropriate.
• Brief the Executive team and CEO on relevant government and stakeholder issues and opportunities.
• Lead annual social media strategy and plan and the community investment strategy.
• Lead annual media and content strategy and plan.
• Lead First Nations engagement and participation work in collaboration with the First Nations Manager.

About You

• Tertiary qualification in Journalism, Communications, Public Relations or a related discipline
• Extensive experience in a journalism, public relations, communications or related corporate affairs role
• Issues/crisis management/media management experience essential
• Spokesperson experience advantageous
• Experience in transport, infrastructure or government advantageous
• Proven ability to execute complex tasks to completion within tight timeframes
• Demonstrated ability to absorb complex information and re-present it simply.
• High level of effective stakeholder management and negotiating and influencing skills with Excellent written and oral skills
• Strong stakeholder management experience to work collaboratively and build strong working relationships with both internal and external stakeholders including Demonstrated stakeholder engagement skills with C-Suite executives.
• Solid report writing, analytical ability and critical thinking with the ability to work autonomously.
• Superior skills in research, analysis and synthesis of complex information
• Ability to leverage opportunities across communications channels and work within complex structures to achieve results

This is a fantastic and dynamic opportunity to build on the career you have developed to date and be part of the legacy that ‘connects people and places for a growing Melbourne’.

If what you’ve read resonates with your values, experience, and career aspiration then we want to hear from you!

Please submit your application via our recruitment portal by Sunday 10th May 2026 to be considered for this position.

Metro’s commitment to an inclusive workforce

At Metro, we move Melbourne and we’re powered by our people. We’re committed to building a workforce that reflects our diverse communities and celebrates the unique perspectives each person brings. Inclusion, respect and opportunity shape how we work and we invite you to join us in creating a workplace where everyone can thrive.