• Reports to: Head of Fundraising and Engagement
• Location: Remote
• Employment Type: Full time (or 0.8 FTE by negotiation)

Bravery Trust is a national charity that supports members of the Australian Defence Force who are experiencing financial hardship. Through providing financial counselling, education and assistance, we empower veterans and their families to achieve financial security and improve their lives. The impact our work has in this sector continues to drive demand for the services we provide.

Role Purpose

The Engagement & Communications Manager is responsible for leading and delivering Bravery Trust’s engagement, communications and brand strategy to amplify awareness, build trust, strengthen relationships and support fundraising growth.

Reporting to the Head of Fundraising and Engagement, this role plays a critical part in translating organisational strategy and impact into compelling, consistent and donor-focused communications that resonate with supporters, partners, government, and the veteran community.

This role has clear scope to grow as Bravery Trust continues to scale its fundraising and engagement activity. Initially, it will be hands-on role, directly delivering key communications outputs (including social media), before evolving into a more strategic leadership position as capacity increases.

Success in this role will be measured by increased brand awareness, stronger engagement with key audiences, improved clarity of impact, and demonstrable contribution to fundraising, partnership and donor outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Engagement Strategy, Planning & Reporting

• Develop and deliver and annual engagement and communications plan aligned to Bravery Trust’s strategic priorities, fundraising goals and organisational capacity.
• Ensure engagement activity supports donor acquisition, retention and stewardship across all fundraising streams.
• Monitor performance, analyse insights and provide regular reporting to the Head of Fundraising & Engagement.

Communications, Storytelling & Brand

• Oversee and deliver the development and execution of all communications activity, including eDMs, campaigns, website content, social media, media and PR.
• Lead copywriting across channels, ensuring communications are compelling, clear, accurate and aligned to brand tone and voice.
• Deliver consistent donor and partner ready messaging that clearly articulates Bravery Trust’s purpose, services and impact.
• Work closely with internal stakeholders to ensure communications reflect organisational priorities and reputational considerations.

Digital Strategy & Hands-On Delivery

• Develop and implement Bravery Trust’s digital engagement strategy to grow awareness, participation and fundraising outcomes.
• Undertake delivery of social media content, community management and campaign execution, (over time this may become separately resourced, as the team grows from fundraising).
• Oversee agency partners delivering paid media, digital campaigns and Google Ads as capacity grows.
• Analyse performance data and continuously optimise engagement approaches.

Website Management

• Oversee the development and ongoing management of Bravery Trust’s website to ensure it is user-friendly, engaging and aligned to organisational priorities.
• Ensure content is current, accurate and optimised to support engagement and fundraising outcomes

Annual Impact Report & Publications

• Lead the end-to-end development of Bravery Trust’s Annual Impact Report, from concept and narrative development, through to production and publication.
• Collaborate with Operations, Finance, Fundraising and the Executive teams to source accurate data, outcomes, case studies and leadership insights.
• Ensure the Impact Report clearly demonstrates impact, accountability and value to donors, partners, government and the broader community.
• Repurpose impact content across other channels to maximise reach and return on effort.

Fundraising & Donation Materials

• Provide communications support to fundraising activity by developing high-quality materials that support donation and partnership outcomes.
• Create and maintain core fundraising assets, including campaign collateral, capability statements, proposals, presentations and donor-ready content.
• Work closely with the Fundraising team to ensure messaging supports revenue growth, stewardship and engagement objectives.

Impact, Case Studies & Client Stories

• Strengthen how organisational impact is captured, articulated and communicated in partnership with Operations and Finance teams.
• Develop and manage a pipeline of ethical, respectful and powerful case studies and client stories.
• Build trusted relationships with Bravery Trust clients to enable informed consent and meaningful storytelling that centres of dignity and empowerment.

Ambassador, Patron & Stakeholder Engagement

• Develop and support ambassador and patron engagement frameworks to expand reach, credibility and high-value networks.
• Proactively equip ambassadors, leaders and key stakeholders with clear messaging, assets and briefing materials to represent Bravery Trust effectively.
• Support sponsor and partner engagement through events, communications and tailored content.

Grant Strategy and Government Funding

• Provide strategic oversight of grant applications to internal stakeholders, to assist successful funding application outcomes
• Identify stakeholder opportunities for Bravery Trust to engage in strategic government relations, to build federal and state policy advocates for veteran funding
• Scope, plan and pursue Trust and Foundation relationship opportunities, for consideration of development and stewardship

About You

You’re a digitally savvy communications and engagement leader with a passion for purpose-driven work and a strong ability to translate impact into compelling, meaningful stories.

You’re comfortable operating at both a strategic and execution level - able to shape direction, while also rolling up your sleeves to deliver high-quality communications across channels. You understand how to connect audiences to a cause, using clear messaging, strong storytelling and thoughtful engagement to inspire action.

You bring a deep understanding of how digital, content and brand work together to build awareness, strengthen relationships and support fundraising outcomes. You think in terms of audiences and journeys, not just channels, and you know how to create communications that are relevant, timely and effective.

Data and insight inform your decisions, but empathy, judgement and integrity guide how you tell stories – particularly when working with sensitive subject matter. You’re collaborative by nature, confident working across teams and external stakeholders, and motivated by delivering tangible impact.

This is a role for someone who enjoys building as they go – contributing hands-on in the early stages and helping shape and scale the engagement function as Bravery Trust continues to grow.

Key Requirements

• Demonstrated experience in communications, engagement or fundraising within a purpose-driven or not-for-profit environment.
• Proven ability to lead complex communications projects such as multi-channel campaigns and impact reports, achieving agreed output within defined timelines and budget
• Strong copywriting and storytelling capability, with an understanding of donor and stakeholder audiences.
• Confidence working both strategically and tactically in a hands-on delivery role.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills and sound judgment, particularly when working with sensitive stories.
• Experience in the veteran, defence or human-services sectors is advantageous but not essential.

This role requires semi-regular domestic travel and attendance at fundraising events outside standard hours. 

Bravery Trust employees are required to hold valid police and working with children / vulnerable people checks.

Role Growth & Opportunity

This role is expected to evolve as Bravery Trust continues to grow. In the early phase, success will come from hands-on delivery and execution. Over time, the role will expand to include greater strategic leadership, team development and increased agency oversight.

Key relationships

• Internal:  Fundraising and Engagement team members, Head of Fundraising & Engagement, CEO, Executive Team, Board and Committees, Operations team, Finance team
• External:  External Agencies (social media, digital marketing, branding / design), ambassadors, patrons, Bravery Trust beneficiaries, donors (as applicable), community fundraisers

Team members

• Nil - External Agencies (social media, digital marketing, branding / design), as applicable
• As function grows, direct team members will likely arise

Next Steps

To submit your application please click 'Apply Now' by the closing date.