CFA Growth Programs

I managed media and communications planning for one of Country Fire Authority's biggest infrastructure projects. Worth $400 million, this massive project fine-tuned my change management capabilities, strategic planning and stakeholder engagement expertise.

I led development of media and communications planning to promote, build advocacy and protect three project streams: recruitment and training of 350 career firefighters with a focus on increasing the number of women who applied, building new fire stations and fire trucks to support the growing workforce, and increasing the training and promotional activity of the existing workforce to make space at the entry levels and provide support for recruits.

I developed recruitment campaigns aligning with emerging government targets including gender diversity and workforce planning requirements as part of the project. This involved working closely with my marketing colleagues to develop and book a range of online, outdoor, print and radio advertising. I also developed a series of videos to showcase the recruitment process and the recruit course for prospective applicants to gain insight.

I led communications and stakeholder engagement planning with newly integrating brigades (career firefighters joining volunteer brigades), which involved workshops, event planning of Community Days attended by hundreds of local people, marketing and media engagement. I advised senior leaders on best practice stakeholder engagement to ensure integration and opening new fire stations went as smoothly as possible.

It was an exciting project that required regular adaptation and resilience.