About the National Film and Sound Archive

The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) is Australia’s audiovisual archive, telling the national story by collecting, preserving and sharing audiovisual media, the cultural experience platforms of our time. The collection itself dates back to 1935, making it one of the world’s oldest audiovisual collections. It is also one of the country’s most used cultural collections, with around 125 million views of collection content each year. The NFSA is in a period of significant change. Following increased Government investment, the institution is in a process of digital transformation, establishing the NFSA as Australia’s most dynamic and valued cultural organisation. We are rebuilding our curatorial workforce and developing the NFSA’s capacity to digitise our collection at scale – to preserve it for the future, to make sure it can be discovered, and to share it with all Australians.

We continue to work on developing a stable, secure and future-proof workforce across our four physical sites based in Canberra and Mitchell in the ACT as well as in Sydney and Melbourne.

We are also undergoing a program of business improvement for many of our corporate systems to improve efficiency and reduce manual handling.

We are an ambitious organisation, and we aim to be an employer of choice within the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM) sector, providing exciting and challenging work, as well as favourable employment conditions and unique development opportunities for our staff.

Cultural Values

We are an equal opportunity employer, embracing a diverse range of applicants such as veterans, and people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, LGBTQIA community members, individuals with disabilities and/or health conditions, as well as those from varied faith and cultural backgrounds. At the NFSA we prioritise the development of a safe, inclusive, and high-performance culture through shared actions and behaviours that align with our strategy and direction. This empowers our employees to effectively contribute to our goals.

The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia is committed to ensuring a child-safe and child-friendly environment. All employees are expected to demonstrate a commitment to, and support for these principles in theory and practice.

About the Team

The Editorial and Content team is part of the Audiences, Brand and Content branch. Based in Sydney and working closely with colleagues in Canberra and Melbourne, the team delivers best practice, data informed publishing that connects the NFSA’s collection with audiences through dynamic cultural conversations.

The team produces a high volume of content across the NFSA website, social media platforms and audience EDMs, with a focus on growing reach, relevance and audience diversity. Social media is a central part of this publishing ecosystem – driving discovery, engagement and video led storytelling across third party platforms.

The team works closely with Curatorial, First Nations Engagement, Marketing, Communications, Production, and Enterprise colleagues to deliver ambitious content while managing rights, reputation and risk.

The Opportunity

The Online Video & Social Media Manager leads the NFSA’s social platforms as a primary driver of audience growth and public engagement. Building on established foundations across our existing YouTube and Meta channels, the role is focused on the next phase: expanding reach, sharpening voice, expanding our channel suite, and scaling ambition through video led storytelling and short form content.

Reporting to the Director of Editorial and Content, this is a new leadership role that combines strategic responsibility with hands on creative direction. The Online Video & Social Media Manager leads platform and audience strategy while remaining closely engaged in content planning, commissioning and creative direction – particularly for video, central to the NFSA’s social output – as well as overseeing organic community engagement and moderation with their team.

The role calls for an experienced leader with a proven track record managing platforms at scale, delivering sustained audience growth and producing content that performs culturally and algorithmically. It requires strong platform expertise, creative judgement and confidence operating in a high visibility public environment. The successful applicant will have a passion for all things Australian AV culture. 

Leading a small specialist team, the role operates across editorial, marketing, curatorial and enterprise functions to align priorities and deliver integrated outcomes. It balances growth with accountability – driving reach and engagement while actively managing community, reputation and risk – and offers a high impact opportunity to shape how Australians discover and engage with national audiovisual culture on the platforms they already use.

Key Responsibilities/Duties

Under broad direction, this position is responsible for delivering the following functions:

• Lead and grow the NFSA's social media presence across established platforms, including Meta (Instragram and Facebook) and YouTube, and assess opportunities across emerging channels. 
• Set and deliver platform and audience strategy, translating priorities into clear, executable publishing plans. 
• Lead video led storytelling across platforms, aligned to brand voice and guidelines, audience behaviour, and platform strengths. 
• Oversee and contribute to content planning, commissioning and creative direction, with hands on input into short form video. 
• Use performance data and insights to optimise publishing and drive measurable growth in reach and engagement. 
• Manage community engagement, moderation and reputation risk, including escalation of sensitive issues. 
• Recruit, lead and develop a small specialist team, setting clear expectations and building capability.
• Build and manage effective relationships with internal stakeholders and external partners, including developing content partnerships with platforms, brands and creators, to deliver integrated outcomes.
• Manage budgets and contribute to revenue and monetisation activity where relevant.

Selection Criteria

The successful candidate will demonstrate their capacity against the following:

1. Significant senior level experience leading social media, with a proven track record managing platforms at scale, delivering strategy and driving sustained audience growth and performance – including, but not limited to, YouTube and Meta.
2. Advanced expertise in video led social storytelling, including hands on experience commissioning or creatively directing high performing short form content, with clear evidence of impact.
3. Deep, current understanding of platform dynamics and design trends, with the ability to apply data and insights to optimise publishing and improve performance.
4. Well-developed leadership and stakeholder management skills, including proven capability managing community, reputation and risk in public facing environments, including moderation and escalation of sensitive issues.
5. Strong editorial judgement and copy leadership, including the ability to write, edit and oversee clear, compelling social copy, and to guide others in mastering the NFSA’s distinctive tone of voice across platforms.

Desired Skills and Experience

Desirable:

• Tertiary qualifications in communications, media, marketing or a related field, or equivalent professional experience. 
• Extensive professional experience in social media strategy, digital publishing or content production within media, cultural institutions or other content-led organisations. 
• Experience operating in complex or high-profile environments, including public-facing or government contexts. 

Work Environment Description

The following work environment description outlines the inherent requirements of the role and indicates how frequently each of these requirements would need to be performed. Please note that the National Film and Sound Archive is committed to providing reasonable adjustments and ensuring all individuals have equal opportunities in the workplace.

How to Apply

When applying via our online e recruitment system, please provide:

• A written application of no more than 1,000 words addressing the selection criteria, outlining how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the role.
• A folio or links to social channels, campaigns or content you have led or significantly shaped, clearly demonstrating audience growth, performance or impact.

Your current resume is also to be included in your application.

In addition to an application and your resume, the assessment process for this position may also include an interview and referee reports.

We welcome and encourage applications from people with disability, the LGBTIQ communities, from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this position you must:

• Be an Australian Citizen.
• Satisfactorily complete an Australian Federal Police National Police Check.

What we offer you

We provide a diverse, inclusive, and supportive work environment with access to:

• Great training and development opportunities.
• Generous leave and flexible working arrangements.
• Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP – a free counselling service for you and your family).
• A competitive salary, plus 15.4% superannuation.
• Rewards and recognition initiatives.

RecuitAbility

RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under the RecruitAbility scheme you will be invited to participate in further assessment activity for the vacancy if you choose to apply under the scheme; declare you have a disability; and meet the minimum requirements for the job. For more information see: RecruitAbility | Australian Public Service Commission (https://apsc.gov.au)

Contact Officer

Kate Scott | Director of Editorial and Content

E: kate.scott@nfsa.gov.au