About the Job

About the Job

As a member of the Australian Army Public Relations (Public Relations Officer) Service, you will become part of a small but dynamic team of public affairs specialists supporting the Australian Army. As an Army Public Relations Officer, you'll be required to undertake the broad spectrum of public affairs functions including:

  • Leading Army public affairs teams in support of Army activities (including exercises and operations)
  • Provide public affairs and issues management advice to Army commanders
  • Develop and implement strategic, operational and tactical communication strategies
  • Undertake effective media liaison, escort and support duties
  • Prepare media releases
  • Conduct media awareness training for Army personnel and
  • Oversee the gathering, management and quality of Army public relations product (including stills and video imagery, and articles for Army publications)

During your career as an Army Public Relations Officer, you'll be expected to complete various postings throughout Australia, either in a formed public affairs unit, as a staff adviser on a formation headquarters or at Australian Defence Headquarters in Canberra.


Key Information

Preparing for Your Recruitment Process

This document provides information that will assist applicants for roles in the Navy, Army and Air Force, including details about the recruitment process, how to prepare yourself for assessment, and what to expect if you are successful in joining the Australian Defence Force.

Salary & Allowances

In the Army you'll get paid a good salary from day one regardless of your age, experience or qualifications; and your pay increases as you progress through training.

In addition to your salary you'll receive a variety of allowances, extra pay for relevant qualifications – plus 16.4% superannuation, a far higher rate than you're likely to find in the civilian world.


For more details download our Salary Scales.


Locations

PR Officers are typically posted initially to a formation headquarters in Sydney, Brisbane, Townsville or Darwin or to the 1st Joint Public Affairs Unit in Canberra to gain experience. Posting location will depend on Service needs; graduate applicants should not expect to be posted to their home location.


Requirements

Age

Applicants must be at least 17 years of age and able to complete the Initial Minimum Period of Service before reaching Compulsory Retirement Age (60).

Applicants will not be allowed to enter the ADF until they achieve a minimum of 17 years of age, however they may be able to initiate the application process from 16 years and six months of age.

Education & Experience

An applicant for appointment as an Army Public Relations Officer must possess an appropriate communication-related tertiary higher education graduate qualification (i.e. university-issued Bachelor or Masters), along with three years’ work experience majoring in one of the following disciplines:

• Public Relations

• Journalism 

• Corporate Communications


Marketing degrees will be considered on a case by case basis. To be eligible to apply, applicants must hold a minimum two years’ appropriate communication-related work experience.  
Note: candidate can appoint after 3 years’ work experience.

Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualifications will not be considered as a high degree of critical thinking and analysis as is required of the Army Public Relations Officer. Internships do not count towards paid allied work experience.
 

Medical & Fitness

To be enlisted or appointed, you must be medically and physically fit for entry to your chosen occupation. This is partially assessed from the completion of an extensive questionnaire covering your medical history, followed by a physical examination.

You will also be required to successfully pass a physical fitness assessment before appointment.

For further details on medical and physical fitness standards refer to Physical Fitness Standards for Entry into the ADF and Medical Process for Entry into the ADF.

Period of Service

You will be appointed for an Initial Minimum Period of Service (IMPS) of three years. Subsequent periods of service may be offered subject to the requirements of the ADF and your suitability for further service. You may tender your resignation at any time provided you do not have an outstanding Initial Minimum Period of Service obligation.

Your Careers Coach can advise on how IMPS will relate to your chosen occupation.

Aptitude

The Job Opportunities Assessment (JOA) is completed as part of the application process to join the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Some jobs may also require you to complete a further evaluation at a later date.

The JOA is used by Defence to establish suitability for ADF entry, and then identify jobs that best match your abilities.

Further information about the JOA can be found in the Guide to the Job Opportunities Assessment for the ADF.

To get a feel for the types of questions that are used in the Job Opportunities Assessment and how they will look on your screen some examples can be found in the Job Opportunities Assessment Example Questions.

Citizenship

To serve in the ADF you must be an Australian Citizen.

If you are a permanent resident of Australia, the ADF may consider a temporary deferral of the citizenship requirement if the position for which you are applying cannot be filled by an applicant who meets all the citizenship requirements, and then only in exceptional circumstances. You will be required to obtain Australian Citizenship as early as possible following enlistment or appointment.

Find out more in our Citizenship page or ask your local ADF Careers Centre.

Security Requirements

The Department of Defence requires ADF employees to have a security clearance appropriate to their employment.

A process of background checks, collection of relevant information and if required, interviews, enables the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) to make an informed assessment of an applicant's suitability for a security clearance.

The minimum security clearance level required is Negative Vetting Level 1 (NV1), and current policy requires applicants to have a checkable background for the previous 10 years.

This means applicants must provide credible referees (non-family members) who are able to provide information about the applicant covering an extended period of time. Required information for an NV1 includes, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Residence
  • Employment
  • Education
  • Financial information
  • Travel

Some ADF jobs may require a higher level of security clearance such as Negative Vetting Level 2 (NV2) or Positive Vetting (PV). Your individual circumstances will determine the number and complexity of the questions and the supporting documents required for these levels.

Australian Citizenship is a requirement for a security clearance and a clearance will only be granted to a non-citizen in exceptional circumstances.

The security clearance is critical to an applicant's successful progression through the recruiting process. It is strongly recommended that all applicants action the Security Clearance Package (ePack) and provide the required documentation without delay to provide the best opportunity to commence training and be employed in their preferred employment category.

For more detailed information on the security vetting process and specific clearance level requirements set by AGSVA, please refer to the AGSVA website.

Support will be provided by DFR during the initial application process.

Training

Military Training

Specialist Service Officer First Appointment Course (Parts 1 + 2) 
Location: Royal Military College – Duntroon, Canberra, ACT. 
Duration: 25 days 

You will learn fundamental knowledge of leadership, command and control, unit and personnel administration, basic military skills and the ideals of officer behaviour and attitudes necessary for future employment.

The ARA course is 42 days of training and currently conducted in the first half of the training year.

Physical Fitness Levels

All trainees attending training at RMC are required to participate in an Initial Fitness Assessment (IFA) on arrival at RMC.

For further details on physical fitness standards refer to Physical Fitness Standards for Entry into the ADF.

Further Training

Selected PR Officers will attend civilian seminars and conferences to keep up to date in aspects of PR, media and journalism.