Fundraising and Communications Coordinator

Location: The role will be based at our Story Factory Redfern centre. It may occasionally involve travel to our Parramatta centre and across Western Sydney. 

Term: Full-time, 38 hours per week. 

Reports to: Both the Head of Fundraising & Communications and Publishing Lead

Direct Reports: None

Salary & Conditions: $83,100 pa plus superannuation. Fringe benefit may be applicable, providing up to $16k per year tax free. The role is for two years, renewable, with a three month probation period. 

ABOUT STORY FACTORY: 

​​At Story Factory, we believe that stories can change lives. We focus on enriching the lives of young people in under-resourced communities through quality creative writing programs, improving their writing skills, increasing their confidence and expanding their future prospects. Reading is access but writing is agency.

Story Factory runs a wide variety of fun and engaging creative writing programs at primary and high schools across Sydney and Western Sydney, at our centres in Redfern and Parramatta, and digitally across Australia. We have also just opened a new centre in Bidwill, Mount Druitt in April 2026.

Since opening in 2012, our achievements include:

• 75,000+ student enrolments, with more than 9,000 enrolments in 2025;
• 15% of students are Indigenous and 49% are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds;
• Recognition of our work with multiple awards, including a Secretary’s Award for Excellence in the 2018 Public Education Foundation Awards, and Executive Director and Co-founder Catherine Keenan AM being named the 2016 Australian of the Year Local Hero

We are currently in the fourth year of a five-year strategy that will see us grow the reach and impact of our work. A key part of this was opening our new hub for our work in Bidwill, Mount Druitt in April 2026, to consolidate and deepen the work we’ve been doing in that area for many years.

If you would like further information visit: https://www.storyfactory.org.au/ or read through the following documents (please note, you will not be expected to have read these). 

• To view the Theory of Change, click here.
• To view the current strategic plan, click here. 
• To view the Story Factory Reconciliation Action Plan, click here. 
• To view the latest Annual Report, click here. 

STORY FACTORY VALUES:

• Young people come first 
• Writing is agency 
• Creativity unleashes potential
• Diversity makes us better
• We have high expectations of ourselves and the young people we work with
• We have heart, passion matters.  

THE ROLE:

The Fundraising and Communications Coordinator works across both the Fundraising and Finance team and the Communications and Publishing team. This role is responsible for providing support in executing the fundraising and communications strategies, ensuring the achievement of income targets and the amplification of young people’s voices. This role reports to both the Head of Fundraising and the Communications and Publishing Lead, and also supports the Grants and Manager and Philanthropy Manager. It may involve travel to our Parramatta centre and around Western Sydney on occasion. 

Story Factory is a Child Safe Organisation and complies with the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. The successful applicant must undertake a Police Check and Working with Children Check prior to commencement. The role has a three month probation period.

• Provide general administrative support to the fundraising and communications teams, including maintaining accurate records in Salesforce, coordinating mailouts, regularly updating the website, and other administrative tasks as they arise.
• Visit workshops and liaise with colleagues to capture content that amplifies student voices and writing, demonstrates impact and promotes Story Factory’s work.
• Write compelling collateral including impact case studies, blog posts, news stories, donor updates, donor emails, thank you letters and other communications as needed.
• Regularly craft and post engaging content across Story Factory's social media platforms, continually measuring audience engagement to inform strategies for audience growth.
• Provide logistical support for donor events, including writing and coordinating invitations, managing RSVPs, preparing materials, and assisting with on‑the‑day delivery.
• Assist the Communications and Publishing Lead in working with freelancers (e.g. designers, photographers, videographers) on creative assets. 
• Prepare impact reports for major gifts and assist with collating information for grant acquittals.
• Assist with the preparation of grant applications, including drafting letters of support, preparing activity work plans and other tasks as needed.
• Support public fundraising activities, including community fundraising events and responding to public enquiries about donations.
• Assist with donor research, including researching potential donors, high-net-worth individuals and corporate partners.

STRATEGIC IMPACT:

Short term (6 months)

• Provide effective administrative support to the fundraising and communications teams, contributing to the achievement of income targets and the amplification of young people’s voices. 
• Strengthen public fundraising processes through timely donor responses, accurate data management and event coordination.

Long term (2 years)

• Strengthen donor stewardship and contribute to the growth of Story Factory’s income through consistent, high‑quality, compelling communication and relationship support.
• Support the growth of Story Factory’s donor database through ongoing research.
• Capture content from workshops and events that amplifies student voices in creative ways, reaching new audiences. 
• Contribute to the growth of Story Factory’s new and existing audiences by delivering a strategic, measurable content plan.

SELECTION CRITERIA:

Essential

• Experience providing support in a fundraising, communications or similar environment.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple competing priorities.
• Outstanding writing skills, with the ability to craft clear, compelling, and persuasive content for different audiences.
• Meticulous attention to detail, with an ability to work independently and proactively to anticipate team needs.
• Passion for the mission of Story Factory and its work with young people.

Desirable

• Experience with CRM systems such as Salesforce and experience in data management.
• An understanding of how different social media platforms work and of engaging audiences through different platforms.
• An interest and willingness to learn about creating content and basic design (e.g. short videos for social media, or designed impact reports) to showcase our students and our work, as well as experience using design software such as Canva or Adobe.
• Event coordination skills. 
• Insight grounded in lived experience or community connection is considered an asset.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY

At Story Factory, we embrace differences in gender, age, ethnicity, race, cultural background, disability, religion and sexual orientation. We know that diversity and inclusion helps us to attract, recruit, engage and retain a team of talented people. We welcome applicants with relevant lived experience or cultural knowledge that enriches our programs and strengthens our engagement with young people. Lived experience may include migration, disability or neurodivergence, socio-economic disadvantage, caring responsibilities, trauma, LGBTQIA+ identity or other experiences that shape how you understand and support young people. We encourage people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and culturally diverse backgrounds to apply. Residents of Greater Western Sydney are particularly encouraged to apply.

If you require specific support to apply for this position, please email jobs@storyfactory.org.au. We will work with you to identify the best way to assist you.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for this role, please submit your CV and a cover letter addressing the selection criteria. 

Applications close at 5pm on Tuesday May 19th 2026.