Approvals Specialist

Gladstone Ports Corporation; Gladstone Regional; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Gladstone Ports Corporation in Queensland seeks a Planning and Environment Approvals professional on a 12-month fixed-term contract. You will support statutory planning and environmental approval processes across operations, maintenance, upgrades and development projects, coordinating with project teams, regulators and consultants.

You will maintain approvals governance, manage risks, and ensure timely delivery while contributing to continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting planning and environmental approvals for infrastructure projects.
• Strong understanding of Australian and Queensland planning and environmental legislation.
• Ability to coordinate approvals documentation and deliverables.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
• Demonstrated organisational skills and sound judgement.

Responsibilities

• Identify and assess planning and environmental approval requirements for operations and projects.
• Prepare permit applications, development applications, referrals and supporting documents.
• Coordinate studies including environmental, heritage, tenure, engineering and stakeholder engagement.
• Maintain approvals registers, condition trackers, governance records.
• Provide guidance on approval requirements, risks and timeframes.
• Assist in project planning with sequencing, critical path and interfaces.
• Prepare reports, briefing notes and governance papers relating to approvals.
• Coordinate consultants and contractors to support approval delivery.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of approvals systems and governance frameworks.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Regulatory knowledge

Documentation coordination

Project governance

Attention to detail

Education

Planning, Environmental Science, Environmental Management, Environmental Engineering or related discipline

Job description

Gladstone Ports Corporation – Gladstone QLD

About GPC

Gladstone Ports Corporation (GPC) delivers economic, financial and social impact for Queensland through its role as an operator, developer and enabler of port facilities, associated land and marine services. Guided by Strategy 2030, we are committed to driving prosperity and resilience for businesses, industries and communities while maintaining a strong focus on operational excellence, environmental responsibility and sustainable development. This role contributes to those outcomes by supporting the planning and environmental approval processes that enable GPC's operations, maintenance activities and future growth.

About the Role

Reporting to the Planning and Environment Approvals Lead, this is a 12-month fixed-term contract responsible for supporting the planning, coordination and delivery of statutory planning and environmental approval processes across GPC's operations, maintenance programs, infrastructure upgrades and development projects.

This role works collaboratively with project teams, operational stakeholders, consultants and regulatory authorities to help ensure approval requirements are identified early, risks are managed effectively and approval pathways are progressed efficiently. You will provide technical support across local, State and Commonwealth approval processes, while maintaining approvals governance systems, documentation and reporting frameworks.

Success in this role requires strong technical knowledge, attention to detail, sound professional judgement and the ability to coordinate multiple stakeholders and priorities in a complex operating environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the identification and assessment of statutory planning and environmental approval requirements for operations, maintenance activities and projects.
• Prepare permit applications, development applications, referrals and supporting approval documentation.
• Coordinate specialist technical studies and inputs, including environmental, heritage, tenure, engineering and stakeholder engagement requirements.
• Maintain approvals registers, condition trackers, commitments registers and governance records.
• Provide practical advice to project teams regarding approval requirements, risks, constraints and timeframes.
• Assist in project planning by identifying approval sequencing, critical path requirements and stakeholder interfaces.
• Prepare reports, briefing notes, governance papers and business case inputs relating to approval matters.
• Coordinate consultants and contractors to support approval delivery outcomes.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of approvals systems, processes and governance frameworks.

What You’ll Bring

• Strong understanding of planning and environmental approval processes and regulatory frameworks.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience preparing, reviewing and coordinating approval documentation.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Sound professional judgement, attention to detail and a commitment to high‑quality outcomes.
• Ability to build effective working relationships with internal stakeholders, regulators, consultants and service providers.

Qualifications and Requirements

Mandatory:

• Qualifications in Planning, Environmental Science, Environmental Management, Environmental Engineering or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of Australian and Queensland planning and environmental legislation and approval processes.
• Experience supporting planning and environmental approvals for infrastructure, operations, maintenance or development projects.
• Experience in coastal, marine, port or industrial development environments.
• Current C Class Driver's Licence.
• Maritime Security Identification Card (MSIC) or ability to obtain.

Why Join GPC?

This is an opportunity to contribute to projects that support the long‑term growth and sustainability of one of Queensland's leading ports. Working across a diverse portfolio of operational, maintenance and development activities, you'll play a key role in helping GPC achieve efficient, compliant and risk‑based approval outcomes while supporting the delivery of critical infrastructure and services for the region.

Applications are to be received prior to 4:30pm, on Tuesday 27th October 2026 and must be submitted via https://www.gpcl.com.au/who-we-are/work-with-us/