Chief Executive Officer

Luminary; Gold Coast City; On-site; AUD 400,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

Gold Coast Waterways Authority (GCWA) invites an accomplished strategic leader to become Chief Executive Officer. Reporting to the Board, you will shape and drive the statutory authority's priorities, ensuring waterways are safe, navigable and well governed while balancing investment and delivery.

Based at Main Beach, you will oversee a $30 million annual operating and capital expenditure and a $300 million asset portfolio, building partnerships with government, industry and community to deliver

Qualifications

• Significant senior executive leadership experience in a complex organisation.
• Proven track record of shaping strategy, leading change and delivering measurable improvements.
• Strong commercial, financial and governance capability in infrastructure/asset-intensive settings.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of the Authority's strategic and operational agenda.
• Ensure the stewardship of resources, investment and activities aligned to the statutory purpose.
• Maintain clean, safe and navigable waterways and strengthen asset management and infrastructure.

Skills

Executive leadership

Strategy development

Governance & accountability

Stakeholder management

Financial management

Job description

Some leadership roles are defined by the organisations they lead. Others by the places, communities and futures they help shape.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Gold Coast Waterways Authority (GCWA) is one of those roles.

The Gold Coast waterways are central to the region’s identity, lifestyle and economy. They are a place of recreation, a foundation for tourism and marine industries, and an environmental asset that helps make the Gold Coast one of Australia’s most distinctive and attractive communities. Ensuring their long-term future requires considered stewardship, sound investment and clear leadership.

This is a leadership opportunity with a lasting impact on the Gold Coast.

With a new Chair and Board, GCWA is renewing its strategic direction, sharpening its priorities and strengthening its focus on its core statutory responsibilities. Reporting to the Board, you will lead a Queensland Government statutory authority responsible for the planning, management and sustainable use of the Gold Coast waterways.

You will collaborate closely with the Board to shape and implement a renewed strategic and operational agenda, ensuring the Authority’s resources, investment and activities are firmly aligned to its statutory purpose. Central to this will be maintaining clean, safe and navigable waterways, improving public marine infrastructure and strengthening asset management.

With approximately $30 million in annual operating and capital expenditure and stewardship of a $300 million asset portfolio, the role requires a leader who can balance strategic ambition with operational discipline, financial accountability and practical delivery.

The Board is seeking an accomplished executive who can bring clarity of direction, sound judgement and the ability to lead organisational change in a complex stakeholder and government environment. Experience in infrastructure, asset management, regulation or marine operations would be highly regarded . Executives who have led change, established clear priorities and delivered exceptional results in environments with competing interests and a range of stakeholders are encouraged to consider the opportunity.

The successful candidate will bring:

• Significant senior executive leadership experience in a complex organisation.
• A demonstrated track record of shaping strategy, leading change and delivering measurable organisational improvement.
• Strong commercial, financial and governance capability, ideally with exposure to infrastructure, asset-intensive operations, regulation or public service delivery.
• The ability to establish priorities, allocate resources effectively and translate strategic direction into practical and lasting outcomes.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills and the political judgement to navigate diverse and sometimes competing interests in an ambiguous environment.
• Experience building organisational capability, strengthening accountability and leading a culture of high-performing teams.
• The credibility, resilience and sound judgement required to work effectively with a Board, Ministers, government agencies, industry and the community.

Collaboration will be critical. Working alongside partner agencies, industry and community stakeholders, you will build constructive partnerships, clarify responsibilities and coordinate activities to minimise unnecessary duplication whilst delivering on strategy.

Based at Main Beach on the Gold Coast, this is an exceptional opportunity to influence the future of one of Queensland’s most recognisable and iconic destinations while shaping the organisation entrusted with managing its waterways.

Applications close: Monday 26th October 2026

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