Environmental Projects Team Manager

Reef Catchments; Proserpine; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Five weeks annual leave

Flexible working arrangements

Professional development up to $2,000

Local Mackay/Whitsundays region role

Additional paid day off at Christmas

Career development opportunities

Team wellbeing initiatives

Job summary

Reef Catchments in Queensland seeks an experienced Environmental Projects Team Manager to provide leadership across a portfolio of projects supporting healthy landscapes, waterways and communities in the Mackay Whitsunday Isaac region.

You will oversee planning, resourcing, delivery and evaluation, manage budgets and reporting, and guide project officers while building strong relationships with Traditional Owners and stakeholders.

Qualifications

• A relevant tertiary qualification in environmental science, ecology or natural resource management, or equivalent demonstrated experience.
• Significant experience leading environmental or NRM programs or a portfolio of funded projects with budgets, milestones, monitoring and reporting.
• Experience leading staff, managing performance and workforce priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to build productive relationships with community, industry, government and delivery partners, plus a current Australian driver’s licence and regional travel.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning, resourcing, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of environmental and natural resource management projects.
• Manage project budgets, schedules, risks, milestones and reporting requirements.
• Lead and support Project Officers through workforce planning, coaching and development.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with Traditional Owners, landholders, industry, government, funders and project partners.
• Oversee contractors, consultants and service providers to meet contractual obligations and quality standards.
• Prepare and review funding proposals, reports, briefs and other project documentation.
• Ensure monitoring, evaluation and reporting provide reliable evidence of outcomes and support improvement.
• Identify and manage project, financial, operational and reputational risks with escalation as needed.
• Represent Reef Catchments at meetings, workshops and events to promote partnerships and outcomes.
• Collaborate with other managers to contribute to organisational priorities and workplace culture.

Skills

Leadership

Program management

Project planning

Stakeholder engagement

Written communication

People management

Time management

Education

Environmental science degree

Tools

MS Project

Microsoft 365

Job description

About Reef Catchments

At Reef Catchments, the work you do has a lasting impact on the places, communities and industries that make the Mackay Whitsunday Isaac region unique.

Reef Catchments is the natural resource management (NRM) organisation for the Mackay Whitsunday Isaac region. We work with landholders, Traditional Owners, industry, community groups, researchers and government to improve the region’s land, water and biodiversity.

Our projects deliver practical, on-ground outcomes. Whether it’s improving water quality flowing to the Great Barrier Reef, restoring wetlands and habitats, supporting sustainable agriculture, or helping local communities care for the environment, we’re focused on projects that make a real difference across our region.

We’re a team of people who enjoy working together to solve problems, build partnerships and deliver results. We value different perspectives and experiences because they help us make better decisions and achieve improved outcomes for the region.

If you’re looking for a role where you can see the difference your work makes, you’ll find it at Reef Catchments.

Position Overview

At Reef Catchments, our Environmental Projects Team Managers provide leadership across a portfolio of environmental and natural resource management projects that support healthy landscapes, waterways and communities across the Mackay Whitsunday Isaac region.

These positions provide leadership to project teams and are responsible for the planning, resourcing, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of projects to achieve agreed environmental and natural resource management outcomes. They oversee project priorities, budgets, risks, funding requirements, reporting and service providers, while ensuring projects are delivered within scope, budget and agreed timeframes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, resourcing, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of environmental and natural resource management projects to achieve agreed outcomes.
• Manage project budgets, schedules, risks, milestones and reporting requirements, ensuring projects are delivered within scope, budget and agreed timeframes.
• Lead and support a team of Project Officers through workforce planning, work allocation, coaching, performance management and professional development.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with Traditional Owners, landholders, industry, community groups, government agencies, funders and project partners.
• Oversee contractors, consultants and service providers to ensure contractual obligations, quality standards and project outcomes are achieved.
• Prepare and review funding proposals, reports, briefs and other project documentation to meet organisational and funding requirements.
• Ensure monitoring, evaluation and reporting activities provide reliable evidence of project outcomes and support continuous improvement.
• Identify and manage project, financial, operational and reputational risks, escalating significant issues when required.
• Represent Reef Catchments at meetings, workshops, industry forums and community events, promoting strong partnerships and regional environmental outcomes.
• Collaborate with other managers and support teams to contribute to organisational priorities, strategic initiatives and a positive workplace culture.

Capabilities, knowledge and skills

• Strong leadership and people-management capability, including workforce planning, performance management, coaching and development.
• Strong program and project management skills, including planning, resourcing, budgets, schedules, risks, milestones and reporting.
• Demonstrated knowledge of biodiversity, natural resource management or environmental program delivery.
• Ability to manage funded projects, service providers and contractual requirements and to maintain strong quality and governance controls.
• High-level written communication skills, including funding proposals, reports, briefs and project communications.
• Confident stakeholder engagement, facilitation and relationship management across community, industry and government.
• Sound judgement, initiative, problem-solving and timely escalation of material delivery, financial, people or reputational risks.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, foster a constructive workplace and use Microsoft 365 and relevant project and information systems.

Benefits Include

• Five weeks annual leave
• Flexible working arrangements
• Up to $2,000 per year toward professional development
• Work locally in the Mackay, Whitsundays region
• Be part of a growing and continuously improving business
• Additional paid day off at Christmas
• Career development and progression opportunities
• Team building and wellbeing initiatives
• Retention incentives at 3 years, 5 years and 7 years of continuous service
• Opportunity to contribute to meaningful environmental and community outcomes

Selection Criteria

Applicants will be able to demonstrate their ability to meet the following criteria:

Essential

• A relevant tertiary qualification in environmental science, ecology, conservation, natural resource management or a related discipline, or equivalent demonstrated experience.
• Significant experience leading environmental, biodiversity or natural resource management programs or a portfolio of funded projects, including budgets, milestones, monitoring and reporting.
• Demonstrated experience leading staff and managing performance, capability and workforce priorities.
• Demonstrated experience building productive relationships with community, industry, government and other delivery partners, together with a current Australian driver’s licence and capacity for regional travel and periodic work outside ordinary hours.

Highly desirable

• Experience delivering biodiversity, conservation, catchment or related natural resource management programs in a partnership-based environment.
• Experience with government grant or funding agreements, service-provider management and project assurance requirements.
• Experience with monitoring and evaluation, spatial information or other evidence used to assess environmental project outcomes.
• Knowledge of the Mackay Whitsunday Isaac region, its stakeholder networks and natural resource management priorities.

Applications close Sunday, 20 September 2026, with applications reviewed as received and interviews potentially commencing before the closing date.