Lead Native Title & Cultural Heritage

APA Group; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

APA Group is seeking a Lead Native Title & Cultural Heritage professional to join the Access & Approvals team in Melbourne, VIC or Brisbane, QLD. You will guide Native Title and heritage matters across projects, collaborating with Traditional Owners, government agencies and project teams to ensure compliant and respectful outcomes.

You will lead negotiations, coordinate cultural heritage surveys, and integrate approvals early in planning while managing specialists and budgeting considerations.

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualification in anthropology, archaeology, environmental science, law, sustainability or similar.
• Extensive Indigenous engagement and relationship-management experience on infrastructure projects.
• Proven ability to negotiate agreements with Traditional Owners and Native Title groups.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and project-management skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-engagement capabilities.
• Willingness to travel to local and remote project sites.

Responsibilities

• Provide advice on project approvals, Native Title and First Nations agreements to support project development and business growth.
• Lead negotiations and build strong relationships with Traditional Owners and Native Title groups.
• Coordinate APA's participation in cultural heritage surveys and consultation activities, ensuring engagement aligns with cultural protocols and community expectations.
• Ensure Native Title, heritage and statutory approval requirements are identified early and integrated into project planning.
• Manage Native Title and heritage workstreams, oversee specialist consultants, and provide advice on project feasibility, schedules and costs.
• Ensure approvals activities comply with legislative requirements, internal policies and governance obligations, including tracking, reporting and assurance.

Skills

Indigenous engagement

Relationship management

Negotiation

Project approvals

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Willingness to travel

Education

Tertiary qualification in Anthropology/Archaeology/Environmental Science/Law/Sustainability or similar

Job description

At APA, our purpose is to secure Australia's energy future. We're not doing it alone. We're doing it with our customers and communities as Australia's energy infrastructure partner, a role our unique experience and expertise positions us to play.

We now have an exciting opportunity available for Lead Native Title & Cultural Heritage to join us in our Access & Approvals team based in Melbourne, VIC or Brisbane, QLD on a full-time permanent basis.

Reporting to the Manager, Native Title and Heritage, you will support APA's projects and operations by providing expertise on Native Title and heritage matters, working closely with Traditional Owners, government agencies and project teams to ensure legislative compliance and build strong First Nations relationships.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide advice on project approvals, Native Title and First Nations agreements to support project development and business growth.
• Lead negotiations and build strong relationships with Traditional Owners and Native Title groups.
• Coordinate APA's participation in cultural heritage surveys and consultation activities, ensuring engagement aligns with cultural protocols and community expectations.
• Ensure Native Title, heritage and statutory approval requirements are identified early and integrated into project planning.
• Manage Native Title and heritage workstreams, oversee specialist consultants, and provide advice on project feasibility, schedules and costs.
• Ensure approvals activities comply with legislative requirements, internal policies and governance obligations, including tracking, reporting and assurance.

Your background

• Tertiary qualification in a relevant discipline (e.g. Anthropology, Archaeology, Environmental Science, Law, Sustainability or similar).
• Extensive experience in Indigenous engagement, relationship management, agreement negotiations, and project approvals, ideally within renewables, infrastructure, civil construction or power projects.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, decision-making and project management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, negotiation and influencing skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within cross-functional teams.
• Willingness to travel to local and remote project sites.

About the Team

The Access, Approvals and Geospatial Solutions; Infrastructure Delivery East team is committed to building strong relationships, securing land access and project approvals and fostering positive community outcomes across all stages of project development.

We support the delivery of energy infrastructure projects for the APA Group within Australia by providing expert services in land access, regulatory planning and approvals.

We provide end-to-end land access, environmental, and planning support for all new development projects. Our services span across gas transmission, gas-fired power generation, future fuels, renewable energy, and power transmission infrastructure.

Working at APA

At APA, we're committed to fostering a safe and inclusive workplace where you can achieve your best.
We offer targeted career development programs designed to accelerate your career, competitive remuneration, employee benefits, flexible working arrangements, and wellbeing initiatives are all part of what we'll offer you. Our inclusive parental leave policy offers 18 weeks of leave, including superannuation, to support parents at work and in life.

We employ around 2,000 people across Australia and are committed to building a high-performing, customer-focused organisation where everyone feels safe, valued, and trusted to perform at their best.

We are APA

At APA, we're taking on one of Australia's greatest challenges: the energy transition. We're not doing it alone. We're doing it as Australia's energy infrastructure partner, a role our unique experience and expertise positions us to play.

We proudly own, operate and manage a diverse $20 billion portfolio of assets which deliver essential services to communities and customers across Australia. And we own more than 15,000 kilometres of gas pipelines which deliver energy to households and businesses across every corner of Australia.

As the partner of choice in delivering infrastructure solutions for the energy transition, we're focused on bundled remote grid energy solutions, electricity and gas transmission, and future energy, including hydrogen and carbon capture and storage.

Our customer focused approach means we understand our customers and offer them reliable, innovative, and cost-effective energy solutions that support their decarbonisation ambitions.

We are committed to securing Australia's energy future by delivering infrastructure solutions for Australia's energy transition and supporting the decarbonisation ambitions of our customers and communities.

Join our team and be part of securing Australia's energy future. We'd love to hear from you.

APA is an equal opportunity employer. The safety, health and wellbeing our people, community and environment a priority. We embrace diversity in our people to ensure our workforce is representative of the communities that we operate in.

Applicants must be eligible to work in Australia to be considered.

Role closes on Sunday 15th November. Role Reference Number: JR5252