Program Manager - Indigenous Ranger Biodiversity Data Infrastructure Program (Identified Role)

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation; Canberra; Hybrid; AUD 135,000 - 158,000; Full time

Job summary

CSIRO’s Atlas of Living Australia invites a program leader to build and run a national Indigenous biodiversity data program from the ground up. You will partner with Indigenous ranger groups and communities to create lasting impact and shape Indigenous-led biodiversity data, digital capability and research infrastructure.

You will lead governance, stakeholder engagement and capacity-building across a national network, embedding Indigenous Data Sovereignty and CARE principles while delivering

Qualifications

• Demonstrated cultural capability grounded in lived experience as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person, with the ability to work respectfully across diverse contexts and knowledge systems.
• Strong Indigenous community connection and credibility along with cultural authority as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person.
• Tertiary qualifications in Science, Biodiversity or Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management or other relevant field / or equivalent experience; experience working with Indigenous stakeholders in biodiversity monitoring or data management.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence, engage and build support among diverse stakeholders, including senior leaders, partners, community representatives and government agencies.
• Demonstrated experience managing programs or projects across complex, multi-stakeholder, multi-organisational environments including planning, coordination, delivery, monitoring and reporting on outcomes.
• Understanding of Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Indigenous Data Governance, including CARE principles and ICIP, and experience supporting community authority and decision-making regarding Indigenous knowledge and data.

Responsibilities

• Leading program planning, governance and delivery to ensure outputs, milestones, budgets and performance measures meet NCRIS funding requirements and project plans.
• Managing stakeholder and partner relationships across CSIRO, ALA, TERN, Curtin University, government agencies, Indigenous ranger groups and other organisations to support collaboration and outcomes.
• Designing community engagement and co-design activities with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to ensure culturally appropriate, community-led activities aligned with CARE and ICIP.
• Overseeing delivery of digital infrastructure enhancements, including platform upgrades, data management capabilities, mapping tools and biodiversity data services.
• Monitoring program finances, risks, issues and dependencies, implementing mitigation strategies, and providing regular reporting to governance bodies and senior management.
• Working with the Program Coordinator to design training and knowledge-sharing initiatives to strengthen Indigenous ranger skills and participation in national biodiversity infrastructure.

Skills

Cultural capability

Community engagement

Stakeholder liaison

Program management

Indigenous Data Sovereignty

Education

Tertiary qualification in Science / Biodiversity / Environmental Science

Job description

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CSIRO acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land, sea and waters, of the area that we live and work on across Australia. We acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture and pay our respects to their Elders past and present. View our vision towards reconciliation .

Role highlights

• Build and lead a nationally significant Indigenous biodiversity data program from the ground up.
• Partner with Indigenous ranger groups and communities to create meaningful, lasting impact.
• Shape the future of Indigenous-led biodiversity data, digital capability and research infrastructure.

About CSIRO

As Australia's national science agency, CSIRO is solving the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. Many of our iconic innovations were once considered impossible until someone, just like you, joined us and took on the challenge.

Join CSIRO’s Atlas of Living Australia (ALA) to establish and lead a new national program strengthening the digital capabilities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rangers and Knowledge Holders. Working across CSIRO, Curtin University, Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN), government and Indigenous communities, you will shape the program from the ground up and oversee initiatives that improve how ranger-collected biodiversity data is managed, accessed and shared.

This role combines strong relationship-building with disciplined program management. You will bring people together across a national network of partners while establishing clear plans, governance, deliverables, reporting and accountability. Working closely with the Program Coordinator, you will support culturally appropriate, community-led co-design and ensure Indigenous Data Sovereignty, CARE principles and cultural protocols are embedded throughout the program.

This is an opportunity to build a new national program with lasting impact, strengthening Indigenous leadership, ranger capability, digital infrastructure and community authority within Australia’s biodiversity research infrastructure.

Your high-level duties will include:

• Leading program planning, governance and delivery to ensure all program outputs, milestones, budgets, and performance measures are achieved in accordance with NCRIS funding requirements and agreed project plans.
• Managing stakeholder and partner relationships across CSIRO, ALA, TERN, Curtin University, government agencies, Indigenous ranger groups, and other participating organisations to support effective collaboration and program outcomes.
• Supporting the Program Coordinator to design community engagement and co-design activities with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to ensure program activities are culturally appropriate, community-led, and aligned with Indigenous Data Sovereignty and CARE principles.
• Overseeing the delivery of digital infrastructure enhancements, including platform upgrades, data management capabilities, mapping tools, and biodiversity data services, to improve the accessibility and usability of Indigenous ranger-collected data.
• Monitoring program finances, risks, issues, and dependencies, implement mitigation strategies, and provide regular reporting to governance bodies, funding agencies, and senior management.
• Working with the Program Coordinator to design and carry out training, capability-building and knowledge-sharing initiatives that strengthen the skills of Indigenous rangers and improve participation in national biodiversity and research infrastructure systems.

Location and office arrangements: Perth (Boorloo), WA or Canberra (Ngunnawal), ACT preferred; other locations may be considered on a case-by-case basis; hybrid working options available.

Salary: AU$135k – AU$158k per annum (pro rata for part-time), plus 15.4% superannuation

Tenure & work schedule: Specified term until 30 June 2029; Full time preferred; Options for part-time and flexible work arrangements can be discussed based on needs of role and individual circumstances.

Reference: 104306

As the successful candidate, you will bring:

• Demonstrated cultural capability grounded in lived experience as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person, with the ability to work respectfully across diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural contexts, communities and knowledge systems.
• Strong Indigenous community connection and credibility along with cultural authority as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person.
• Tertiary qualifications in Science, Biodiversity or Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management or other relevant field / or equivalent experience. Experience working with Indigenous stakeholders, in the context of biodiversity monitoring, natural resources management, or biodiversity information
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence, engage and build support among diverse stakeholders, including senior leaders, partners, community representatives and government agencies.
• Demonstrated experience managing programs or projects across complex, multi-stakeholder and multi-organisational environments, including planning, coordination, delivery, monitoring and reporting on outcomes.
• Demonstrated understanding of Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Indigenous Data Governance, including the CARE Principles and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP), and experience supporting community authority and decision-making regarding the collection, management, access, use and sharing of Indigenous knowledge and data.

We are committed to providing a recruitment process that is fair, equitable and accessible to everyone. We recognise that it may be helpful for us to adjust our process to make it equitable for your individual situation. Please contact Cristina O’Brien via email at [e-mail] and let us know how we can support you.

Life at CSIRO and flexible work arrangements

Solving Australia's greatest challenges takes a diversity of minds and lived experiences. We know diverse teams are more effective and deliver more innovative outcomes. As an equal employment opportunity organisation, we are committed to creating diverse and inclusive teams where people feel they belong. We recognise true diversity encompasses all ages, abilities, cultures, faiths, levels of education, genders, sexualities, diversity of thought and much more. We focus on hiring people who share our values of People First, Further Together, Making it Real and Trusted.

CSIRO holds Gold Status for the Australian Workplace Equality Index for LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and a Science in Australia Gender Equity Bronze Award.

CSIRO considers the filling of this position is intended to constitute a special/equal opportunity/affirmative measure under section 8(1) of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth). The position is therefore only open to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people with Australian Citizenship.

The successful applicant will be required to provide evidence to confirm that they are an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person.

The successful candidate will be required to provide contact details of at least one Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Cultural Referee to confirm their ability to work and communicate respectfully with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Appointment to this role is subject to provision of a national police check and may be subject to other security/medical/character requirements.

Child safety

CSIRO is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people involved in our activities and programs. View our Child Safe Policy .