Senior Environmental Business Partner

SunWater; Chinchilla; On-site; AUD 149,000 - 182,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

12.75% superannuation

Banked time and TOIL

17.5% leave loading

Work/life balance

Job summary

SunWater in Chinchilla is seeking a Senior Environmental Business Partner - South Region to support operations and projects across Southern Queensland. You will partner with leaders and teams to provide expert environmental advice, ensuring activities are safe, sustainable and compliant.

The role focuses on managing environmental risks, securing approvals, and regulator engagement, plus developing EMS and strong stakeholder relationships to improve outcomes and community impact.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in environmental management, compliance or governance.
• Degree in environmental discipline or equivalent experience.
• Strong knowledge of environmental legislation and approvals frameworks.
• Experience engaging with regulators and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain partnering relationships with leaders to provide expert environmental advice.
• Advise on management of complex environmental risks, including incident reporting and follow-up.
• Undertake assurance activities to ensure compliance with environmental approvals, licenses or permits.
• Ensure the Environmental Management System is fit for purpose and regularly updated.
• Provide input on submissions and applications to State or Commonwealth regulators.
• Develop and maintain policies and procedures aligned to industry best practice.

Skills

Environmental management

Regulatory engagement

Stakeholder engagement

Risk management

Education

Degree in environmental discipline

Job description

Work. Ready to take the next step in your environmental career? We are looking for a Senior Environmental Business Partner - South Region to join our team based in Chinchilla and play a key role in supporting Sunwater’s operations and projects across Southern Queensland. In this influential and highly rewarding role, you will partner with leaders and operational teams to provide expert environmental advice, ensuring our activities are delivered safely, sustainably and in compliance with regulatory obligations.

As a trusted business partner, you will help drive environmental excellence across the business by managing complex risks, supporting environmental approvals and regulatory engagement, and ensuring environmental management systems remain effective and fit for purpose. Your ability to build strong stakeholder relationships, provide practical solutions and influence positive environmental outcomes will contribute directly to Sunwater’s commitment to responsible water management and operational sustainability.

This is an opportunity to apply your environmental expertise in a role where your work makes a meaningful difference to communities, customers and the environment.

Key responsibilities include:

• Develop and maintain effective partnering relationships with leaders to provide expert advice for environmental aspects and constraints associated with Sunwater’s activities and projects
• Provide advice on management of complex environmental risks, including incident reporting and follow‑up
• Undertake assurance activities in relation to Sunwater’s activities to ensure compliance with the terms of its environmental approvals, licenses or permits
• Ensure that a fit for purpose Environmental Management System is implemented, maintained and continuously improved in accordance with the requirements of standards and undertake related reviews and audits
• Provide expert input to the business in relation to negotiations and preparations of submissions and applications to State or Commonwealth environmental regulators
• Develop and maintain current policies and procedures that are aligned to best practice within an environmental setting, supporting the implementation of those changes at an operational level

Our ideal candidate will have significant experience (7+ years) in environmental management, environmental compliance or environmental governance within infrastructure, utilities, resources, water, energy or a similarly regulated industry. You will have a degree in environmental related discipline or equivalent experience and you will possess strong knowledge of environmental legislation, approvals frameworks and environmental management systems, along with demonstrated experience managing environmental risk and engaging with regulators and stakeholders.

This full-time permanent role is based in Chinchilla and offers an attractive base salary from $165,882, plus 12.75% superannuation, access to banked time and TOIL, 17.5% leave loading, and a genuine emphasis on work/life balance. Join Sunwater and be part of an organisation committed to delivering sustainable water solutions for Queensland communities.

Water. Imagine a career where your work truly matters, where you are part of a team that values you and your contributions. At Sunwater, you will bring life’s most essential resource to over 4,500 agriculture, urban and industrial customers, helping to sustain communities and deliver water for prosperity across regional Queensland. We share the values of these communities - starting with caring about our people. Engage in fascinating work that is constantly evolving, allowing you to grow and shape a successful career and develop unique skills and experience in an industry brimming with opportunity.

Life. At Sunwater, we believe our employees are our greatest asset, and we are committed to providing the support, resources and benefits that you need to thrive. That's why we offer a range of attractive benefits designed to help you bring your best every day, including:

• My benefits: Access employee benefits and discounts hosted by Reward Gateway
• My wellbeing: Prioritise your wellbeing with our comprehensive health and wellness offerings and programs
• My time: Enjoy flexible working arrangements and the ability to purchase up to 4 additional weeks of leave (full‑time permanent employees only)
• My growth: Access career development programs, study assistance, support for professional memberships, and structured early‑career pathways (full‑time permanent employees only)

Now is the perfect time to join Sunwater and take advantage of the boundless opportunities for your career today and in the future. We are a diverse team and proud of the unique journeys and stories each of us brings.

As we continue to grow, we need more diverse backgrounds and perspectives than ever before. We are committed to a barrier‑free recruitment process and work environment. If you require any accommodations, please let us know so we can ensure you can fully participate in our recruitment experience, which includes reference verification, psychometric testing, background checks and a pre‑employment medical evaluation.

Sunwater acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first peoples of this country and Traditional Custodians of the land and water we rely on. We respect and value their continued sacred connection to Country, including the diverse, rich traditions, languages and customs that are the longest living in the world.