Senior Project Officer - Great Barrier Reef

Reef Catchments Limited; Mackay Regional; On-site; AUD 95,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Five weeks leave

Flexible working

PD development funding

Local Mackay region employment

Christmas day off

Career progression

Wellbeing initiatives

Retention incentives

Job summary

Reef Catchments Limited in Mackay, QLD is seeking a Senior Project Officer to lead Great Barrier Reef and regional NRM projects. You will translate funding agreements into practical work plans, coordinate staff and partners, and manage scope, budgets, milestones, risks and reporting to achieve measurable environmental and community outcomes.

The role provides day‑to‑day leadership under the Manager - Great Barrier Reef Program, offering guidance to project officers and contributors and building

Qualifications

• Relevant tertiary qualification in environmental science, natural resource management, agriculture, science or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years in funded NRM/environmental projects with proposals, plans, budgets, and reporting.
• Experience leading or coordinating staff, contractors and partners and building relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Current Australian driver’s license and ability to travel regionally.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate delivery of Great Barrier Reef & NRM projects from concept to completion with the Manager.
• Manage project budgets, timelines, reporting, and stakeholder relationships.
• Coordinate staff, contractors and partners to achieve environmental and community outcomes.
• Develop funding proposals, project plans and evidence-based reports.
• Provide leadership across project planning, monitoring and evaluation.
• Engage landholders, Traditional Owners, industry, community and government for lasting partnerships.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

NRM knowledge

Analytical skills

Written communication

Facilitation

Decision making

MS 365 / data systems

Education

Environmental/NRM degree or equivalent

Tools

GIS

Spatial data

Job description

Reef Catchments Limited – Mackay QLD

$95,000 - $110,000 a year

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

The Senior Project Officer leads the development and delivery of allocated natural resource management projects within the Great Barrier Reef Program. The role translates approved funding agreements into practical work plans, coordinates staff, contractors and partners, and manages project scope, budgets, milestones, risks and reporting to achieve measurable environmental and community outcomes.

Working with a high degree of autonomy under the Manager - Great Barrier Reef Program, the position provides day-to-day leadership and technical guidance to Project Officers and project contributors, supports quality assurance and adaptive delivery, and builds the relationships and capability needed for sustainable natural resource management outcomes.

Key Responsibilities:

• Coordinate the delivery of Great Barrier Reef and natural resource management projects from concept to completion, in conjunction with the teams Manager.
• Manage your project budgets, timelines, reporting requirements and stakeholder relationships.
• Coordinate staff, contractors and partners to achieve environmental and community outcomes.
• Develop funding proposals, project plans and evidence-based reports.
• Provide leadership and technical support across project planning, monitoring and evaluation.
• Engage with landholders, Traditional Owners, industry, community and government stakeholders to build lasting partnerships.

Capabilities, knowledge and skills

• Strong project management skills, including scope, scheduling, budgets, milestones, risk and reporting.
• Ability to lead and coordinate staff, contractors and multidisciplinary contributors without relying solely on formal authority.
• Demonstrated technical knowledge of natural resource management, catchment or environmental project delivery.
• Strong analytical skills, including the collection, interpretation and reporting of monitoring, spatial and performance data.
• High-level written communication skills, including funding proposals, technical reports, briefs and stakeholder materials.
• Confident facilitation and stakeholder engagement across community, industry, Traditional Owners and government.
• Sound judgement, initiative, problem-solving and timely escalation of material risks, variances or competing priorities.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, undertake field activities safely and use Microsoft 365 and relevant project and data systems.

Selection Criteria

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

• A relevant tertiary qualification in environmental science, natural resource management, agriculture, science, project management or a related discipline, or equivalent demonstrated experience.
• A minimum of 3 years' work experience developing and delivering funded natural resource management or environmental projects, including proposals, project plans, budgets, milestones, monitoring and reporting.
• Experience leading or coordinating staff, contractors and partners and building productive relationships with landholders, community, Traditional Owners, government and industry.
• Current Australian driver's licence and capacity to undertake regional travel, field work and periodic work outside ordinary hours.

Highly desirable

• Demonstrated Marine Biology experience including plant and species identification.
• Experience using GIS or spatial data, monitoring and evaluation, and adaptive project management approaches.
• Knowledge of government grant and funding agreements, procurement and contract management requirements.
• Knowledge of the Mackay Whitsunday Isaac region, stakeholder networks and local natural resource management priorities.

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