Sustainability Officer

NSW Department of Education; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 117,000 - 129,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

35 hour working week

Competitive salary with superannuation

Leave loading

Flex Leave entitlements

Job summary

The NSW Department of Education invites applications for a Sustainability Officer (Climate Risk Officer) based in Eveleigh. This ongoing full-time role embeds climate risk management into departmental decision-making and strengthens resilience of education services and infrastructure.

You will contribute to climate risk assessments and adaptation planning, support governance and reporting, and translate climate science into practical guidance for staff and stakeholders across divisions.

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualifications in a relevant field or equivalent experience.
• Commitment to public education.
• Current Working with Children Check clearance.

Responsibilities

• Embed climate risk management into departmental decisions.
• Support governance, reporting, and adaptation planning.
• Engage stakeholders and plan workshops.
• Translate climate science into practical guidance for staff and stakeholders across divisions.
• Collaborate across divisions to embed climate risk considerations.

Skills

Climate risk management

Climate change adaptation

Stakeholder engagement

Policy/governance understanding

Communication

Workshop facilitation

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher in a relevant field

Job description

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Employment Fill Type: Permanent (Ongoing)

Location: Eveleigh, NSW, AU, 2015

Description: Sustainability Officer (Climate Risk Officer)

At the NSW Department of Education, we educate and inspire lifelong learners - from early childhood, through schooling to vocational education and training.

• Ongoing Full-Time
• Located in Eveleigh (with flexible working arrangements available)
• Competitive salary of $116,981 to $129,492 pa, plus super and leave loading

About the role

The Sustainability Officer (Climate Risk Officer) assists work to embed climate risk management and climate change adaptation into departmental decision-making and strengthen the resilience of education services and infrastructure. The role contributes to climate risk assessment and adaptation planning; supports climate-related governance and reporting; and supports the development of advice, guidance and capability-building activities to strengthen organisational climate risk maturity and resilience.

The role supports stakeholder engagement activities, including workshop planning and delivery. It also undertakes research and analysis, translating climate science, risk information and emerging adaptation practice into advice that supports the Department's climate risk and resilience priorities, consistent with NSW Government guidance and recognised best practice.

The role sits within the Sustainability Team and supports the Manager, Climate Risk to deliver the Department's climate risk program. The team works collaboratively across divisions to help stakeholders understand their climate risks, identify priorities for action and integrate climate risk considerations into existing processes and decisions.

For further information please click here to view the role description

About you

• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in climate risk management and climate change adaptation, including contributing to climate risk assessments and adaptation planning.
• Familiarity with climate science information and data sources, and climate risk terminology.
• Demonstrated experience translating complex information into clear messages for stakeholders with varying levels of climate risk knowledge.
• Strong analytical, communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with experience supporting workshops and developing guidance or resources that help others apply climate risk information in their work.
• Understanding of how governance, organisational capability and risk management processes support climate-related decision-making.
• Ability to work collaboratively, manage competing priorities and take initiative to deliver agreed outcomes.

• Knowledge of and commitment to implementing the Department's Aboriginal Education Policy and upholding the Department's Partnership Agreement with the NSW AECG and to ensure quality outcomes for Aboriginal people.

Essential requirements of the role

• Tertiary qualifications (bachelor’s degree or higher) in a relevant field and/or equivalent experience
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to the value of public education .
• Current and valid Working with Children Check Clearance for paid employment.

Benefits

• Flexible working arrangements
• 35 hour working week
• Competitive, salary sacrificing, employer’s contribution to superannuation and annual leave loading
• Flex Leave entitlements, generous holidays & leave conditions
• Opportunities for advancement and mobility across the Department to support your career growth

As a condition of employment, successful candidates not currently employed by the Department must provide a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC) clearance number. Renewal is not required after the WWCC expires, as long as you remain in a non-child-related role. Employer obligations only apply while the WWCC is valid.

Candidates must have Australian work rights (citizens, permanent residents, New Zealand citizens or a valid work visa). Ongoing (permanent) roles are open to Australian citizens and permanent residents and New Zealand citizens, while temporary roles welcome applicants with a visa.

Closing date 5 October 2026 at 11:59pm.

For role enquiries please contact Susan Read, at [e-mail] and for recruitment process enquiries please contact Eiffel Alkhurga at [e-mail]

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including but not limited to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, people of any age or gender, people from culturally and linguistically diverse groups and/or from the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, refugees, people with disability, people with sensory differences, and neurodiverse people. If we can make some adjustments to our recruitment/interview process to better help you shine, please reach out to the contact person for this recruitment, details listed above. For more information, visit the NSW Department of Education's Diversity, equity and inclusion webpage .

A recruitment pool may be created through this recruitment process. A recruitment pool is a group of applicants who have been assessed and identified as suitable for this role, and who may be considered for a range of similar roles, including temporary, term or ongoing roles, over the next 18 months.