Country and Conservation Manager

Identified position – This position is an ‘Identified’ position which signifies that the role has a strong involvement in issues relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The successful applicant must have an understanding of the issues affecting Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and an ability to communicate sensitively and effectively with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander People.

Who we are 
Australia’s natural and cultural heritage is unique. Our land and seascapes are distinctive, home to plants and animals found nowhere else in the world, and to some of the oldest living cultures on earth. These environments and cultures are an essential part of our national identity, and visitors travel from across the Country and the world to experience them. The Director of National Parks (the Director) is responsible for six national parks, the Australian National Botanic Gardens, 58 Australian Marine Parks and the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve established under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. 

Parks Australia is the federal park agency that supports the Director, and they are a division of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (the Department). We work to showcase these natural and cultural wonders to the world, demonstrating to all why these places are so special, and inspiring communities to become more invested in their care and future.

Booderee National Park, with its coastal habitats is one of three national parks, leased by their Aboriginal owners to the Director of National Parks, and jointly managed by Traditional Owners and Parks Australia. In addition to ongoing management of the park’s natural and cultural heritage, this branch also looks after Parks Australia’s corporate services from the office in Canberra including, Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Legal and Customer Experience and Destination Planning. Beyond the spinifex sand plains of arid central Australia lies Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, one of three national parks leased by their Aboriginal owners to the Director of National Parks, and jointly managed by Traditional Owners and Parks Australia. Parks Australia assists with ongoing management of the park’s natural and cultural heritage. This branch also manages a rich and fascinating range of island ecosystems and habitats, including oceanic Pulu Keeling, Norfolk and Christmas Island National Parks.

The Conservation and Country Team is responsible for the ecological management of Booderee’s natural resources including the management of Booderee Botanic Gardens. This work consists mainly of feral pest control, weed control, horticultural management, endangered species management, translocation of locally extinct species and the ecological application of fire.

The Job
Under limited supervision, and at the direction of the Park Manager this role will be required to: 

• Manage the Natural Resource Management and Botanic Gardens teams to maintain and enhance the environmental status of Booderee National Park’s Natural Resource Management and Botanical Gardens sections; including but limited to, feral animal control, weed control horticultural management, endangered species management, ecological application of fire and the translocation of locally extinct species. 
• As part of the management team, co-operatively develop solutions to broader Park issues with other team leaders including visitor management, infrastructure management and maintenance. 
• Work closely with, and share, the Wreck Bay Community’s vision for a transition to the sole management of BNP and participate in the exchange of knowledge, experience, and skills. 
• Work closely with Park Management and Wreck Bay Community to achieve objectives in the Booderee National Park Plan of Management. 
• Lead effective budget management, project and contract management and high-level planning, monitoring, and reporting on plan of management implementation. 
• Undertake high level stakeholder engagement with scientific institutions, NGOs and neighbouring land and sea management agencies to better manage BNP’s natural resources. 
• Have regular communication with the Booderee National Park Joint Board of Management including preparation and presentation of board papers and represent BNP on key committees relevant to the functions of the position. 
• Plan for, and participate in, park operations, WHS, risk management, workplace participation and diversity programs, fire, emergency, and compliance operations. 
• Adhere to all corporate requirements including but not limited to, Parks Australia Chief Executive Instructions, code of conduct, incident reporting, risk and procurement management and project deliveries.

What we are looking for
Knowledge and experience

• Experience in working in cross cultural situations to collaboratively solve problems and a commitment to developing and maintaining a strong understanding of issues affecting the local Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community. 
• Experience in the ecological management of protected areas, with highly developed skills in the design and delivery of natural resource management programs including threatened species management, invasive species management, plant conservation principles, and ecological monitoring. 
• Experience working in a senior management team to solve diverse problems and a demonstrated ability to lead and motivate a cross cultural team to achieve positive outcomes. 
• High level written, interpersonal and verbal communication skills, including the dissemination of complex ecological information in both verbal and written form, to a diverse audience. 
• Experience in budget management with an ability to plan for and manage competing priorities, achieve results, and meet deadlines with limited supervision. 
• Experience managing, maintaining, and leading diverse stakeholder relationships including traditional owners, senior management, and the scientific community. 
• Experience in leveraging resources from outside parties to achieve positive ecological outcomes.

Skills and capabilities

• High level written, interpersonal and verbal communication skills, including demonstrated experience working as an effective member in a senior management team, managing and maintaining diverse stakeholder relationships. 
• Ability to analyse complex information to produce correspondence and reports, manage competing priorities, achieve results and meet deadlines with limited or no supervision. 
• Demonstrated abilities to lead, supervise and motivate a team in a cross-cultural context with a focus on developing and implementing operational work plans, mentoring, and developing staff to build skills, capacity, and capability and to lead change in the workplace. 
• Highly developed skills in administration and finance functions, including procurement, budgets, asset and infrastructure management, service level agreements, contracts, and small projects.

Desirable Qualifications

• Tertiary qualifications (science, ecology, botany, zoology, natural resource management) and extensive experience in ecological management relevant to protected areas.