Blacktown City Council

Senior Natural Areas Officer

Blacktown City is a growing and thriving city, located halfway between Sydney City and the Blue Mountains. With 435,000 residents, we are the largest and most diverse city in NSW, spread across 54 suburbs. Blacktown City is vibrant, dynamic and multicultural, home to a large First Nations community, and more than 180 different birthplaces and languages.

With $22.6 billion regional economy, Blacktown City is also home to 30,000 businesses. Working at Blacktown City Council provides widespread, exciting professional opportunities. Our Council is leading the transformation of Blacktown City and Western Sydney. We are implementing a vision for a modern city, full of opportunity for our residents and businesses.

Our Council is led by highly skilled and experienced professionals, working with talented and passionate teams across a diverse range of business units. We are delivering high quality, customer-focused services, experiences, and facilities, and leading a program of strategic planning, activity and investment.

Blacktown City Council strives to be an inclusive workplace for all people. We welcome applications from all ages and genders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally diverse backgrounds, the LGBTIQ+ community, veterans and people with disabilities.

About the opportunity

Blacktown City Council is experiencing rapid growth and development. Council has a commitment to achieving a balance between economic, social and environmental considerations and to conserving local biodiversity.

We have an exciting permanent, full-time opportunity for an experienced Senior Natural Areas Officer to join our Natural Areas team.

You will be responsible for supervising staff and managing projects that improve our natural area management processes and procedures. 

Qualifications and experience

Essential:

• Tertiary qualifications (minimum a diploma) in Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, Conservation Land Management or a related field
• Solid experience in developing, promoting, implementing, evaluating and monitoring biodiversity and natural area management projects
• Solid experience in staff supervision and managing projects, grants, consultants and contracts
• Solid experience in undertaking natural area management
• Highly developed time management skills and the ability to manage high workloads
• High level computer, oral and written communication skills, including the ability to deliver presentations and write reports and correspondence
• Demonstrated working knowledge of the legislative framework for natural resources, priority weeds and pest management including the Biosecurity Act 2015 and the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016
• Current class C driver's licence
• General Construction Induction (White Card) NSW.

Desirable:

• Experience working in local government
• Detailed understanding of relevant legislation and regulatory requirements of the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016, Biosecurity Act 2015 and Local Government Act
• Qualifications and experience working in bush regeneration
• Chemical application qualification (AQF 4) equivalent or have the ability to obtain accreditation
• Experience in the identification, management and control of priority weeds and other pests in an urban environment
• Completion of Biosecurity Authorised Officer training or willingness to obtain.

Remuneration and benefits

The salary and conditions of employment are in accordance with Blacktown City Council’s Enterprise Agreement.

• Entry level for this position starts at $1,867.95 per week
• 35-hour working week 
• Leaseback vehicle
• Opportunity to participate in Council's flextime arrangement
• Employee benefits such as leave entitlements (where applicable), 11.5% employer contribution payable to your nominated superannuation fund, Fitness Passport, gym membership discounts, and social clubs.

Our commitment to safety

Blacktown City Council is committed to safety. We have introduced alcohol and other drug testing at the pre-employment phase, and via a series of random and cause testing.

We are a child safe organisation that supports and promotes the safety, wellbeing and empowerment of children.

Position description 

Click here to view or download the position description.

  Apply now using our fast and easy-to-use online application process:

1. Have your resume and any other relevant documentation ready to attach. 
2. Have a personal email address ready to use and complete your application without 'logging out' of the system.
3. Review the questions and decide on your responses before commencing your application.

   Best of luck.

Closing date:           Friday 4 April 2025, 11.59 pm    

Contact officer:       Tania Horman on 9839 6877 

Internal ref:              BCC363