• Full-time ongoing senior executive role based in any LLS office across Regional NSW
• TRP starting from $239,251 per annum including superannuation, commensurate with experience
• Pivotal leadership role driving program delivery and partnerships across agriculture, Natural Resource Management and Aboriginal outcomes.

Summary

Local Land Services (LLS), part of the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), is seeking an experienced executive to lead the delivery of core state-wide programs in agriculture, natural resource management (including Landcare), Aboriginal outcomes, and travelling stock reserves. As Director Programs and Partnerships, you will oversee program delivery under the LLS State Strategic Plan, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and impact across NSW. This role is central to strengthening agricultural productivity, enhancing natural capital, supporting Aboriginal communities, and building collaborative partnerships with government, industry, and communities.

About Us 

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is dedicated to growing primary industries and supporting regional economic development to deliver long-term benefits to NSW. With nearly 5,000 employees – 80% of whom live and work in regional communities – DPIRD brings together Agriculture and Biosecurity; Fisheries and Forestry; Local Land Services; NSW Resources; Regional Development and Delivery; the Regional Growth NSW Development Corporation; NSW Public Works; and the Soil Conservation Service.

Local Land Services is a regionally based organisation providing quality, customer-focused services to landholders and communities across NSW. Our remit spans agriculture, biosecurity, natural resource management, biodiversity, emergency services, and private native forestry.

About the role

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the Director Programs and Partnerships leads the delivery of LLS’s core programs in agriculture, natural resource management, Aboriginal outcomes, and travelling stock reserves. You will provide guidance and leadership to Principal Program Managers, ensuring programs are delivered consistently and effectively across the state. This includes overseeing the Landcare Enabling Program, the Natural Capital program, and ensuring Aboriginal communities are engaged in all aspects of LLS, including negotiation of outcomes through Indigenous Land Use Agreements.

You will drive proactive and collaborative partnerships with government and industry stakeholders, manage program interdependencies, and monitor performance against key indicators. A critical aspect of the role is ensuring risks and issues are identified, communicated, and mitigated, while maintaining program governance, reporting, and review frameworks. You will provide centralised coordination and subject matter expertise across LLS’s 11 delivery regions, ensuring state-wide consistency and capability.

Operating with a high level of autonomy, the Director will oversee up to seven direct reports and manage significant resources. You will be expected to balance diverse stakeholder interests, resolve contentious issues under tight timeframes, and provide expert advice to the CEO, Ministerial offices, and senior executives. This is a role that demands strategic insight, operational excellence, and the ability to foster collaboration across government, industry, Aboriginal communities, and regional stakeholders.

About you

You are a strategic leader with extensive knowledge of program and project management, proven executive-level skills in leadership, and a strong record of building partnerships across government, industry, and Aboriginal communities. Your career reflects a consistent ability to manage sensitive and high-stakes programs, navigate political and financial complexities, and deliver outcomes that strengthen agricultural productivity, natural resource management, and Aboriginal engagement.

You bring experience in leading state-wide programs, supported by strong communication skills to articulate complex concepts and influence diverse audiences. You are adept at negotiating, resolving conflicts, and building consensus, with the ability to anticipate and manage risks in dynamic and challenging environments. Your leadership style inspires and motivates teams, fosters collaboration, and builds capability across the organisation.

You act with integrity, uphold the values of the NSW public sector, and demonstrate resilience, accountability, and a commitment to public value. You are highly skilled in stakeholder engagement, program governance, and risk management, and you thrive in roles that require both strategic vision and operational delivery. Above all, you are motivated by a commitment to strengthening NSW’s agricultural, environmental, and Aboriginal outcomes for the benefit of communities and industries across the state. 

To apply, please submit an updated CV and cover letter outlining your relevant experience.

For further information please contact Lesley Cox on 0427 588 827 or ceo@lls.nsw.gov.au. Additionally, please view the Role Description.

Applications close Sunday 30 November 2025 @ 11:55pm

Additional Information: 

The successful applicant in this role may be required to undergo a police check, health assessment and other assessments as required. 

A recruitment pool may be created for ongoing and temporary roles of the same role or role type that may become available for filling over the next eighteen months.  

Diversity and inclusion are core values of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is a workplace where everyone is able to contribute and participate to their full potential, and we are proud to have a team that reflects the richness and complexity of the regional NSW communities we serve.  

If you require adjustments in completing your application, interviewing, completing any pre- employment testing, require information in an alternative format, or otherwise participating in the recruitment process, please let us know so we can assist. Send an email to capability.talent@regional.nsw.gov.au or contact the hiring manager listed below for a confidential discussion.