Do you want your work to make a difference for NSW?
Working to protect the state’s environment and heritage.
- Ongoing full-time opportunity
- Office location: Parramatta (or other BCT office in NSW upon negotiation and availability). Hybrid working supported
- Salary relative to experience and ranges from $144,018 to $158,718 plus employer’s contribution to superannuation and annual leave loading
The NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT) has an opportunity for a Principal Project Officer to lead the development of conservation agreements across the organisation, ensuring they are progressed efficiently, consistently and to a high standard. The role combines leadership, people and relationship management with strong technical rigour.
Come and join the team
The Principal Project Officer plays a central leadership and delivery role, with day‑to‑day responsibility for ensuring conservation agreements are progressed efficiently, consistently and to a high standard across the organisation. It’s an exciting, challenging and important role at the heart of ensuring the BCT’s agreements are robust, consistent and accurate, and that supporting policies, templates and procedures are clear, accessible and fit for purpose.
The role leads the agreements function, providing expert advice, quality assurance and decision support to senior managers and executives across the full lifecycle of conservation agreements, including drafting and review, approvals and execution, coordination of legal and due diligence inputs, and timely registration on land title systems.
On a day‑to‑day basis, the role balances hands‑on technical oversight with people and workflow leadership. You will lead a small team of agreement specialists, set priorities, allocate work, resolve issues and maintain quality controls across a high‑volume, high‑risk work program, working closely with regional delivery teams, legal advisers, Land Registry Services and internal program areas.
A strong focus of the role is continuous improvement, identifying process gaps and strengthening systems and guidance to enable faster, clearer and more reliable agreement delivery for both staff and landholders. In practice, this means you will often serve as the escalation point for complex agreement matters and as a trusted adviser to senior managers and executives.
About the role
This role is positioned within the Agreements and Technical Services (ATS) team of the BCT, a high-performing team that provides organisation-wide standards, advice and technical services underpinning agreement delivery. The Principal Project Officer leads the Agreements function and supports the implementation of programs and projects covering diverse and strategic biodiversity conservation activities, including (where required) managing a small team to collaboratively deliver core work.
In this role you will:
- Lead and manage the agreements team, providing clear priorities, guidance and quality assurance to deliver a high volume program of conservation agreements.
- Manage and oversee end-to-end agreement development and delivery processes, including drafting and review, approvals, execution, variations/terminations and registration on land title systems, to ensure outcomes are achieved on time, to quality standards and within agreed scope.
- Coordinate legal, due diligence and stakeholder inputs to unblock complex cases, manage risks and ensure consistent application of policy, templates and standard operating procedures.
- Lead the development and governance of agreement‑related policies, SOPs and supporting knowledge resources, and design organisation‑wide responses to complex and emerging issues affecting the agreement portfolio.
- Identify issues and facilitate communication between stakeholders, providing recommendations on politically, socially and economically sensitive matters and escalating contentious issues appropriately.
- Drive continuous improvement by refining templates, guidance and procedures, strengthening systems and data, and embedding consistent quality controls across agreement delivery.
- Prepare complex reports, discussion papers, submissions and other written materials, and represent the organisation on relevant forums as required to support program outcomes.
About You
To be the right person for this role you will:
- Bring extensive experience planning, implementing and managing complex programs or projects to achieve priority objectives in a high-demand environment.
- Demonstrate strong communication skills, including the ability to translate technical and complex information clearly and persuasively for diverse audiences.
- Have proven ability to influence and negotiate with stakeholders to gain commitment, resolve issues and deliver agreed outcomes.
- Be skilled at planning and prioritising work for yourself and others, anticipating risks and adapting plans to changing circumstances.
- Demonstrate sound judgement and resilience when working on complex, controversial or sensitive matters, including knowing when to escalate issues.
- Have experience leading and developing people, including setting clear expectations, providing feedback and supporting capability development.
Knowledge and experience
- Experience in managing multidisciplinary teams and delivering outcomes through effective work allocation, quality assurance and performance development.
- Extensive experience planning, implementing and managing complex projects, including risk management, stakeholder engagement and delivering to time, budget and quality standards.
For more information read the full Role Description: Principal Project Officer
Who we are
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) works to protect the state’s environment and heritage. It leads the way on climate change, driving the sustainable transition to a net zero economy, powered by affordable, reliable, and clean energy.
The New South Wales Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT) is a not-for-profit statutory body, established under Part 10 of the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 and managed by a Board appointed by the Minister for the Environment.
The Trust’s roles are to support and encourage landholders to enter into agreements to conserve and protect biodiversity on private land, guided by the government’s Biodiversity Conservation Investment Strategy; secure biodiversity offsets when developers choose to pay into the Biodiversity Conservation Fund; and other activities that promote greater awareness of, appreciation and understanding of, biodiversity and the importance of conserving it.
We acknowledge the ongoing custodial responsibilities of the Aboriginal peoples of NSW to care for Country and are committed to establishing meaningful partnerships with Aboriginal peoples in the management of the environment.
Participation in the NSW Biodiversity Offsets Scheme (BOS) and the BCT’s private land conservation (PLC) programs
The successful applicant for this role will be required to declare any conflict of interests related to the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme, as defined in the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme Conflict of Interests Protocol. This ensures the department is made aware of potential conflicts of interest so they can be appropriately managed.
Where an applicant has a high-risk “defined interest” in the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme, they may be required to divest this interest before being employed by the department.
If you think you might have a conflict of interest related to the scheme, or you are unsure, please discuss this with the hiring manager.
The Department is committed to protecting the public interest and public trust in the exercise of its functions. These values, together with transparency and accountability, are integral to the administration of the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme. For more information, please contact the hiring manager.
The BCT also has restrictions on staff participation in its funded PLC programs. No additional funding, beyond that already agreed to by the BCT, may be sought or approved during time as a BCT employee or for a 12-month period following termination of employment.
If you (or a close family member) participate in the BOS scheme or already hold a funded agreement with the BCT and require further information before submitting your application, please contact the hiring manager.
What we can offer you
The BCT is a great place to expand your career and grow your skills and knowledge. Here are some of our benefits:
- A great, friendly culture that cares about each other and the environment we work to protect
- Accrued days off in addition to Annual Leave
- Corporate wellbeing programs, including the Fitness Passport
- A range of learning and development opportunities
- Hybrid, flexible work arrangements
To Apply
If excited by the information above, we look forward to receiving your application, including a copy of your resume and cover letter expressing your interest and suitability for the role.
Please also note, to be eligible for an ongoing role in the NSW Public Sector you need to be an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident. For temporary and casual roles, you need to hold a valid visa giving you permission to work in Australia as required by the role.
Applications close Wednesday 22nd April 2026 at 11:55PM.
Should you require further information about the role please contact Andrew Growcock via email at Andrew.growcock@bct.nsw.gov.au
A recruitment pool may be created for ongoing and temporary opportunities of the same role or role type that may become available over the next 18 months.
Our goal is to build a workforce that not only represents but also understands and serves the diverse communities of New South Wales. We are committed to making our state a vibrant and inclusive place to live, work, and thrive for everyone. Our workforce represents people of all ages and genders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disabilities, the LGBTQI+ community, and people from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
Looking for more information or assistance in applying?
If you require an adjustment for your application process, please contact our Talent Acquisition team by emailing dcceew.ta@dpie.nsw.gov.au or contacting Lila Snow on 02 9995 5095 (please mention reference number 548678).
If you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander use our Aboriginal applicants guide to assist with applying for roles or our Aboriginal Career pathways team at AEX@dcceew.nsw.gov.au for a yarn.
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Role Description
