• Full-time
• Location: Any Location throughout Australia

The Environment Portfolio at The Pew Charitable Trusts

For more than 30 years, Pew has been a major force in engaging the public and policy makers about the causes, consequences, and solutions to some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. Our environment work spans all seven continents with more than 250 professionals working at the local, national, and international levels to reduce the scope and severity of global environmental problems, such as the erosion of large natural ecosystems that contain a great part of the world’s remaining biodiversity, and the destruction of the marine environment. Pew’s global environmental program focuses on science-based, nonpartisan, and sustainable solutions to help protect the planet and people. We work in partnership with governments, Indigenous rights holders, intergovernmental organisations, non-governmental organisations, local stakeholders, scientists, and other researchers to advance public policy so that nature and communities can thrive.

Since 1990, Pew has worked in North America, South America and Australia to protect large and critically important terrestrial ecosystems, including rivers and other freshwater resources, coastal temperate rainforests, interior mountain ranges, the northern boreal forests, Australia’s Outback, and Chilean Patagonia. We work to ensure these natural systems remain bountiful, functioning, and resilient, providing essential ecological services such as clean air and clean water, sustenance and food security for local communities and more broadly for the welfare of current and future generations. Our work relies on the sciences of conservation, sociology, biology, and economics to advocate for practical and durable solutions to the loss of biodiversity.

In the sea, reforms to how our oceans are managed are essential to address overfishing, pollution, and loss of habitat. Pew began its oceans program in the United States, focusing on ending overfishing and protecting fragile marine habitat. Starting in 2005, Pew’s ocean conservation program expanded around the world and played a significant role in reforming marine fisheries management in the European Union and on the high seas and creating large scale marine reserves around the world. Our work is grounded in the best available science and pursues domestic and international conservation measures that are long-term and provide permanent, durable protections for marine ecosystems. We also work to address systemic threats to the ocean, including from plastics, over-and-illegal fishing, seabed mining, and climate change.

Protecting Australia’s Nature

Australia is the only nation on Earth that also spans a continent. Because of its isolation over many millions of years, Australia is one of 17 nations in the world to be considered “megadiverse” because of its exceptional biodiversity. In 2007, Pew began its conservation work in Australia, and as our program matured, we formed partnerships with First Nations communities and local conservation partners to advance place-based protections.

Pew is a results-oriented organisation. Our work with partners and stakeholders has led to the declaration of the world’s largest network of marine parks, the doubling of Outback land protected in Australia’s National Reserve System and securing of more than $1 billion in funding for Indigenous land management.

While efforts have expanded Australia’s terrestrial and marine protected areas, the ecological health of Australia’s landscapes is threatened by a range of pressures, including invasive species, habitat loss, overfishing, water extraction, and climate change. Australia’s key environmental indicators continue to decline, including the conservation status of threatened and endemic species.

Recently, Pew’s Protecting Australia’s Nature team and our partners have expanded our goals to encompass a continental focus, aiming to extend protection to critical terrestrial, marine, and freshwater systems by drawing on a robust network of influence both federally and in the states where we campaign.

Position Overview

The officer, Southern Ocean, Protecting Australia’s Nature, is an experienced campaigner with a track record of campaign success, who will work closely with Pew and its partners to increase and expand marine park protection in the Southern Ocean. Reporting to the marine manager, Protecting Australia’s Nature, the officer will drive the campaign framework of supporter, campaign communications and stakeholder interactions, contribute to strategy development and meetings with key decision-makers, stakeholders, scientists and members of the community to build a strong case and base of support for the marine park expansions. The officer works closely with colleagues across Pew and engages with external organisations, including scientists, non-governmental organisations, and industry representatives.

This is an Australia based role and is eligible for up to 100% telework.

Responsibilities

• Work with the marine manager in developing and implementing effective campaign strategies and plans to secure expansions to marine park protection in the Southern Ocean.
• Develop and maintain broad substantive knowledge of marine conservation strategies in Australia to inform and advance program priorities.
• Support development of campaign strategy and budgets and manages expenditures within budget.
• Develop and manage productive and collaborative relationships with partners, stakeholders, and community organisations.
• Represent Pew in key government meetings, coalition meetings, conferences, and events.
• Provide occasional support as needed to Pew’s other marine protection campaigns in Australia.
• Foster a work environment that is inclusive, equitable, diverse, and in line with Pew and the project’s related goals.
• Participate in activities that support program and Pew-wide objectives.

Requirements

• Strong written and oral communications skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills: can motivate and mobilise others and develop and manage productive relationships with partners and stakeholders.
• Strong coordination and event management skills.
• Time- and project-management skills, including managing multiple deadlines.
• Political awareness and non-partisan perspective and approach.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Eight years of applicable experience.

Key attributes and preferred experience

• Developing and moving projects forward with a high degree of independence and autonomy.
• Diplomatic skills and experience working productively with a wide array of different people and institutions that may disagree with and are in competition with one another.
• Setting short- and long-term planning goals in line with program strategies.
• Experience with public policy advocacy, particularly environment related preferred.

The Pew Charitable Trusts is an equal opportunity employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. Pew considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to age, sex, ethnicity, religion, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity, military/veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

Further Details

Please contact Christabel Mitchell, National Marine Manager via [email protected] using the subject line: Officer, Protecting Australia’s Nature - Southern Ocean - Flexible Location enquiry via EthicalJobs for further details about this role.