• Join a dynamic team to develop solutions to addressing the major threats facing nature in Australia.
• Position: 'Threats to Nature' Project Manager
• Reports to: CEO
• Basis: Part time (2dpw, possibility of additional days per week dependent on funding)
• Location: Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne (willing to consider alternative locations for outstanding applications)
• Duration: Two-year contract, with extension possible
• Wage: $70-82,000 pa pro rata depending on skills and experience

Job description

The project coordinator will have day-to-day responsibility for managing the 'Threats to Nature' project.

The project manager will:

• Coordinate the preparation of the ‘Solutions to threats to nature’ reform package
• Coordinate the project working group and project consortium
• Undertake advocacy
• Develop communication materials
• Seek funds to support the project
• Project administration including reporting and budgeting

Selection criteria

Essential

• Awareness of federal environmental laws and processes
• Experience in advocacy
• Highly developed communication skills such as meeting facilitation, technical and public writing, interpersonal skills.
• Skills and/or track record in developing diverse alliances
• High-level project management and alliance-building skills
• Commitment to nature conservation and evidence-based decision-making
• Willingness to travel within Australia

Desirable

• Fundraising experience
• Has developed networks within the environmental NGO sector and other potential partner sectors

Project Rationale

Threats such as climate change, invasive species, changed fire regimes and habitat lost are having severe impacts on Australian biodiversity. To reverse Australia’s extinction crisis, we need an ambitious, collaborative, well-funded, nationally coordinated threat abatement system.

Focusing on broad-scale, enduring threat abatement solutions will generally be more effective (and cost-effective) than species-by-species recovery efforts. It will prevent other species from becoming threatened and increase the resilience of native biota to climate change.

The 'Threats to Nature' project builds on a 2018 report (see here) by the Invasive Species Council that found the national system to address key threatening processes to biodiversity is largely dysfunctional and moribund. An expert workshop in 2019 identified ways of fixing the system.

The project will establish the alliances and undertake the work needed to persuade Australia’s governments to implement an effective national threat abatement system. It will also create opportunities for collaboration on threat abatement projects, demonstrating the value of community leadership and cross-sectoral collaborations.

Project activities

Phase 1, starting in early 2020:

• Establish an expert and NGO working group
• Create a compelling reform package with supporting case studies and analyses
• Campaign for reforms, including as part of the EPBC Act review

Phase 2, starting in late 2020:

• Establish a cross-sectoral consortium (eg. NRM groups, Traditional Owner groups, researchers, sympathetic industry groups and supportive local and state governments)
• Demonstrate cross-sectoral support for reforms
• Create opportunities for collaborative threat abatement projects

Management

A 'Threats to Nature' working group will guide the project. This will consist of representatives from the core environmental and science groups with a focus on threat abatement. Protocols will be developed to set out decision-making. A cross-sectoral consortium to develop and promote threat abatement solutions and initiate threat abatement projects will be formed as part of the second phase of the project.

The CEO will manage the project with oversight by the Invasive Species Council board. Other Invasive Species Council staff including the conservation officer, policy officer and communications manager will also be involved.

About the Invasive Species Council

Australia has the worst mammal extinction record in the world, due mainly to invasive species like foxes and feral cats, and invasive species imperil more threatened species than any other threat to Australia’s biodiversity. With myrtle rust now invading the eastern seaboard, Asian honeybees and red fire ants in Queensland and ongoing pest, weed and disease spread, invasive threats are growing.

The Invasive Species Council is a non-government donor-funded organisation that seeks better laws and policies to protect the Australian environment from weeds, feral animals, insects, pathogens and other invaders. Formed in 2002, we were the first environment group in the world to focus solely on invasive species.

The organisation’s focus is on prevention and early action, addressing the threat before it becomes entrenched. Our primary objective is to achieve improvements to state and federal laws, institutions and practices to systematically lower the risk of invasive species damaging Australia’s natural environment.

Already ISC has a highly-regarded track record and reputation within Australia. It seeks to expand its influence though improved outreach and improved capacity.

Our organisation has an impressive track record of achieving change. Over recent years we played a major role in securing $411 million over ten years to eradicate red fire ants from south east Queensland and to establish the Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer, co-hosted the inaugural Australian Biosecurity Symposium and jointly conducted ground-breaking research to identify harmful invasive insects that could establish in Australia.

Our 2018-2022 Strategic Plan, 2019 Plan to Protect Australia from Deadly Invasive Species, 2018-19 annual report and other background information can be found on our website: invasives.org.au.