Program Leader Healthy Waterways

Position Number: P00043

Directorate: Environment & Planning Services

Service: Water Resource Management Service

Location: Katoomba HQ

Position
Classification:
Band: 11

Date
Created/Updated

13/06/2025

POSITION PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE

Environmental Education
Program and Community Conservation Program.

To develop, contribute to and implement programs, projects, strategies and policies aimed

as a leader in sustainable water management.
Sensitive Blue Mountains.

RELATIONSHIPS

Reports to (Position Title): Manager Environment

Report to (Position Number):
Staff Responsibility: Up to 6: Aquatic Monitoring Program, Connect to
Nature Environmental Education Program &
Community Conservation Program, Healthy
Waterways Cadet (as required).

Key Internal Relationships: Natural Area Management, First Nations,
Communications, Compliance, Project Delivery
Teams, All Council Groups

Key External Relationships: State and Australian Government Agencies,
other Councils, Tertiary Institutions, Blue
Mountains Schools and Community Groups

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The key responsibilities for this position include:
Develop, co-ordinate and support delivery of strategies, policies and programs to
enhance, contribute to healthy Country
and set a coordinated approach to water management across Council, based on
best practice water management principles.

Support the implementation of the Water Sensitive Blue Mountains Strategic Plan
and promote water sensitive principles and practices across the organisation
through the Integrated Water Management Group and other channels.

monitoring programs, including aquatic macroinvertebrate surveys, site/issue/project
specific monitoring, recreational water quality monitoring and freshwater crayfish
surveys.

Coordinate, lead and manage staff to establish priorities for waterway and catchment
management, based on analysis of monitoring program data.

Coordinate, lead and manage staff to deliver effective communication of monitoring
program findings and key messages through a variety of channels, including the

Health Snapshots and corporate reporting.

Connect to Nature
Environmental Education and water literacy programs, which engage over 4,000
participants annually through approximately 14 schools, 12 Early Childhood
Education Centres and 12 community events across the Blue Mountains Local
Government Area.

Coordinate, lead and manage staff to deliver a program of works related to the
Community Conservation Officer position, including

Bush Backyards, policy and strategy development, facilitation
of community catchment groups; accessing external funding opportunities and
contractor management.

Encourage and support a positive workplace culture within a multidisciplinary team.

Lead and supervise external partnerships, and support project delivery, including
contract and financial management, monitoring and reporting. Work work closely
with partners to investigate funding opportunities for catchment and water
management improvement initiatives. (e.g. WaterNSW Urban Partnerhips Program,
GSLLS private land incentive programs.)

Provide specialist advice, advocacy and leadership in the areas of integrated water
management and water sensitive approaches, waterway protection, management
of urban stormwater impacts and environmental education and engagement
approaches to water literacy.

In consultation with the Branch manager, develop and present Council positions to

other Branches/Groups of Council, consultants, Government Departments,
Parliamentary Inquiries, community groups and members of the public as necessary
and undertake ongoing liaison, advice and networking.

Represent Council at high level, regional and State strategic environmental

committees, public hearings and local public or community group meetings,
including out-of-hours meetings.

Keep up to date with legislative and other changes affecting operations and

responsibilities of the Branch and prepare advice on Council positions on such
matters.

Prepare correspondence, Council reports, media releases as required/directed.

Prepare, implement, and report on the Water Resource Service business plan and

budget, and secure external funding in support of Branch functions.

Conduct annual staff performance reviews in a timely manner ensuring that all staff

being managed are suitably skilled and competent, develop annual work programs
and receive appropriate training to develop into a highly skilled multidisciplinary
team that delivers on key Branch outcomes.

Keep the Manager informed on all matters which are likely to impact on the Team,

Branch or Group in the short or long term.

Act as the Branch Manager as required.

Guiding Principles (mandatory section do not delete)

We act as one organisation responding to the changing needs of our LGA and

community
We are strategy led, driven by our Community Strategic Plan with clear priorities and

focus
We are service focused & we continuously improve service provision and provide