heritage advisor

About National Trust Queensland
National Trust of Australia (Queensland) [NTAQ]) is membership-based, environmental charity which offers people the opportunity to feel connected to significant places, collections, and stories. NTAQ manages a diverse portfolio of heritage properties, from Currumbin to Cooktown, including built heritage, cultural landscapes, and iconic destinations like Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Central to this work is our Heritage Services Division, which plays a vital role in protecting and interpreting these places to support NTAQ's mission:
to conserve and advance our natural and cultural heritage for future generations.
As NTAQ continues to strengthen its strategic priorities, particularly in the conservation of built heritage and advocacy for heritage places, we are seeking an experienced
Heritage Advisor
to support the strategic direction of our
Heritage Services Division
. This role will be instrumental in advancing our advocacy efforts, continuing master planning for key heritage sites, and enhancing our collaborative approach with community, government, and industry stakeholders, to ensure Queensland's rich heritage is valued, preserved, and shared with current and future generations.

About The Role
As our Heritage Advisor, you will provide high-level strategic advice to the CEO, Board, and senior leaders on heritage matters, legislation, planning provisions, and appeals. You'll work closely with site teams, heritage custodians, and external stakeholders to ensure best-practice heritage management across our diverse portfolio of sites. You'll also play a central role in delivering interpretation strategies, supporting public programs and events, and shaping advocacy initiatives that align with NTAQ's mission to conserve and advance Queensland's cultural heritage.

As a leading heritage advocate, you will represent NTAQ at industry panels, community forums, and government consultations. You'll support the development and delivery of impactful advocacy campaigns, foster strong and trusted relationships across stakeholder groups, and contribute to informed, evidence-based heritage assessments, research and recommendations. You'll also manage key heritage registers and documentation systems, champion digitisation and accessibility initiatives, and support innovative approaches to sharing Queensland's stories.

This is a dynamic role that blends strategic leadership, operational excellence, innovation, and public engagement.

About You
To be successful in this role, you should have demonstrated high level knowledge and experience in heritage services (5+ years) or experience in administering a Local Council Heritage Register and superior understanding of heritage legislation and conservation. You'll be a great fit for this role if you also have:

• Registration with the Board of Architects in Queensland and/or tertiary qualifications in Urban & Regional Planning, Archaeology, Heritage Conservation or related field.
• Strong knowledge of Queensland heritage legislation, including the Qld Heritage Act 1992, Regulations 2003, and Queensland Planning Act 2016.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret complex legislation and advise on heritage significance, appeals, adaptive reuse, and conservation policy.
• Proven experience in delivering interpretation plans, public heritage programs, or managing historic collections.
• A track record of shaping strategy to advance conservation outcomes, including supporting stakeholder and government consultations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with confidence representing an organisation at public forums or media events.
• A collaborative and authentic approach to work, with demonstrated ability to mentor staff and contribute to a supportive team culture.
• Strong organisational and project management skills, including ability to manage competing deadlines across multiple stakeholders.

What We Can Offer
Just as our charter is to protect, conserve, and celebrate the Environmental, Built and Cultural heritage of our State and we also are committed to ensuring our Team Members are protected, taken care of, and of course celebrated We offer current and future team members:

• Flexible Work Practices
• Benchmarked Remuneration & Salary Sacrificing
• On Site Parking
• Tertiary Education Partners for access to recognised Qualifications
• NTAQ Team Member Card offering unlimited entry to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and other SEQ sites and generous retail & food & beverage discounts.
• Fitness Passport Membership
• Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Family & Friends Passes