Head of Sustainability and Safety

Location: Cairns | Team: Infrastructure Team

Are you a bold, strategic leader with a passion for sustainability, safety and operational excellence? Cairns Airport is looking for a Head of Safety and Sustainability to make a real impact across Cairns and Mackay Airports.

This senior leadership role goes beyond compliance — it's about driving innovation, embedding a proactive culture, and championing environmental stewardship that creates lasting value for our people, community, and stakeholders.

Role Highlights
Drive Sustainability Impact:

• Lead NQA's strategic sustainability agenda, including carbon reduction, waste minimisation, energy efficiency, renewable energy integration, circular economy practices, and the adoption of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
• Deliver measurable environmental outcomes while ensuring compliance with ESG reporting, regulatory requirements, and corporate sustainability commitments and Sustainability Linked Loan (SLL) KPIs.

Shape Governance & Strategy:
Prepare and present high-quality sustainability insights, board papers, and reports to the Board and executive team.

Drive policy development, risk management, and compliance in alignment with sustainability and ESG objectives, including SLL reporting requirements.

Lead Safety Excellence
: Shape and champion a culture, embedding safety considerations into decision-making across all operations.

Inspire Your Team
: Lead, empower, and cultivate a high-performing, inclusive, and values-driven workplace.

Attributes We Value

• Team player mindset with a commitment to supporting colleagues.
• Ability to embody the core values of Cairns Airport:

Safety every day
: We create a safe, secure and healthy culture for our people and customers.

Do the right thing
: We are accountable and do what is honest and ethical, demonstrating integrity, and worthy of the trust of others.

Strengthen community
: Strengthen and invest in those around us, the teams we work in and the communities we operate in.

Create value
: In collaboration with others, we create positive organisational, social, environmental and economic value.

Care always
: Care, service, compassion and respect guide the way we operate at all levels, with all people.

Think ahead
: Boldy approach the future through curiosity, adaptation and creativity.

We're Looking For Someone Who

• Tertiary qualifications in Environmental Management, Sustainability, WHS or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 5 years in a leadership role in safety and/or sustainability.
• Strong knowledge of ESG, WHS frameworks, and environmental regulations.
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
• Demonstrated success in developing and implementing strategic safety and sustainability initiatives.
• High initiative, problem-solving capability, and resilience in a fast-paced operational environment.

Eligibiility

• Unrestricted rights to work in Australia.
• Ability to obtain and maintain an Aviation Security Identification Card.

Cairns Airport Employee Benefits

• Competitive salary with annual pay increases
• Free 24/7 airport parking for work and personal use
• Generous leave entitlements and wellness days
• Long service leave benefits
• Free access to employee wellbeing and mental health support
• Behind-the-scenes tours of the terminal, airside areas, and properties
• A fun, social team culture with events throughout the year
• Free tickets to sponsored events and discounts at airport shops

Cairns Airport is dedicated to building a diverse team that mirrors the community we serve. We value inclusivity and diversity and welcome people who support and model the behaviours we promote in our workforce. We actively encourage applications from First Nations people, candidates from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, members of the LGBTQI+ community, and people with disabilities. If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at time of application to assist your participation in the recruitment process.