Program Manager

About Us :

About Landcare NSW

We are the representative body of the Landcare movement in NSW and the voice of community Landcare.

Our Council represents around 60,000 Landcarers and 3000 groups and meets three to four times a year. The organisation is overseen by an eight-member executive and a small team of part-time staff. Our structure enables the building of skills, capacity, strength and connections at every level – from individual groups to district networks, to regional associations to the state peak body, right through to the National Landcare Network in Canberra. Landcare NSW acknowledges and pays respect to Aboriginal People and Torres Strait Islander People who are the original owners of the land, seas and water. Landcare NSW recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People’s continuing connection to the land and their deep knowledge of the natural environment.

History

In 2007 at Myuna Bay, Lake Macquarie, a group of volunteers recognised a need for a unified voice to represent the State’s dedicated community Landcarers and so established Landcare NSW. After months of consultation and planning, an inaugural meeting was held in Sydney and was followed by the first Muster in Tamworth in October 2007. Since then, every two years Landcarers from across the state gather at musters to harness ideas and discuss issues.

What we do

Protect, repair, regenerate, change practice. And, learn, share and connect. Landcarers work across farmland, bushland, parkland, beaches, national parks, rivers, dunes, creeks, Crown land, public land, private land, forests, travelling stock routes. Landcare is a grassroots movement organised into groups and organisations – some are purely voluntary with half a dozen members while others are substantial organisations that employ paid staff and have significant budgets. Collective action is at the heart of our success: Landcare groups organise projects, support volunteers, seek funding and develop partnerships. We have transformed the landscape and are at the forefront of dealing with environmental, agricultural and social challenges facing Australia.

Landcare is open, inclusive and welcoming, regardless of age, gender and cultural background. Environmental Activities: Bush regeneration and weed control; revegetation; repairing eroding gullies and stabilising riverbanks; collecting litter; creating and repairing walking tracks; protecting threatened species; stabilising sand dunes, and; working with councils on installing litter traps. Agricultural Activities: Sustainable cropping techniques; local fox and wild dog control programs; drought management programs; safe chemical use and storage; minimising nutrient run-off; building soil carbon; managing climate variability; fencing; managing groundwater and salinity, and; coordinated action among neighbouring landholders to plant corridors for wildlife. Landcarers also participate in workshops, field days, site tours and collaborative learning.

About You :

•    Tertiary qualified in agricultural, environmental science or related field. Qualifications in project management and/or business management would be highly regarded;
•         Over 15 years’ experience working in natural resource management. Experience working with Landcare and/ or similar grassroots community-led movements would also be highly regarded;
•         Proficiency in project management, including budgeting, forecasting, resource allocation, risk management and management of a project team. Proven track record of managing multi-million, multi-stakeholder and multi-year programs. The successful candidate will need to have working experience using best practice project management software and other tools.
•         Sound understand of at least one Project Management methodology and five years’ experience using standard project management systems.
•         Proven leadership experience and excellent communication, interpersonal, relationship building, public speaking and conflict resolution skills.
•         Experience in the management of a large project team, including coaching, mentoring, performance managing a remote-based team.
• Able to collaborate with senior leadership of Landcare NSW, local Landcare groups and Local Land Services to think strategically and look at short, medium and long term horizons needed to support the Landcare movement in NSW so that it is well resourced by government, private industry and philanthropy.

Position Summary :

The Program Manager is responsible for the delivery of the NSW Landcare Support Program (2019-2023). The Program Manager, together with the Local Land Services Landcare Program Business Partner, is responsible for the co-management and co-delivery of the NSW Landcare Program (2019-2023) on time, on budget and meeting or exceeding stakeholders’ expectations.

The Program Manager will work closely with the Local Land Services (LLS) Landcare Program Business Partner, the Program Team, the Landcare NSW Chief Executive Officer and the Joint Management Committee (JMC) to ensure successful delivery of the NSW Landcare Program, as well as to align the outcomes from the program with the strategic objectives of Landcare NSW.

Key Requirements :

•         Tertiary qualified in agricultural, environmental science or related field. Qualifications in project management and/or business management would be highly regarded;
•         Over 15 years’ experience working in natural resource management. Experience working with Landcare and/ or similar grassroots community-led movements would also be highly regarded;
•         Proficiency in project management, including budgeting, forecasting, resource allocation, risk management and management of a project team. Proven track record of managing multi-million, multi-stakeholder and multi-year programs. The successful candidate will need to have working experience using best practice project management software and other tools.
•         Sound understand of at least one Project Management methodology and five years’ experience using standard project management systems.
•         Proven leadership experience and excellent communication, interpersonal, relationship building, public speaking and conflict resolution skills.
•         Experience in the management of a large project team, including coaching, mentoring, performance managing a remote-based team.
• Able to collaborate with senior leadership of Landcare NSW, local Landcare groups and Local Land Services to think strategically and look at short, medium and long term horizons needed to support the Landcare movement in NSW so that it is well resourced by government, private industry and philanthropy.

Job Responsibility :

Management

• Contribute to the timely development of program level MERI plan, implementation plan, budgets and resources, and any other matter with LLS Landcare Program Business Partner that are required for the successful delivery of the NSW Landcare Program (2019-2023)
• Manage program budget as agreed to and finalised by the JMC. Provide accurate, timely and detailed budget updates to the Landcare NSW CEO and/ or the JMC.
• Identify and manage risks by way of a risk matrix to the NSW Landcare Program, including risks to Landcare NSW, its membership, and/ or the Landcare NSW/ Local Land Services Partnership. Risks are deemed to exceed the level of “very high” are to be brought to the attention of the JMC
• Support the role of the JMC, the Landcare NSW Executive Committee and the Landcare NSW Council to discharge their governance roles and responsibilities for the NSW Landcare Program
• Support the Local Land Services Landcare Program Partner in the development and ongoing management of host organisation agreements in partnership with the NSW Landcare Program Partner
• In conjunction with the Local Land Services Landcare Program Partner, ensure that program milestone reports are delivered on time and are of quality that meets or exceeds best practice and key stakeholder expectations.
•  Work closely with the LLS Landcare Program Partner, Program Team and Landcare NSW to contribute to the development of communications and stakeholder engagement regarding the NSW Landcare program, including communications to grantees and host organisations
• Work closely with the LLS Landcare Program Business Partner, Program Team and the Landcare NSW Government Relations Advisor, Communications Officer and/or Marketing Coordinator to plan and manage joint media and communications
• Provide management, directions, instructions, oversight, coaching, mentoring and support of all Landcare NSW staff and contractors engaged in the NSW Landcare Program.

Capacity

• Support the Landcare community through the application phase for the placement of Local and Regional Landcare Coordinators
•  Work with the NSW Government Local Land Services (LLS) Landcare Program Business Partner on development of new program fact sheets, position descriptions and supporting documents, tender applications and selection processes for Local and Regional Landcare Coordinators
• Build a working relationship with the Regional Landcare Coordinators across the state that would include a Community of Practice for this position.
• Supporting host organisations with establishing employment arrangements and setting up of the Steering Committees for the Regional Landcare Coordinator Position
• Be part of the Regional Steering Committees that guide the Regional Landcare Coordinator Role in various regions as required.

Participation

• Provide support to the LLS Landcare Program Business Partner in coordinating the State Awards and Conference with the primary focus of delivering the Landcare Muster
• Seek opportunities to add value to the Community of Practice

Collaboration

• Strengthen Landcare network operations, including strengthening the links, collaboration and coordination between Landcare Groups and between Landcare NSW and its membership.
• Provide support to the Landcare community through the oversight of the Sustaining Landcare Bulletin
• Link and support Landcare across NSW
• Oversee communications to the Landcare community through the Landcare Gateway website or any other archival management platform that may be developed
• Help Landcare in NSW ‘tell its story’
• Collaborate with the LLS Landcare Program Business Partner and Community of Practice Coordinator on Community of Practice initiatives, Management of Landcare NSW support staff associated with Community of Practice and NSW Landcare Program duties.

Value

• Direct program staff and host organisations to ensure that appropriate field data is collected in a timely manner that provides evidence of the achievements and successes of the NSW Landcare Program, as well as the benefits delivered by a supported Landcare to NSW.

Professional Development

• Support the collation of potential training opportunities for the state via the priority plans
• Develop a delivery framework for the Professional Development Component of the program with the CoP Coordinator

Indigenous Program

• Develop a Position Description and overview of deliverables for consideration and approval by the JMC

Additional information

• Review and endorse reporting providing critical feedback where appropriate
• Conduct annual performance reviews of NSW Landcare Program staff (with support), and manage staff performance where required including building professional development and training plans for your program staff
• Provide input to state-wide and national programs that support Landcare, such as the Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT) or as directed by the Landcare NSW CEO or authorised delegate.
• Provide input on grant applications and Memorandums of Understanding
• Muster review and use of information and preparation for 2019 Landcare Muster
• Support the Chief Executive Officer, the Chair and the Executive Committee and Council of Landcare NSW as required

Job Functions :

Community development

Job Benefits :

Working for a Not for Profit Charity provided a flexible working environment

Selling Point :

Closing Date 28 February 2020

Contact :

John McLoughlin