Project Officer

Our community:

Located approximately 500km to the west of Brisbane and covering 58,830km2, the Maranoa Region has a strong and diverse economy offering a range of lifestyle experiences. We are the gateway to Outback Queensland

Roma is the major regional hub with other supporting centres including the towns of Injune, Mitchell, Surat, Wallumbilla, Yuleba, Mungallala, Jackson, Amby, and Muckadilla. Being the region’s major activity centre, Roma boasts a range of health, educational, sporting, tourism and community focussed programs and activities for its residents and visitors alike. Its regional airport provides easy accessibility to Brisbane and other regional centres in the Southwest.

• Roma is a regional tourist hub and gateway to the outback, with a dedicated visitor centre that focuses on the discovery of oil and gas and its importance to the region.
• There's something for everyone at Surat, a leading country lifestyle town.
• Mitchell offers visitors a soak in the Great Artesian Spa and access to the stunning Carnarvon National Park

Family-oriented, and with comprehensive health services, high quality education and sport, recreation and cultural facilities together with affordable and desirable lifestyle residential lots throughout the region.

The region is thriving with the Gross Regional Product (GRP) for the Maranoa sitting at $2.19 billion and increasing every year. The Maranoa's economic foundations are built on a strong agricultural sector, mining and energy industries and health services. The upward trend experienced over the past ten years is predicted to continue making the Maranoa a great place for investors, residents and workers.

The opportunity:

To actively engage with landholders, facilitate workshops, and implement biosecurity initiatives to enhance pest management practices, promote environmental health, and improve community awareness within the region. This role involves collaborating with stakeholders, developing pest management plans, delivering education programs, providing feedback to local authorities, and ensuring effective customer service to internal and external stakeholders, all aimed at mitigating biosecurity risks and fostering sustainable land management practices.

Key responsibilities:

Fulfil the accountabilities of this role in accordance with Council values and as varied from time to time to achieve Council objectives and Council Operational and Corporate Plan outcomes. Key responsibilities include the following:

Project Implementation

• Actively engage with landholders to identify their knowledge and approaches to biosecurity risks (i.e. pest plants and animals)
• Identify knowledge gaps in relation to pest plant and animal management and assist landholders to understand their General Biosecurity Obligations (GBO) under theBiosecurity Act 2014.
• Coordinate and facilitate workshops or field days to help fill identified knowledge gaps.
• Assess and analyse landholder’s biosecurity risks to livestock from invasive pest plants and animals
• Facilitate appropriate responses to reduce biosecurity risks including:

o Develop Pest Management Plans in consultation with landholders

o Build landholder's skills and capabilities to effectively manage pest plants and animals (education, training, property specific technical advice)

o Build knowledge and skills of the community within the region regarding Pest Management and encourage the wider community to engage and participate in pest management awareness events, study tours and training events

• Assist in the implementation of public awareness and education programs.
• Provide feedback on landholder's priorities as part of the establishment of the respective local authorities Biosecurity Plan
• Provide feedback and input to each respective local government as to where opportunities exist to align control programs across local government areas.
• Facilitate linkages within and between respective Local Governments biosecurity plans.
• Provide reports at a frequency as determined by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries demonstrating implementation and effectiveness of Biosecurity initiatives and alignment with national, state, regional and local biosecurity priorities.
• Provide and enter required data into the Pest Central Database at the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries request.

Community Education Programs

• Assist in the delivery of proactive community education programs to improve environmental health and land management outcomes within the region.
• Work and partner with internal and external stakeholders and agencies to improve environmental health and land management awareness.

Stakeholder Engagement / Council Reports and Presentations

• Assist in the preparation of reports and presentations to Council Meetings and Councillor Workshops, external correspondence, issues management and engagement strategies for this specific project.
• Provide assistance to the Manager in administering project specific external communications.

Customer Service

• Coordinate and contribute to high quality, proactive customer service for all internal and external Council customers in accordance with Council’s Customer Service Charter.
• Ensure accurate records of customer requests within Council’s Customer Request System:

o Enter external customer requests received by phone, e-mail or in person

o Update customer requests with details of actions taken

o Monitor the status of requests and help ensure they are accurately recorded in the system including checking the accuracy of customer requests marked as ‘Completed/Closed’

o Ensure all related documents and correspondence are attached to customer request records

About working with Council:

• Roma, Qld
• Full time position
• 5 weeks annual leave
• Fortnightly Rostered Days Off (RDOs)
• 15 days personal leave
• Annual Leave loading
• Employee Assistance Program & Social Club
• Salary sacrifice facilities (i.e., rural remote rent assistance, novated leasing, additional super contributions)
• Eligible for Parental Leave after 12 months of continuous service
• Professional development opportunities
• Relocation assistance available - terms & conditions apply

About you:

To be successful you will need to demonstrate that you meet the below mandatory requirements for the role:

• C (Car) Class Driver Licence
• General Construction Induction (White) Card

Required Skills and Experience:

• A positive, professional and friendly manner, with the ability to remain calm and level-headed in challenging situations

• Strong organisational skills, with the drive and ability to work with minimal supervision
• Commitment to a team-based approach, with demonstrated ability to work in a team environment to ensure the delivery of a high standard of customer service and to achieve Council’s goals and departmental work program projects and task
• Sound accurate computer data entry and record keeping skills
• Ability to identify potential risks and implement appropriate management strategies
• Well-developed interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to deal with both internal and external customers at all levels
• Ability to carry out assigned duties and responsibilities with tact and discretion and to maintain confidentiality
• Ability to adhere to strict timeframes, and strong attention to detail
• Well-developed written communication skills with the ability to prepared clear and concise reports and provide well considered and informed recommendations
• Ability to demonstrate a strong commitment to Maranoa Regional Council’s values and team goals
• Previous experience working in local government or similar environment will be highly regarded but is not essential

This role will require reference checks, medical assessment including drug and alcohol screen, driver's licence check and criminal history check.

Please be advised that applications will be reviewed as they are received. Interviews may be conducted prior to the closing date. Council reserves the right to close the listing early if a suitable candidate is selected.

How to apply:

Press the Apply now button to complete the online application form. Please include:

• a covering letter stating why you are interested in the position and what you will bring to Maranoa Regional Council
• a current resume (CV)
• address the questions presented in the application form

We recommend you prepare these documents before you commence your online application because you will be asked to upload them.

Click Submit

Maranoa Regional Council is an equal opportunity employer, and we encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. We actively support diversity and inclusion in our workplace.