North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation (NQBP) is a Queensland Government Owned Corporation responsible for the development and management of four strategically significant ports at Hay Point, Mackay, Abbot Point and Weipa. Operating within a complex commercial, regulatory and stakeholder environment, NQBP plays an important role in connecting Queensland’s resources and industries with domestic and global markets.

About the Role

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer and as a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, the Chief Operating Officer will lead the protected, reliable and efficient delivery of NQBP’s port operations, with executive responsibility across Port Operations, Maintenance, Marine Pilotage Services, People & Culture, and Health, Wellbeing & Safety.

This is a broad and influential executive leadership opportunity requiring an experienced operational leader who can bring together diverse functions, strengthen organisational capability and drive performance across a complex, high-risk operating environment.

The Chief Operating Officer will provide leadership across maritime operations, including pilotage, port logistics and supply chain coordination, while ensuring NQBP continues to meet its safety, regulatory, environmental and operational obligations.

The role will also lead the development and delivery of functional plans, budgets and forecasts aligned with NQBP’s five-year Corporate Plan and ten-year Strategic Plan.

Key Priorities, will include:

- Leading safe, reliable and efficient port, marine and maintenance operations;

- Driving performance excellence across health, safety and wellbeing and embedding a proactive safety culture;





- Providing executive leadership across People & Culture and supporting organisational capability, performance and workforce priorities;

- Leading operational improvement, innovation and organisational change across a diverse portfolio;

- Ensuring effective financial management, resource allocation and performance across multiple functions and cost centres;

- Maintaining strong relationships with government, customers, contractors, port communities and other key stakeholders; and

- Partnering with the CEO, Board and Executive Leadership Team to deliver NQBP’s strategy and optimise business outcomes.

About You

The ideal candidate will be an accomplished senior executive with experience leading multiple operational and enabling functions within a dynamic, commercial and complex organisation.

You will bring significant operational leadership experience, ideally gained within ports, resources, infrastructure, transport, logistics, utilities, heavy industry or another high-risk operational environment. Importantly, you will have demonstrated capability across health and safety and people leadership, combined with the commercial and financial acumen required to manage complex, multi-function operations.

You will understand how to lead through complexity and change,



bringing together diverse professional and operational teams around clear priorities and performance expectations. Strong stakeholder and government engagement capability will be essential, together with an understanding of Queensland Government processes and Government Owned Corporation operating environments.

This role will suit a visible, pragmatic and commercially grounded executive who can move comfortably between strategy and operations, build organisational capability and create an environment of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.

Why This Role Is Great

This is an opportunity to join the Executive Leadership Team of a strategically important Queensland organisation and lead a significant operational portfolio supporting some of the state’s most important trade infrastructure. Based in Mackay, the role offers genuine scope to influence NQBP’s operational performance, safety culture, people capability and long-term success.

How to Apply

OnTalent is partnering with North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation to appoint this critical executive leadership position. Please provide an up-to-date resume and a two page cover letter that tells us what excites you about this role and how your experience and leadership style align with the requirements.
For a confidential discussion, please contact Natasha Olsson-Seeto or Jay Baxter on 07 •••• •824.

For more information, to view the Success Profile and to apply, please visit our microsite: www.ontalent.com.au/nqbp-chief-operating-officer/

Applications Close: Midnight, Monday 21st of September.

📌 Chief Operating Officer (Hay Point)
🏢 OnTalent
📍 Hay Point