YOUR POSITION WITH THE NATURE CONSERVANCY

The Oceans Program is expanding to deliver a growing portfolio of externally funded restoration projects across multiple geographies, with increasing operational complexity. This scale of delivery requires strong program level coordination, governance, and integrated management of resources, budgets, and risk.

Historically, delivery has been structured at an individual project level, limiting opportunities for consistent oversight, shared resourcing, and efficient program wide management. The Operations Manager role has been established to address this, strengthening the systems, processes, and governance that underpin delivery and enabling a more coordinated, scalable approach across the program.

This is a senior role that combines operational leadership, technical expertise in reef restoration, and accountability for large scale program delivery. It is critical to ensuring the consistency, quality, and impact of shellfish reef restoration across Australia.

The Operations Manager, Reefbuilder Program leads the operational delivery, technical execution, and scaling of complex marine and coastal restoration programs. The role provides end to end oversight of a portfolio of projects, ensuring strong governance, financial and contractual compliance, and safe field delivery, while contributing technical expertise in reef design, construction, and monitoring.

The position connects program leadership with on ground delivery, enabling high quality, scientifically robust, and scalable restoration outcomes aligned with organisational priorities and funding commitments.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

YOUR POSITION WITH THE NATURE CONSERVANCY

The Oceans Program is expanding to deliver a growing portfolio of externally funded restoration projects across multiple geographies, with increasing operational complexity. This scale of delivery requires strong program level coordination, governance, and integrated management of resources, budgets, and risk.

Historically, delivery has been structured at an individual project level, limiting opportunities for consistent oversight, shared resourcing, and efficient program wide management. The Operations Manager role has been established to address this, strengthening the systems, processes, and governance that underpin delivery and enabling a more coordinated, scalable approach across the program.

This is a senior role that combines operational leadership, technical expertise in reef restoration, and accountability for large scale program delivery. It is critical to ensuring the consistency, quality, and impact of shellfish reef restoration across Australia.

The Operations Manager,



Reefbuilder Program leads the operational delivery, technical execution, and scaling of complex marine and coastal restoration programs. The role provides end to end oversight of a portfolio of projects, ensuring strong governance, financial and contractual compliance, and safe field delivery, while contributing technical expertise in reef design, construction, and monitoring.

The position connects program leadership with on ground delivery, enabling high quality, scientifically robust, and scalable restoration outcomes aligned with organisational priorities and funding commitments.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Program and Operational Leadership

- Oversee day to day operations across all Reefbuilder restoration projects
- Establish and refine program wide systems, processes, and governance frameworks for the program portfolio
- Lead planning, scheduling, and resource allocation across multiple sites and jurisdictions
- Provide operational oversight to ensure consistency, efficiency, and delivery quality
- Technical Leadership Shellfish Reef Restoration
- Support monitoring, evaluation, and adaptive management approaches
- Ensure alignment with best available science and ecological outcomes
- Guide teams on site selection, permitting considerations, and environmental

Project Delivery and Performance

- Manage multiple complex externally funded portfolio concurrently
- Track performance and lead continuous improvement across portfolio
- Resolve operational challenges and delivery risks
- Financial and Contract Management
- Lead budgeting, forecasting, and financial oversight at program level
- Ensure compliance with funding agreements and reporting requirements
- Support development of project budgets and funding proposals
- Monitor cost efficiency across field works and construction

WHS Risk and Compliance

- Maintain strong health, safety, and risk management systems for marine and coastal operations

- Ensure compliance with permits, marine and coastal regulations, and organisational policies

- Oversee contractor and partner safety performance system

Team Leadership and Capability

- Lead and coordinate a multidisciplinary team including project managers and field staff
- Support, mentor and enable staff and direct reports




- Build technical capability in marine and coastal restoration across the team
- Support recruitment, onboarding, and performance development
- Foster collaboration across science, operations, and delivery

Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement

- Act as key interface with government, contractors, research institutions, and funders
- Support strong partnerships to enable delivery of restoration program
- Contribute to stakeholder alignment and program growth
- Strategy and Program Growth
- Contribute to strategic planning and scaling of restoration activities nationally
- Support development of recent initiatives and funding opportunities
- Identify opportunities to improve delivery models, innovation, and impact

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

· Degree in marine science, environmental management, engineering, or related discipline

· Significant experience in operations or program management within conservation, NRM, or the not-for-profit sector.

· Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex projects and budgets

· Demonstrated ability to effectively lead, support and develop staff, fostering high performance and a positive team culture

· Strong leadership and organisational capability and communication skills

· Proven skills in financial management, reporting, and compliance.

· Experience in health and safety management in field or marine environments

· Experience managing contractors and field delivery

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

· Experience delivering large scale marine and coastal restoration or infrastructure projects

· Familiarity with Australian permitting and marine regulatory systems

· Experience working with government, research, and non-profit partners

· Understanding of funding models across government, philanthropy, and private sectors

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to equal employment opportunity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and culture. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

TNC is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please send a note to *********@tnc.org with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.

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📌 Reef Builder Operations Manager (Sydney)
🏢 The Nature Conservancy
📍 Sydney