People and Operations Director

Position: People and Operations Director

Reports to: CEO

Direct reports: 2 x Operations support officers, operational contractors

Basis: Permanent full time

Location: Wollongong (NSW), Canberra (ACT) or Brisbane (QLD). Hybrid office + work from home role

Salary range: $125,000 - $150,000 per annum plus super, depending on skills and experience. Salary packaging, paid study or field work leave, plus extra annual leave are part of the package

Build the engine room of a quick-growing national environmental organisation.

Feral cats, weeds, fire ants, feral deer, bird flu. Invasive species are driving extinctions and costing Australians billions of dollars every year. The Invasive Species Council is the national voice fighting back, and people are listening.

We’re a high-profile, high-impact team, that punches well above our weight. We shape national biosecurity policy, put invasive species on front pages and in parliament, and run programs on the ground, from citizen science to rewilding. In just 5 years we’ve grown from 8 to 25 staff, and from $750,000 to more than $3.5 million per year in income. Our ambition is to become a truly national organisation by 2030, and that means more growth ahead.

That’s where you come in. As we grow we’ve created a new senior role to lead our operations. We’re looking for a motivated, ideas-driven leader who wants to make a real difference, and who knows that great organisations run on great finances, people and systems.

And we’re a great place to work. In our latest staff survey 100% of staff said they enjoy working at the Council, are proud to work here and believe we are making a positive change, and 94% would recommend us as a great place to work.

Why this role is different

- Your work will matter. You’ll build the foundations that help us grow our impact for Australia’s wildlife and wild places.
- You’ll shape the organisation, not just maintain it. Your first big task is to review our finance, legal and HR arrangements and design the structure we need for the next stage of growth.
- You’ll have real influence. You’ll sit on the Senior Leadership Team as an equal partner to our policy, advocacy, communications and fundraising leads,



and work closely with the CEO.
- Your ideas will get used. We’re small enough that a good idea can be in place next month, not next year.

The role

You’ll lead our finances and budget, people and culture, governance, legal, risk and operational systems, and run the Board process with support from the CEO’s Executive Assistant. You’ll manage 2 Operations Support Officers and our finance, HR and IT contractors, and work hand in hand with our CEO and Philanthropy & Fundraising Director to fuel our growth.

This is a strategic role where you also do the work. Our operations team is deliberately small and we intend to keep it that way. One day you’ll be shaping a multi-year financial plan with the Board, and the next you’ll be chasing an overdue invoice, updating a policy or processing end of financial year donations. You’ll also coach and empower your team to own their work and grow their skills. If you’d rather leave the admin to someone else, this isn’t the role for you. If you get satisfaction from doing the whole job well, from the strategy down to the detail, we’d love to hear from you.

Some travel is required, including to our twice-yearly all-staff gatherings and occasional events.

You’ll thrive here if you

- want to make a difference for nature, and are relentless about getting results
- are ready to step up to a director role, or are already there and want work that matters
- believe in good governance with the minimum process needed, and enjoy asking ‘do we still need this?’
- take initiative, aren’t afraid to try new things, and learn from the ones that don’t work
- are just as happy fixing a spreadsheet as presenting to the Board, because everyone here mucks in
- hold yourself to high standards of integrity, because in this role it’s not negotiable

A background in accounting, law or HR or is welcome but isn’t a requirement.



You do need to be confident with numbers, have sound judgement, and know when to call in expert help.

What we offer

- A senior leadership role at a pivotal moment in our growth
- $125,000 - $150,000 plus 12% superannuation depending on skills and experience.
- Hybrid office and home-based work. We already have several staff based in Brisbane and Canberra, and your appointment will be the catalyst for establishing an office in one of those cities, or for expanding our Wollongong office depending on where you’re based.
- A passionate, talented team that is serious about impact, and that takes shared responsibility for a healthy culture.
- Family-friendly work. We offer flexible working hours to fit around school and childcare commitments, and alternative or reduced hours may be considered for the right candidate.
- Salary packaging, 1 week of paid study or field work leave, and three extra days off over Christmas and New Year.

Ready to make a difference?

Please send your CV and a cover letter of no more than 2 pages to [email protected] telling us why you want this role and how you meet the selection criteria outlined in the position description.

Applications that do not directly address each criterion will not be accepted.

Applicants must possess full working rights in Australia to be eligible for appointment. A current National Police Check (NPC) will be required and a Working With Vulnerable Persons Check (WWVP) may be required.

Invasive Species Council is an equal opportunity employer. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally diverse backgrounds and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Applications close: 11:59 pm Sunday 15 November 2026.

Applications will be reviewed continuously and interviews will be arranged as shortlisted applications are received. We strongly encourage you to apply early.

More info: To organise a confidential chat about the role please contact Steph (CEO’s EA) on [email protected]

To view the full positions description, click here: https://invasives.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/ISC-People-Operations-Director-position-description-Oct-2026.pdf

📌 People & Operations Director (Wollongong)
🏢 Invasive Species Council
📍 Wollongong