This is not a caretaking role.

It is a mandate to build. Whitsunday Regional Council is looking for an accomplished commercial leader who can see the opportunity in a remarkable portfolio, bring sharper commercial discipline to its performance and convert potential into enduring value.

At the centre is Whitsunday Coast Airport, one of Australia’s fastest-growing regional gateways. Around it sits a distinctive portfolio spanning aerodromes, Shute Harbour Marine Terminal, Holiday Parks, Proserpine Entertainment Centre, Flagstaff Hill, commercial car parking and other visitor-facing commercial activities.

The opportunity in front of you

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, you will have a high degree of commercial and operational autonomy within Council-approved strategy, delegations and statutory requirements. Your brief is clear: strengthen financial performance, lift commercial returns and build the long-term value and resilience of the portfolio.

You will make performance visible. You will distinguish true operating results from Community Service Obligations, Council-imposed costs and shared corporate support costs. You will give decision-makers the commercial insight needed to allocate capital well, pursue the right opportunities and act with confidence.

Your commercial agenda

- Grow routes, capacity, connectivity and complementary revenue with airlines, tourism operators and regional partners.

- Create investment propositions and business cases that stand up to commercial scrutiny.

- Assess capital returns, funding capacity and project risk with discipline.

- Attract external investment, co-investment and strategic partnerships where they create stronger outcomes.

- Lift aeronautical and non-aeronautical revenue across the airport and broader portfolio.

- Strengthen pricing, contracts, leases and major commercial agreements.





- Build capable, accountable and high-performing business units and leaders.

- Introduce transparent, benchmarked portfolio and business-unit reporting.

- Develop the systems, data and governance needed for due diligence and investment readiness.

- Keep future operating, partnership, investment and governance options open for Council.

Commercial performance. Community value.

The portfolio is commercially significant, but its impact reaches well beyond the balance sheet. Its assets connect communities, support tourism, enable regional growth and contribute to the Whitsundays’ cultural and visitor experience.

That makes this role both demanding and meaningful. You will need the discipline to improve returns and make difficult calls, together with the judgement to understand the people, industries and communities each decision touches. Success will be measured in stronger enterprises, sharper accountability, greater resilience and lasting economic and community value.

The leader we are looking for

Traditional local government experience is not essential. Commercial credibility is.

You may come from aviation, infrastructure, tourism, property, hospitality, investment, transport or another asset-intensive sector. What matters is your record of leading substantial businesses, owning profit and loss, improving performance, allocating capital intelligently, building strong managers,



negotiating major agreements and turning opportunity into sustainable value.

You will bring:

- commercial ambition matched by financial discipline;

- independence, objectivity and the confidence to give frank, evidence-based advice;

- a track record in both hard-edged negotiation and high-value collaboration;

- experience building accountable, resilient business units and leadership teams;

- credibility with boards, government, regulators, investors and commercial partners;

- a practical approach to risk that protects value without paralysing action;

- a strong customer and market orientation; and

- the drive to build something that will endure well beyond your tenure.

FOR A LEADER WHO WANTS THEIR NEXT ROLE TO MATTER

This is the chance to shape a commercially reliable portfolio in one of Australia’s most recognised destinations, with the autonomy to lead, the platform to grow and the visibility to make a genuine difference.

Why the Whitsundays?

Few executive roles combine commercial scale, professional autonomy, regional impact and lifestyle in quite this way. You will lead a fast-growing regional airport gateway and shape a portfolio connecting aviation, tourism, marine infrastructure, events, hospitality and community assets.

The market backdrop is compelling: international visitor spending is at record levels, domestic visitors contribute almost $1 billion annually and the wider tourism economy generates more than $1.5 billion in sales.

If you are ready to do more than manage assets, and want to build enterprises that create value, opportunity and regional impact, this role is your next move.

For a confidential discussion, please contact Paul Phillips, Senior Business Director or Andy Sundberg, Senior Researcher at Hays Executive on:

T: 02 8226 9***

E: *************@Hays.com.au

📌 Chief Commercial Officer (Whitsundays)
🏢 Hays Recruitment
📍 Whitsundays