Manager, Compliance and Environment

Manager, Compliance & Environment (CL11/12)

At the NSW Department of Education, we educate and inspire lifelong learners – from early childhood, through schooling to vocational education and training.

• Ongoing full-time opportunity
• Location: Parramatta (with flexible working arrangements)
• Clerk Grade 11/12
• Salary: $149,739 – $173,174 p.a. + superannuation & leave loading

About the Opportunities 

We are seeking an experienced and forward-thinking professional to lead our Compliance and Environment team within the Health, Safety and Staff Wellbeing Directorate. This is a high-impact leadership role focused on ensuring the Department meets its compliance obligations and environmental responsibilities across a complex portfolio of assets and operations.

You’ll lead a team of specialists, engage with internal and external stakeholders, and shape the Department’s approach to environmental management, risk, and compliance in alignment with legislative requirements and best practice.

About the role

The Manager, Compliance and Environment is responsible for providing strategic oversight and expert advice on compliance and environmental policy, legislation, and risk management. You will lead the development and implementation of initiatives, systems, and frameworks that drive high standards of performance and ensure the integrity of compliance processes.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead, manage and develop the Compliance and Environment team to ensure a highly skilled, flexible and responsive team to deliver business priorities and commitments within agreed timeframes, quality standards and budgets.
• Provide expert, specialist advice on compliance and environmental policy and legislation to embed best practice in program design and development and inform evidence-based decision making.
• Develop, build and maintain stakeholder relationships through effective communication, negotiation and issues management to influence and shape decision making on key issues and priorities.
• Identify the need for risk assessments associated with school infrastructure assets, workplaces and facilities and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure they are planned and undertaken in compliance with legislative requirements and department procedures.
• Monitor, review and analyse the efficiency and effectiveness of current compliance and environment procedures to determine opportunities for process improvements within the current regulatory framework.
• Manage and maintain critical compliance and environmental management systems and data to support the integrity of information for management decision making.
• Manage and oversee the preparation of high-quality reports, briefings and related correspondence to support the development of new compliance and environmental management programs, policies and strategies.

For further information, please click here to view the role description

About you

You are a strong people leader with deep subject-matter expertise in compliance and environmental management. You thrive on complexity and collaboration and have a track record of successfully managing regulatory programs, building partnerships, and driving performance improvements in large organisations.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Demonstrated leadership experience in compliance and environmental management within a large, complex organisation.
• Extensive knowledge of relevant WHS, environmental legislation, and associated standards and codes.
• Strong stakeholder engagement, consultation, and negotiation skills.
• The ability to lead high-performing teams and build collaborative partnerships across internal and external stakeholders.
• Proven experience in the development, implementation and review of compliance strategies and frameworks.

Essential requirements of the role

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in Work Health and Safety, Environmental Science or a related field and/or demonstrated equivalent professional experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading a team in a large organisation.
• Extensive knowledge of WHS and environmental compliance and legislation and strong working knowledge of relevant regulations, codes of practice, standards and guidelines.
• Proven experience in developing and delivering compliance and environmental programs.
• Current driver’s licence.
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to the value of public education.
• Knowledge of and commitment to implementing the Department’s Aboriginal Education Policy and upholding the Department’s Partnership Agreement with the NSW AECG and to ensure quality outcomes for Aboriginal people.

Benefits

• Flexible working arrangements
• 35 hour working week
• Competitive, salary sacrificing, employer’s contribution to superannuation and annual leave loading
• Flex Leave entitlements, generous holidays & leave conditions
• Opportunities for advancement and mobility across the Department to support your career growth

How to apply

If you’re ready to lead with impact, we want to hear from you!

Please attach a resume (maximum 5 pages) and a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) outlining how you meet the requirements and capabilities of this role.

Please refer to the Applicant’s Guide to Applying to assist you with your application.

If you are an existing Education Support Staff (corporate staff) with the NSW Department of Education, click here for instructions on how to submit your application.

All other applicants please submit your application by clicking ‘Apply Now’.

Note: the selection process will include a range of assessment techniques to assist in determining your suitability for the role. Successful candidates will be required to undertake pre-employment screening for this role which includes a National Criminal History Check.

Closing date Monday 28 July 2025 at 11:59pm 

For role enquiries please contact Rosemary Gerardis, Director Strategy, Governance and Compliance at Rosemary.Gerardis@det.nsw.edu.au or on 0459 847 649

We welcome applications from all ages and genders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse groups, the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, refugees and people with disability. If we can make some adjustments to our recruitment/interview process to better enable you to shine, please contact the Diversity and Inclusion Team (dandi@det.nsw.edu.au) or visit NSW Department of Education Diversity and Inclusion.

A recruitment pool may be created through this recruitment process. A recruitment pool is a group of applicants who have been assessed and identified as suitable for this role, and who may be considered for a range of similar roles, including temporary, term or ongoing roles, over the next 18 months.