Program Manager – Resilient Reefs Initiative (Pacific-focused) – Brisbane / Cairns / Townsville

ABOUT THE GREAT BARRIER REEF FOUNDATION (GBRF)

The Great Barrier Reef is a global icon and an irreplaceable ecosystem. It holds significant cultural, environmental, and economic value to Australia and is home to thousands of species of marine life. Our Reef is facing increasing pressure from multiple threats, the most pressing being climate change. Without intervention, including a rapid upscaling of restoration and conservation actions, we are projected to lose 90% of coral reefs by 2050.

For over 20 years the Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF) has served as the lead charity for the Reef, forging partnerships and investment across business, philanthropy, science, conservation, community, First Nations and government to design and deliver solutions that deliver a better future for coral reefs. Right now, the GBRF manages a portfolio (valued at $800m) of over 400 projects involving more than 500 delivery partners.

In addition to the Great Barrier Reef, GBRF’s geographic focus includes the Pacific. We are building on six years of work in the Pacific through the Resilient Reefs Initiative (a global project that includes sites in Australia, Belize and the Pacific) with a second phase to this Initiative that is focussed solely on the Pacific region.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Program Manager role sits within the Projects and Partnerships team. This role will support administration, reporting, monitoring & evaluation, communications and engagement for the second phase of GBRF’s Resilient Reefs Initiative (RRI) that will focus on the Pacific Islands Region.

The RRI is a global partnership that brings together local communities, reef managers and resilience experts to develop new solutions to adapt to the effects of climate change and local threats. In its second phase, the Initiative will accelerate adaptation of reef ecosystems and coastal communities across three-quarters of Pacific Island Countries and Territories by strengthening capacity of more than 1000 project owners and partners, connecting the region to dozens of global tools, building a pipeline of resilience projects that improve key habitats and communities, and connecting capital to the people and places that need it most.

Under the guidance of the Resilient Reefs Director, the Program Manager will support the design and delivery of both RRI 2 streams of work:

1. Pacific Resilience Hubs – established at three strategic sites, the Hubs will showcase a model for collective action, donor coalitions and high impact conservation outcomes across the Pacific region.
2. Pacific Resilience Accelerators – intended to generate a high impact, investable, region-wide pipeline of projects. These intensive collaborations will rapidly accelerate the design of locally owned resilience projects, build system readiness, and institutional capacity, broker donor collaborations and connect projects with the funding they need to take action now.

RRI-2 will eventually fund a suite of projects and local implementation partners, this role will support the administration of those funding relationships between GBRF and local partners.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Demonstrated capability in project and grant administration including contract and data management (minimum five-years project management experience)
• Highly tuned organisational skills and time management skills
• Superior communication skills, interpersonal skills, mature judgement and tact in working with a diverse range of government and non-governmental stakeholders. Ability to work in a multicultural environment with sensitivity, a team approach and respect for diversity.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively engage with partners and stakeholders to support information exchange and the collaborative design and delivery of projects.
• Good understanding of climate change, environmental issues and coral reefs in the Pacific Islands and their relevance to different development sectors,
• Ability to travel on occasion to support project activities (mostly to the Pacific Region)
• Preference will be given to applicants that fulfil the skills and experience requirements and identify as a Pacific Islander and/or have work experience in the Pacific Region.

JOB LOCATION

The role is based in Australia (Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville) with scope to work remotely from another location within Australia.

OTHER

• Permanent Full-Time
• Flexible work arrangements are available
• Applications will be assessed as we receive them

A position description is attached.