Reports To: Chief Operations Officer

Location: Queenscliff, Williamstown or Rosebud (neg) + travel

Remuneration: SES 1 ($225,000 - $290,600 TRP)

About Parks Victoria

Parks Victoria is a statutory authority responsible for managing a diverse estate of more than 4 million hectares including 3,000 land and marine parks and reserves making up 18% of Victoria's landmass, 75% of Victoria's wetlands and 70% of Victoria's coastline. Our estate attracts more than 100 million visits annually, and we are committed to providing accessible, enjoyable, diverse programmes and destinations whilst protecting and enhancing environmental and cultural values.

Position Overview

The Director Maritime & Waterways is a pivotal executive role within Parks Victoria's Operations and Delivery Division. You will lead a team responsible for the management of 17 marine national parks and sanctuaries, including the Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park, Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park, Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary and Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary, along with designated local ports and waterways (Port Phillip Bay, Western Port Bay, the Yarra River, Maribyrnong River and Patterson River, Lake Moodemere, Albert Park Lake and the ex-HMAS Canberra Reserve).

The directorate is also responsible for controlling vessel access in these areas, as well as the management and maintenance of about 200 piers and jetties, 100 water access points (such as boat ramps, rowing launches and slipways) and 800 navigation aids, and moorings and berths.

This role is critical to Parks Victoria's success as the organisation undergoes significant transformation, getting 'back to basics' to improve performance in ensuring Victoria's diverse network of parks and reserves remain accessible for all visitors to enjoy whilst protecting natural and cultural values.

Your Experience and Attributes

Proven executive leadership experience in complex operations, ideally with infrastructure, project management or asset management backgrounds

Strong project management expertise with experience in capital delivery, asset maintenance and contract management across diverse operational environments

Demonstrated capability in financial management including budget development and management of resource allocation and delivery plan implementation

Outstanding stakeholder engagement skills with experience managing diverse community interests, building trust-based relationships and engaging in difficult conversations when required

Exceptional problem-solving abilities with experience in asset management, commercial relationships and heritage considerations

Experience leading dispersed teams through organisational change whilst building collaborative, outwardly-focused partnerships and embracing accountability frameworks

Cultural competence with Traditional Owners and commitment to place-based leadership approaches with understanding of self-determination principles

Strong communication skills with ability to hold teams accountable to organisational priorities and drive customer service excellence

We seek leaders who are customer experience focused, demonstrate state-wide perspective whilst delivering tailored local solutions, and can collaborate effectively across all organisational levels.

How to Apply

Candidates are strongly encouraged to review the ‘Candidate Briefing Pack’ and ‘Position Description’ prior to enquires or lodging an application. Documents are available for download via https://peterwilliampartners.com/pv-director-maritime-and-waterways

Application Instructions
To apply for the Director Maritime & Waterways position, please submit the following documents:

A current Resume

A one-page Cover Letter outlining your location and suitability for the role

Your Cover Letter MUST outline your interest in the position and demonstrate how your experience aligns with the position’s responsibilities, including the requirement to travel within the region / state.

Responses to key selection criteria are not required but may be requested at a later stage of the assessment process.

Please email your application documents in MS Word or PDF format to: [email protected]

For a confidential discussion, please contact Dean Unkles, Managing Director,
Peter William Partners on +61 433 822 718 or [email protected]

Queries close: 5pm AEST Tuesday 22nd July 2025

Applications close: 5pm AEST Friday 25th July 2025

We encourage candidates to submit applications in advance of the close date.

Applicants must be either an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or hold a valid working visa.

Incomplete applications will NOT be acknowledged.

Peter William Partners have been exclusively retained by Parks Victoria to deliver this executive search. Any unsolicited applications will be redirected to Peter William Partners and managed via the campaign. If you experience any difficulty in lodging your application online, please contact [email protected]