ABOUT THE GREAT BARRIER REEF FOUNDATION

Are you purpose driven and wanting to make a difference? Do you love working with smart and passionate people who are dedicated to creating impact for Australia’s most recognisable natural wonder? Do you long to work in a flexible and supportive workplace? We have the role for you!

At the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, we think big. We know the threats to coral reefs are too complex for one person or one solution to solve. That’s why we built a collaborative organisation to raise funds, invest in innovative ideas and design real-world, scalable conservation programs. We work in close partnership with communities, scientists, businesses and governments to do our work, in Australia and in the Pacific.

Our mission is to inspire action and wonder for coral reefs.

We collaborate with more than 600 dedicated partners on conservation projects in Australia and the Pacific. Our work is broad, but falls under our two overarching pillars: coral reef restoration, and island and coastal restoration. This is the critical decade for the world’s reefs. We cannot achieve our mission alone.

You could be the right fit for our team.

BENEFITS

Flexibility that works for you – multiple flexible working arrangement options including hybrid work, flexible hours, compressed weeks, and time off in lieu to design a schedule that fits your life.

Birthday Leave & recharge days

Additional leave offered over the Christmas break

Cultural, Religious and Ceremonial leave

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Opportunities to visit the Reef and volunteer within our programs

Option to purchase additional leave

Tailored induction program

A modern workplace – our Brisbane office is just a 3-minute walk from the South Bank busway and train station, located in the new MOBO building with rooftop pool access and end-of-trip facilities.

Salary Packaging (Please note, the Foundation is an environmental charity and as such employees are not exempt from FBT for salary packaging for some expenses, therefore the staff member will be required to pay the FBT on the relevant expenses they chose to package)

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Manager will lead the design and implementation of monitoring and evaluation methodologies to support the successful delivery of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF) programs. This includes developing and refining program logics and MEL plans to ensure program outcomes across the Foundation are consistently and effectively tracked. A key responsibility will be establishing standardised indicators and metrics that make up our impact framework, along with the methodologies required for their collection.

Collaboration is central to this role. The MEL Manager will support Program Managers to apply consistent and meaningful data collection practices. They will also collaborate with the Project Management Office (PMO), IT Manager, and Communications team to design and deliver impactful Power BI dashboards that clearly visualise program outcomes and impact. In addition, this role will support the Communications and Growth team in incorporating key outcomes and impact measures into external communications and donor reports, ensuring timely and transparent reporting to donors and stakeholders.

Through their expertise, the MEL Manager will play a pivotal role in strengthening the GBRF’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement in its mission to protect the Great Barrier Reef.

THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT WILL HAVE

Demonstrated experience (at least 5 years) in developing fit-for-purpose monitoring, evaluation and learning frameworks with a particular focus on large, complex environmental and social programs and initiatives

Demonstrated experience (at least 5 years) measuring, evaluating and reporting on the impact of large, complex projects and programs and drawing on the lessons learned

Experience building MEL capability within organisations and delivery partners through training, mentoring, and resource development

Ability to thrive in a fast-paced and complex environment with rapidly changing responsibilities

Excellent communication skills, with the ability to prepare high-quality written reports and presentations, and to clearly convey complex information to both technical and non-technical audiences, translating outcomes into practical policy and practice

Demonstrated experience in managing complex projects, including planning, scheduling, budgeting, and resource allocation

Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and creative problem-solving skills, with a proactive and practical approach to identifying and addressing issues

A degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field such as environmental science, conservation management, marine science or social science (Desirable)

Knowledge of and direct experience with the Australian Government MERIT (Desirable)

JOB LOCATION

Brisbane

WORK TYPE

The role is fixed term full time, with a fixed term date of 2 years

Flexible work arrangements are available

The salary range is $120,000 – $130,000 plus super

The job ad closes on 15 September 2025

RECONCILIATION

First Nations people are strongly encouraged to apply. The release of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation’s first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) is a proud moment in our organisation’s 20-year history. We see this achievement as an honour, a responsibility, and an opportunity. Take a look at our RAP plan here: https://www.barrierreef.org/uploads/GBRF-ReflectRAP.pdf

TO APPLY

Please apply by submitting a current resume and cover letter outlining your suitability for the role. Applications will be assessed as they are received.