The Invasive Species Council is seeking an organised and proactive Executive Assistant to provide comprehensive administrative and strategic support to our CEO. The EA will ensure the CEO has everything they need to operate effectively and efficiently, from managing their dynamic calendar and communications to anticipating their needs. You’ll be an integral part of the Operations team, reporting to the Operations Manager and collaborating to keep the organisation running smoothly.

This position offers ideal flexibility for candidates with school-aged children or similar commitments.

Position: Executive Assistant to the CEO
Reports to: Operations Manager
Reports: None
Basis: 2-3 days per week casual
Location: Wollongong, NSW (work from home initially, with plans to establish an office in Wollongong in late 2025.)
Duration: 12 months – with extension possible
Salary range: $40-$45 per hour plus super, dependent upon experience

Key responsibilities:

• Administrative Support: Managing files, databases, and general office procedures. 
• Scheduling and Diary Management: Planning and scheduling meetings, coordinating travel arrangements (including for the Board), and managing CEO diary. 
• Communication: Managing incoming emails and outgoing correspondence, and drafting letters and documents. 
• Event Coordination: Organising meetings, conferences and events.
• Project Management: Assisting with project coordination and task management. 
• Financial Management: Managing CEO and Board expenses and reconciliation. 
• Meeting Management: Arranging meetings, minute taking, distributing agendas, and following up on action items. 
• Major donor/Stakeholder Interaction: Administration support to the major donor process including drafting correspondence and scheduling calls.
• Confidentiality: Maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive information. 
• Problem-Solving: Making independent decisions and exercising judgment in prioritising tasks. 
• Strategic Support: Assist with strategic planning and decision-making.

Additional administrative tasks as determined by the CEO or Operations Manager

Essential skills: 

• Demonstrated experience in providing high level administrative support including excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent staff support and public liaison skills with a commitment to providing a high-quality standard of service. 
• Highly developed interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to build positive working relationships and networks. 
• Excellent time management skills and the ability to identify and lead improvements and efficiencies within a small and busy organisation
• Proactive approach to supporting a busy CEO and anticipating their needs.
• Proven ability to work autonomously and as part of a team and to enhance positive workplace culture. 
• Ability to attend twice yearly staff face-to-face meetings, which occur at variable locations across Australia.

Desirable: 

• General familiarity with environmental and invasive species issues.
• Experience working with an environmental or other non-government or for-purpose organisations
• Understanding of organisational systems, processes and governance.

   

Location:

This Wollongong-based position initially operates remotely, transitioning to a hybrid model once our Wollongong office is established in late 2025.

Applications

Please send to recruitment@invasives.org.au

• a resume including at least two referees and
• cover letter explaining how you meet each of the selection criteria (bullet points preferred)

Applications that do not directly address each criterion will not be accepted. ISC is an equal opportunity employer. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply.

We encourage interested candidates to apply early. Applications will be reviewed continuously, and interviews may be conducted prior to the closing date.

Applications close Sunday 20 July 2025.

Download full position description: Job Description – EA to the CE

Are you a highly motivated and strategic advocate ready to make a significant impact on one of Australia’s most pressing environmental challenges? The Invasive Species Council is seeking Expressions of Interest for a Conservation Director/Senior Advocate to lead our critical advocacy campaigns.

This isn’t a traditional job advertisement. Instead, we’re actively seeking to shape this pivotal role around the right person, whether you’re an experienced leader ready for a senior director position or a dynamic operator eager to step into an exciting and impactful role.

You’ll join an effective and successful team with a proven track record in addressing one of Australia’s most challenging and harmful environmental threats: invasive species. We’re looking for someone who is motivated, strategic, and well-connected, with a demonstrated history of campaign success. This is not a junior role; we’re seeking individuals with significant experience and a desire to make a tangible difference.

While we ideally prefer candidates based in Canberra or Melbourne, we are open to considering exceptional candidates located elsewhere.

Contract and Remuneration

This is a full time, two-year contract with the possibility of extension, dependent on funding and performance. The salary range is $105,000 – $140,000 plus superannuation, commensurate with your skills, experience, and the scope of the role. 4 dpw could be considered for the right candidate.

About the Role

As a senior member of our team, you’ll be responsible for leading high-impact advocacy campaigns to achieve meaningful conservation outcomes. This role can be tailored to a senior director or campaign manager level, depending on your skills and experience.

We’re particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate:

• A love for wildlife and passion for environmental change
• A track record of advocacy success: Proven ability to design, deliver and get results through ambitious, impactful advocacy campaigns.
• Exceptional strategic thinking and campaign leadership: Proven ability to identify campaign opportunities, develop ambitious strategies and motivate action.
• Extensive networks and coalition building mastery: Extensive existing networks, a proven capacity to build relationships with decision makers, and experience forging and nurturing effective alliances across diverse sectors and interest groups.
• Strong media skills: Experience in proactively securing impactful media coverage which drives campaign outcomes and builds power.
• Outstanding communication and influence: Excellent writing and communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to persuasively engage with policymakers, scientists, journalists, and the public on complex conservation issues.
• Highly developed emotional intelligence: Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to identify, assess, and manage yourself, navigate differences, and build confident professional relationships within a geographically dispersed team.
• Leadership and team development (for senior director level candidates): A proven record of effectively managing, mentoring, and motivating staff for at least three years.
• Flexibility for travel: A willingness to travel interstate, often for several days at a time, to attend key meetings and events.

Other Highly Valued Attributes

We also value candidates with:

• Experience translating science into compelling conservation policy analysis and advocacy.
• Experience working with environmental non-governmental organisations.
• Deep understanding of invasive species and broader conservation issues.
• Extensive networks in the agricultural and/or environmental sectors.
• Political networks and experience at national and/or state/territory levels.
• Relevant academic qualifications in conservation, biology, or biosecurity.
• Fundraising experience and/or understanding to support charitable organisations.
  
  

How to Express Your Interest

If you are a passionate advocate with a strong track record and believe you have the skills and drive to excel in this crucial role, we encourage you to submit your expression of interest.

Please send your resume (including at least two referees) and a compelling cover letter explaining your motivation and how your experience directly aligns with this unique opportunity to: recruitment@invasives.org.au.

We will be reviewing applications as they are received, so we encourage you to apply promptly.

For more information refer to the Position Description.  To speak with our CEO, please email recruitment@invasives.org.au

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced, mission-driven policy analyst to join a dynamic team with a successful track record in achieving change to address one of the leading threats to Australia’s environment.

Position: Senior Policy Analyst
Reports to: Policy Director
Basis: Full time (4 dpw may be considered for the right candidate)
Location: Work from home, Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. All locations within Australia considered.
Duration: Two-year contract, extension possible
Salary range: $90,000 to $110,000 per annum plus super, depending on skills and experience. Salary packaging, 1 week paid study or field work leave, plus 3 days additional paid leave over Christmas/New Year leave are part of the package.

Job description

The Senior Policy Analyst will develop and promote compelling evidence-based solutions to strengthen Australia’s biosecurity systems to reduce the threat of invasive species. The analyst will work collaboratively within the conservation team and take responsibility for developing policy across a wide range of invasive species issues, across the invasion curve.

Key responsibilities

• Develop policy proposals: Undertake analysis and develop evidence-based proposals for reforms that advance ISC’s strategic goals to prevent, contain and manage invasive species threats to the environment.
• Build and promote the case for reform: Prepare submissions, briefing notes, policy statements and reports to propose and promote biosecurity reforms. On occasion, participate in advocacy and engage with the media to promote ISC’s proposed policy reforms.
• Build alliances: Liaise and build relationships with science and policy experts to expand ISC’s policy capacity and build support for reform. Provide support for ISC’s Conservation and Science Committee.
• Collaborate and support: Provide information and policy advice to support the work of other Invasive Species Council staff members. Participate in processes such as progress reporting, strategic planning, social media and fundraising to help build a more successful organisation. Proactively contribute to maintain a positive, collaborative and mission-driven organisational culture.

Selection Criteria

Essential

• A deep understanding of environmental science and policy.
• A track-record of developing and promoting evidence-based policy reform proposals.
• Strong skills in absorbing, critically analysing and summarising complex scientific, legal and policy information.
• Confident in thinking outside the box and constructively challenging existing thinking.
• Excellent writing skills for both technical and advocacy documents for different audiences.
• Self-motivated and able to work effectively with minimal supervision and collaboratively as part of a geographically dispersed team.

Desirable

• Experience and understanding of invasion biology and biosecurity law and policy.
• Experience in working on biosecurity policy-making.
• A background in science, economics or law.
  
  

Applications

Please send to recruitment @invasives.org.au:

• a resume with at least two referees and
• a cover letter explaining how you meet each of the selection criteria Applications that do not directly address each criterion will not be accepted.

— PREVIOUS APPLICANTS NEED NOT APPLY —

ISC is an equal opportunity employer. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply.
We encourage interested candidates to apply early. Applications will be reviewed continuously, and interviews may be conducted prior to the closing date.

Applications close 11.59pm Sunday 27 July 2025.

For more information download the full position description or contact Policy Director Carol Booth at carolbooth@invasives.org.au with questions about the role.