Senior Environment Advisor – Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal (VRET)

• Help build Victoria's renewable energy terminal for offshore wind
• Hybrid role: 3 days in the office (Crib Point and Melbourne CBD), 2 from home
• Small, close-knit team with engaged regulators

Senior Environment Advisor - The Port of Hastings Corporation
Full time - 5 year maximum term | Crib Point VIC, and Melbourne CBD
Salary Range $136 388.23 - $156 508.63 + Superannuation.

The Organisation

Located in Western Port on the Mornington Peninsula (70km south-east of Melbourne), the Port of Hastings is a Victorian state-owned commercial port. The Port of Hastings Corporation (PoHC), a Victorian Government owned entity within the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) portfolio, manages landside port operations and infrastructure.

For 60 years, the Port has provided a critical gateway for Victoria’s supply chain and energy sectors, handling approximately 25% of Victoria’s fuel imports. PoHC is committed to operating a safe, sustainable and vibrant deep-water port, while supporting the State’s broader transport, infrastructure and economic objectives.

With the development of the Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal (VRET), PoHC is also playing an important role in Victoria’s clean energy transition and supporting the future of offshore wind. VRET represents a significant opportunity to support the delivery of major renewable energy infrastructure and establish the Port of Hastings as a key component of Victoria’s future offshore wind industry.

About the Opportunity

Reporting to the VRET Environment Manager, the Senior Environment Advisor will play a central role in supporting the project’s environmental workstream. You will provide specialist environmental advice, coordinate assessments and approvals, and help develop environmental management plans, approvals strategies and compliance frameworks. You will also support procurement activities and ensure environmental requirements are built into contractor requirements, enabling construction readiness. You will work closely with the project team, contractors, consultants, Local, State and Commonwealth regulators, the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation and Western Port community stakeholders.

This is a full-time, five-year maximum-term role, with the term aligned to the construction program. You will join a small, close-knit team with a strong culture, working on major infrastructure outside the usual road and rail space, with regulators who are engaged in the project. The role is hybrid, with three days a week in the office (split between Crib Point and the Melbourne CBD) and two days working from home. Once construction begins, the team will be based at Crib Point.

Skills and Experience Required

The successful candidate will bring extensive experience in environmental management, with a proven ability to own and run workstreams independently and the judgement to know which questions to ask. You will have worked in sensitive, high-scrutiny environments such as the Great Barrier Reef or Ramsar-listed wetlands, and understand the level of detail and risk these settings demand. Port and marine experience is essential, ideally alongside broad environmental management expertise, as is a background in major projects. You will be a calm, confident stakeholder manager, internally and externally, who works collaboratively and constructively with regulators, navigating approval requirements and flagging barriers early.

A consulting background followed by a move into state major projects would be highly regarded, particularly with pre-planning and impact assessment experience. Government procurement experience, including writing RFPs and preparing for Design and Construct contractor procurement, along with a background in ecology or sustainability, would also be well regarded. Above all, you will be resourceful and self-directed, able to research and work through complex issues drawing on similar work you have delivered before.

What you can expect:

• Make a meaningful impact: Contribute to state-significant infrastructure and energy projects that help shape Victoria’s future, strengthen energy security and deliver tangible benefits to Victorians.
• Grow with PoHC: Join at an exciting time of growth, where the size of our organisation means you can broaden your experience, contribute across diverse priorities and work with people across different teams and disciplines.
• Be part of a connected and constructive culture: Work in an environment where people share ideas, different perspectives are valued, and we work together to achieve shared outcomes.
• Enjoy flexibility and a unique workplace: Benefit from hybrid working arrangements and a recently renovated office surrounded by natural landscapes and stunning ocean views.
• Be on the ground floor of a new industry for Australia: Play a pivotal role in establishing the Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal and help realise the emerging offshore wind sector.

To learn more about:

• The Port of Hastings, visit: portofhastings.vic.gov.au
• The Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal, visit: https://renewableenergyterminal.com.au/

How to Apply

For role-specific information, please contact Nathan Kelly from Talent Nation on 0418 742 529 or nathan@talentnation.com.au. Applications will be considered as they are received, and the advertisement may close earlier if a suitable candidate is identified.

Additional Information

At PoHC, they want their workforce to reflect the diverse Victorian community they serve. PoHC are committed to building a workplace where everyone feels welcome, respected, and valued for who they are. We warmly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, LGBTIQA+ individuals, and people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds.

If you need any adjustments or support to participate fully in the recruitment process, please reach out to the PoHC People & Culture team at peopleteam@portofhastings.vic.gov.au