• APS 6 - $95,438 - $108,360 per annum plus superannuation
• Parks Australia Division
• Kakadu National Park

• Contribute to the important work of protecting and managing the cultural heritage of Kakadu National Park, working in genuine partnership with Bininj/Mungguy Traditional Owners under joint management. This role plays a key part in ensuring that cultural knowledge, law and custom guide how we care for rock art, sacred sites, cultural landscapes and heritage places.
• Be part of a committed and close knit Cultural Heritage Team that works across the park – from time on Country with Traditional Owners and ranger groups, to planning, reporting and delivering cultural heritage programs that strengthen culture for future generations. Every day brings variety, from supporting cultural camps and consultations, to overseeing projects that safeguard Kakadu’s living cultural landscape.
• Live and work in one of the world’s most remarkable places – a World Heritage–listed national park recognised for both its cultural and natural values. The role offers the chance to build strong relationships, contribute to meaningful work that connects people to Country, and be part of something that will have a lasting impact for Bininj/Mungguy and the wider community.

Affirmative measure employment
The filling of this vacancy is intended to constitute an affirmative measure under section 8(1) of the 'Racial Discrimination Act 1975'. This vacancy is only available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. 

Who we are 
Australia’s natural and cultural heritage is unique. Our land and seascapes are distinctive, home to plants and animals found nowhere else in the world, and to some of the oldest living cultures on earth. These environments and cultures are an essential part of our national identity, and visitors travel from across the country and the world to experience them. The Director of National Parks (the Director) is responsible for six national parks, the Australian National Botanic Gardens, 58 Australian Marine Parks and the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve established under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. 

Parks Australia is the federal park agency that supports the Director, and they are a division of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (the Department). We work to showcase these natural and cultural wonders to the world, demonstrating to all why these places are so special, and inspiring communities to become more invested in their care and future.

Kakadu National Park is a world-heritage listed site for its natural and cultural values, and one of three national parks, leased by their Aboriginal owners to the Director of National Parks, and jointly managed by Traditional Owners and Parks Australia. Parks Australia assists with ongoing management of the park’s natural and cultural heritage. In addition to ongoing management of the park’s natural and cultural heritage, this branch also manages strategic priorities for Parks Australia, managing a range of strategic planning and major capital projects across the three jointly managed parks.

The Cultural Heritage Team works side by side with Bininj/Mungguy Traditional Owners to look after Kakadu’s cultural values. Guided by Traditional Owner led decision making, we help Bininj/Mungguy care for rock art, sacred sites and cultural landscapes, and support the passing on of knowledge to future generations. We work closely with Traditional Owners, Aboriginal organisations, ranger groups, researchers and tourism partners to keep Kakadu’s culture strong and thriving.

For more information about us please visit our website.

The job
Under the supervision of the EL1 Manager Culture, working in a small team and in accordance with the Lease Agreement, Kakadu Plan of Management and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), the Senior Cultural Heritage Coordinator will help to implement the delivery of Kakadu’s cultural heritage program, guided by park management governance and policies including the cultural heritage working group, An-Garragen – Cultural Heritage Management Plan, the Bim Strategy, and associated action plans. This role works closely with Bininj/Mungguy Traditional Owners and other partners to protect, manage and promote Kakadu’s cultural values, and involves a mix of office-based coordination, stakeholder engagement, and field-based work across the park. Key duties include: 

• Program leadership – Coordinate and implement cultural heritage activities and projects across Kakadu, ensuring cultural knowledge, law and custom guide all decision-making. 
• Consultation and engagement – Facilitate effective consultation with Traditional Owners, ranger groups, Aboriginal organisations, researchers, and other stakeholders to plan, deliver and review cultural heritage work. 
• Field-based activities – Collect field data on the monitoring and maintenance of cultural and historic heritage places using digital data capture devices, and undertake site visits for recording, assessment, and conservation. 
• Oral histories and cultural records – Work with Bininj/Mungguy to record, collate and archive oral histories, cultural narratives and stories, ensuring sensitive and secure management of cultural information in line with CARE principles and Indigenous data sovereignty. 
• Cultural camps and activities – Support and participate in on-Country cultural camps and Traditional Owner-led activities that strengthen intergenerational knowledge transfer. 
• Risk management – Identify emerging issues or risks to cultural and historic heritage, analyse potential impacts, and determine appropriate actions to correct, prevent or mitigate risks.
• Information management – Maintain and update the park’s cultural heritage databases and records management systems, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. 
• Education and awareness – Deliver programs related to the Cultural Information Management System (CIMS), and promote cultural heritage awareness among park staff, visitors, and external partners. 
• Training and mentoring – Provide on-the-job training, advice, and guidance to staff, supporting skill development in a cross-cultural workplace. 
• Program integration – Work with other park sections to ensure cultural heritage considerations are embedded in fire management, feral animal and weed control, tourism planning and infrastructure works. 
• Reporting and compliance – Monitor and report on cultural heritage programs to the Kakadu Board of Management and other forums, ensuring work aligns with management plans and legislative requirements. 
• Team contribution – Participate in other activities that support the work of the park and contribute to a positive, respectful, and collaborative team culture. 

This position requires working both in an office environment and on Country, sometimes in remote and challenging conditions, and plays a central role in ensuring Kakadu’s living cultural landscape is cared for now and into the future.

What you’ll gain from the experience
This role offers the rare chance to work on Country in one of the world’s most significant cultural landscapes, Kakadu National Park, alongside Bininj/Mungguy Traditional Owners. You’ll be part of a joint management partnership where cultural knowledge, law and custom guide how we care for Country. 
You’ll gain: 

• Strong cultural learning through spending time on Country with Traditional Owners, participating in cultural camps, and learning the stories, history and responsibilities connected to cultural sites and landscapes.
• First-hand experience in looking after sacred sites, rock art and cultural heritage places in ways that respect and follow cultural protocols. 
• Skills in two-way management and learning – bringing together Bininj/Mungguy knowledge and western heritage management approaches to keep culture strong. 
• Relationships and trust built through genuine engagement with Traditional Owners, ranger groups, families and community organisations. 
• A deeper understanding of how Aboriginal law, custom and connection to Country shape decision-making and long-term cultural heritage protection. 

This is an opportunity to walk alongside Traditional Owners, contribute to the care of a living cultural landscape, and gain knowledge and experiences that will stay with you for life. 

What we are looking for
We are seeking candidates who can demonstrate the following: 
The successful candidate will have a strong commitment to working in partnership with Bininj/Mungguy Traditional Owners to protect and manage Kakadu’s cultural heritage. 

• Experience, knowledge and skills that demonstrate your ability to work in a cross-cultural environment, lead projects, and ensure cultural values are central to decision-making. 
• Demonstrated experience in cultural heritage management, particularly in working with Aboriginal communities to protect cultural sites, rock art, landscapes and heritage places. 
• An understanding of cultural heritage issues in the context of protected area management, statutory heritage conservation or community-led heritage practice. 
• Strong knowledge of, or the ability to quickly learn, Bininj/Mungguy culture, including cultural protocols for working on Country and with Traditional Owners. 
• Experience in planning, coordinating and delivering field-based cultural heritage activities, such as site recording, monitoring, conservation works, or oral history collection. 
• Experience in building and maintaining collaborative relationships with Traditional Owners, ranger groups, Aboriginal organisations, researchers, and other stakeholders. -Experience managing cultural heritage information and records in a way that respects Indigenous data sovereignty, privacy, and cultural sensitivity. Skills and capabilities
• Demonstrated ability to consult and engage sensitively and effectively with Aboriginal people, including adapting communication styles to cultural contexts. 
• Strong project coordination skills, including planning, logistics, reporting, and the ability to meet deadlines while working in remote or challenging environments. 
• Well-developed problem-solving and risk management skills, including the ability to assess and respond to emerging cultural heritage issues. 
• Effective oral and written communication skills, with the ability to prepare clear advice, reports and presentations for a range of audiences, from Traditional Owners to government stakeholders. 
• Ability to mentor, train and support staff in cultural heritage work, and to contribute to building skills and capacity within the team and community. 
• Proven ability to work independently and as part of a small, cross-cultural team, setting priorities and managing workloads effectively. 
• This role requires a person who can work respectfully in a joint management setting, is comfortable working on Country and in remote conditions, and is committed to ensuring Kakadu’s cultural values are protected for future generations. 

Desirable qualifications

• Tertiary qualifications or equivalent relevant experience in a field related to cultural heritage management or a relevant discipline, such as archaeology, anthropology, history, heritage conservation, cultural site management, or archives and collections management.
• Equivalent professional skills and experience gained through on-the-job training and work in Aboriginal cultural heritage management, preferably in a protected area or community-led context.
• Training or certification in cultural heritage site recording, GIS or spatial mapping, database management, or rock art conservation.
• Experience or qualifications in cross cultural facilitation, Indigenous community engagement, or working within joint management frameworks.

Eligibility and other requirements
Citizenship - to be eligible for employment with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water you must be an Australian citizen.
Pre-employment checks - your suitability for employment will be assessed through a pre-employment screening process. This process includes a requirement to undergo and satisfy a National Police Check, referee checks, character clearance and where required a pre-employment medical assessment, specified mandatory qualification(s) validation and a probation period. 

For additional information, please read the Job Description below.

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DCCEEW Candidate Information Pack [PDF] Opens in new window

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