Program Manager, Sustainability & EcoBiz

The core mission is to run and grow Business Chamber Queensland's sustainability portfolio, with ecoBiz as the flagship program. Day to day, that means overseeing project delivery from design through implementation and evaluation, managing budgets, milestones and reporting against contractual and funding obligations, and making sure the program actually reaches the businesses it is meant to serve. A large share of the role is funding-facing. You would prepare grant applications, tender responses and business cases, and work to diversify revenue streams so the programs are not dependent on a single funding source. That blends program management with a commercial and partnership instinct. Longer term, the objective looks like continuous improvement and expansion, piloting new services around carbon management, climate risk and the circular economy, and positioning the Chamber as the practical sustainability partner for Queensland business. Representing the organisation at forums and industry events is part of how that reputation gets built.

You would likely gain deep exposure to how government-funded sustainability programs actually work, the grant cycles, acquittal processes, contractual reporting and governance that sit behind publicly funded initiatives. That skill set is transferable to consultancies, industry bodies, government agencies and corporates running similar programs. On the technical side, the role sits close to carbon management, climate risk and circular economy topics, so expect to build working fluency in ESG frameworks and environmental program design, even if the job is more managerial than analytical. There is also a clear stakeholder and commercial learning curve: writing winning tenders and business cases, pitching to funders, and building relationships across government and industry. For someone wanting to move toward program leadership or sustainability partnership roles, this is a strong proving ground.

The ideal candidate probably has several years leading complex programs or government-funded initiatives, ideally in sustainability, environment or a related policy-adjacent field. A pure project manager without sustainability grounding, or a pure sustainability specialist without program delivery experience, would each be only half the profile. Expect strong writing to matter enormously. Grant applications, tender submissions and business cases are called out explicitly, so evidence of successful funding wins or proposals is probably the single most differentiating qualification. Financial literacy, governance and reporting capability round that out. On the softer side, this needs someone comfortable moving between a government department, an industry association and a small business owner in the same week. A proactive, solutions-focused mindset and genuine passion for sustainability outcomes matter, and any prior exposure to ecoBiz or Queensland's business support ecosystem would be a strong bonus.

Because this is a newly elevated role, the strongest applications will show you understand what changed and why: that it now combines strategic leadership with hands-on delivery. Frame your experience around programs you have both designed and run, not just managed from a distance. Give specific numbers where you can: funding secured, programs scaled, businesses reached, contractual outcomes met. The job description leans heavily on grant applications, tenders and business cases, so a concrete example of a funding win and how you built the case will land better than generic program management language. If you have touched carbon, climate risk or circular economy content, name it. In interviews, expect questions about stakeholder management across government, industry and small business, and about how you would grow ecoBiz. Showing familiarity with Queensland's business environment, and genuine curiosity about what SMEs actually need on sustainability, will signal you have done your homework on the Chamber's role.

The sustainability focus here is largely capacity-building for small and medium businesses rather than the Chamber's own operational footprint. ecoBiz, which helps businesses measure and improve resource efficiency and environmental performance, is the anchor, so the role is about enabling others' sustainability progress at scale. Content-wise, the posting points to carbon management, climate risk and the circular economy as the themes the team works on. That suggests a mix of helping businesses understand their emissions, prepare for climate-related risks and rethink materials and waste, all pragmatic, SME-oriented rather than deep technical disclosure work. There is also a governance and funding dimension to the sustainability story: ensuring publicly funded programs deliver measurable outcomes and remain credible. The role sits at the intersection of environmental impact, economic resilience and public accountability, which is a distinctive angle in the sustainability job market.

The biggest challenge is likely the funding dependency. Many industry-body sustainability programs live or die by government grants and contract cycles, so part of this role is constantly securing the next round of support while delivering the current one. That can feel precarious and demands resilience. Stakeholder complexity is another pressure point. Balancing government expectations, industry interests and the practical realities of small business owners, who are often time-poor and sceptical of sustainability jargon, requires real dexterity. Program uptake is never guaranteed, even with a good design. Finally, the dual strategic-and-operational mandate of a newly elevated role can be demanding. You might be writing a business case in the morning and troubleshooting program logistics in the afternoon, with limited room for either to slip. Prioritisation and comfort with ambiguity would matter a great deal.

A typical day could swing between program delivery and business development. You might start with a team check-in on ecoBiz delivery, review a milestone or budget report, then spend time drafting or refining a grant application or funding proposal, which is a recurring thread in this role. Much of the week is stakeholder-facing. That could mean a call with a government funder, a meeting with an industry partner, or a workshop session with businesses going through the program. Relationship management is continuous rather than episodic. There would also be quieter analytical time, reporting against contractual obligations, monitoring program data, scoping new pilots or process improvements. Periodically, you would represent the Chamber at forums or industry events, which adds travel and public-facing variety. The mix shifts depending on where funding cycles and program milestones sit.

This role looks designed as a launchpad into program leadership. As a newly elevated position reporting to the Head of Programs, it puts you close to strategic decision-making and gives you visible ownership of a flagship program, which is exactly the kind of scope that supports promotion into a head-of-function role. Skill-wise, you would deepen expertise in government funding, partnership development and sustainability program design, a combination valued across industry bodies, consultancies, government agencies and corporate ESG teams. Successfully growing ecoBiz or diversifying its funding would be a demonstrable, portable achievement. There is also lateral potential: the Chamber's broad remit across advocacy, products and services means exposure to policy, member services and business support functions, so movement within the organisation is plausible for someone who performs well and wants to broaden their remit.

Internally, you would work closely with the Head of Programs, your program team, and colleagues across member services, advocacy and finance who support reporting, governance and business development. Given the Chamber's size at around 87 staff, internal relationships are likely close and cross-functional. Externally, the stakeholder map is broad and central to the job: government departments and funding bodies who commission and fund the programs, industry associations and partners who collaborate on delivery, and the small and medium businesses participating in ecoBiz itself. Each group has different expectations and language. You would also engage with subject-matter experts and service providers on carbon, climate risk and circular economy topics, and represent the Chamber at forums and events. Managing this spread (public sector accountability, industry collaboration and business-level practicality) sits at the heart of the role.