Senior Nursery Officer

Senior Nursery Officer - Landcare

Permanent Full-time | 35-hour week

Lead the growth of native plants that help shape Lake Macquarie's environmental future.

• Work alongside dedicated environmental professionals and community volunteers, supporting projects that help restore and protect one of Australia's most beautiful natural landscapes.

• Be part of a team that is passionate about protecting and enhancing our natural environment

• Combine your technical nursery expertise with leadership, education and community engagement while making a lasting impact on local conservation outcomes.

LET’S EXPLORE THE JOB 

Lake Macquarie City Council is seeking a Senior Nursery Officer to lead the operation of our Landcare and Sustainable Living Centre nursery and grounds while supporting environmental projects across the city.

This hands-on leadership role is responsible for managing native plant production, supervising staff and volunteers, delivering environmental education initiatives, and ensuring a reliable supply of quality plants for Council and community-led restoration projects. Working closely with internal teams, community groups and environmental partners, you will play an important role in enhancing and protecting Lake Macquarie's natural environment through the cultivation and distribution of locally native species.

What you'll be doing

• Lead the day-to-day operation of Council's native plant nursery and grounds.

• Supervise, support and develop nursery staff and volunteers.

• Plan and implement improvements to increase nursery production, capability and community impact.

• Oversee the propagation, cultivation and supply of high-quality native plants.

• Manage nursery budgets, plant orders and cost recovery activities.

• Maintain nursery records and administration systems.

• Deliver workshops, presentations and educational activities for community groups, volunteers, students and staff.

• Provide specialist advice and support to Landcare groups, Council teams and environmental partners.

• Stay up to date with industry best practice, emerging technologies and trends in nursery operations and natural area management.

Read the position statement and learn more about this exciting opportunity. 

This position may require: 

• Occasional shift and/or weekend work

• Travel and/or work across multiple LGA sites

LET’S HEAR ABOUT YOU 

You're a passionate and experienced nursery professional who thrives in a hands-on environment and enjoys leading others to achieve great outcomes. With strong knowledge of native plant propagation and production, you're committed to delivering high-quality plants that support environmental restoration and conservation projects.

You'll bring proven experience supervising staff and volunteers, along with the ability to build positive working relationships across teams and the community. Organised, proactive and customer-focused, you're comfortable balancing operational, administrative and financial responsibilities while continually looking for ways to improve processes and outcomes.

Most importantly, you'll share our commitment to protecting and enhancing Lake Macquarie's natural environment and be excited by the opportunity to contribute to meaningful projects that benefit our community for generations to come.

You’ll bring:

• Certificate IV in Horticulture or an equivalent qualification.

• Minimum five years' experience in the operation and maintenance of a plant production nursery.

• Strong knowledge of native plant identification, propagation and maintenance.

• Demonstrated experience supervising and leading a team.

• Computer literacy, including Microsoft Office applications and nursery management software.

• Current Class C Driver's Licence.

• Working With Children Check.

LET’S REVEAL THE PERKS

• Competitive salary $90,202 - $104,831 per week plus 12 % superannuation

• Commencing salary set in line with skills and experience with annual reviews available to support movement through the salary range

• Ongoing learning and professional development opportunities.

• A rewarding role that contributes to positive environmental outcomes across the city.

• The opportunity to lead and shape the future direction of Council's native plant nursery.

• A diverse role that combines nursery operations, leadership, community engagement and environmental education.

• The chance to work with passionate staff, volunteers and community groups who share a commitment to environmental stewardship.

• Flexible and contemporary workplace.

• 35-hour working week with flexible work hours

• A supportive team culture focused on collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement.

• We value your health and wellbeing and offer generous discounted gym memberships through our Corporate Fitness program, connect with colleagues through our social club, be inspired by regular wellbeing initiatives, annual flu vaccinations, and confidential support via our employee assistance (EAP) program 

• At Lake Macquarie City Council, we value our staff and the hard work they do. In return we offer a range of benefits click here to view more benefits on offer 

CHOOSE THE LAKE MAC WAY 

We know it is our people that will shape the future of our city. That’s why we’re passionate about providing a workplace that empowers our staff to be creative, innovative and bold. When you join the team at Lake Macquarie City Council, you’re joining a group of people with a commitment to make our city even better. We’re proud of our city and the work we do, and we know you will be too. 

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workforce. We believe that a diverse network of employees, which truly reflects the people it serves and represents, is best equipped to understand and meet the needs of our community. We welcome and encourage applications from all ages and genders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally diverse backgrounds, the LGBTIQ+ community, refugees and people with disability. We understand the skills and attributes veterans can bring to our Council.

LET’S START 

• If you would like to grow your career while helping grow a greener, more sustainable Lake Macquarie, we would love to hear from you! Submit your application by midnight, Sunday 13 September 2026

• For enquiries related to the duties of the role, please contact Simon Lubinski, Landcare Coordinator, on or via email slubinski@lakemac.nsw.gov.au

• For enquiries about the recruitment process click here or please contact Georgina Green, Talent Attraction Partner, on 02 •••• •495 or via email ggreen@lakemac.nsw.gov.au

• Your experience throughout the application process matters to us. If you'd like feedback on your application or interview, don't hesitate to get in touch — we're here for you!

• To complete your online application, you will be asked to upload a copy of your resume and provide responses to questions which are based on the criteria listed in the Position Statement.

• Please note that as part of Lake Macquarie City Council’s recruitment process, prior to an offer of employment being made, recommended candidates may be subject to a medical assessment which may include alcohol and other drugs testing.