INTRODUCTION

Are you an experienced field operations manager in the outdoor education, tourism or events space?

Do you have a history of delivering programs to a very high standard?

Do you enjoy managing resources and getting out in the field to help deliver successful programs?

Would you relish the prospect of forging relationships with Traditional Owners and building capacity in Indigenous communities?

Are you ready for your next long-term role at a growing organisation?

Red Earth is looking for two driven Field Operations Managers who are passionate about connecting people to Indigenous homelands. This is an amazing chance for someone to manage the operational delivery of our programs, either in Cape York and Far North Queensland, or across Central Australia and Lake Mungo.

You will be working at the cross-roads of outdoor education and Indigenous space. Depending on the role location, you be based in our Cairns or Alice Springs regional office.

ORGANISATION OUTLINE

We are a small social enterprise with 22 employees focused on connecting school students to remote Indigenous Australia. We do this by creating ten-day Immersion programs to remote Indigenous communities and homelands where students learn from Elders, visit cultural sites, and volunteer on a service project in the community. As we are a small organisation, all employees work closely with one another.

ROLE OUTLINE

The Field Operations Manager is directly responsible for implementing all aspects of a Red Earth immersion program in a region.

The role will be base primarily at either the Cairns Operations Base or Alice Springs Hub. The role also requires about 60 nights of travel throughout the region, in order to foster close working relationships with our community partners and work on the ground supporting exceptional immersions.

Ideally, the Field Operations Manager will have great interpersonal skills and will be able to work in both an office and field environment with a variety of stakeholders.

The role has six main components:

• Building and maintaining strong relationships with 10 -15 Traditional Owners of homelands and communities:
  • Working with Traditional Owners to plan immersion itineraries
  • Organising community skill development & training workshops for the regional community partners, where needed and requested
  • Providing constructive feedback to the region’s community partners
  • Coordinate Traditional Owner and community partner payments for facilitating the immersions
  • Help Traditional Owners and community partners establish long-term goals for their homeland and coordinate community projects to help achieve these goals
  • Developing and onboarding new Traditional Owner, community and homeland partnerships
  • Manage an internal database for storage of homeland information
• Managing equipment, resources and logistics in the region:
  • Be responsible for the maintenance and condition of the immersion equipment
  • Forecast for equipment turnover and keep to budget limitations
  • Manage a large equipment database
  • Manage maintenance schedules of 4WD vehicles, buses and trailers (Central Australia and Lake Mungo role only)
• Overseeing immersions in the region, including:
  • Managing the Immersion Leaders
  • Managing other Red Earth field employees and volunteers in the region
• Identify and conduct risk assessments, document and implement strategies to manage risks and train staff in procedures and compliance:
  
  • Conduct risk assessment of all activities and locations visited by groups and keep records up-to-date and current
  • Review incident data to inform safe practice on immersions
  • Train and role model risk management policies for immersion staff
  • Take driver through our Red Earth Heavy Vehicle training and induction program (Central Australia and Lake Mungo role only)
  • Record keep all driver compliance documentation as part of our Operator Accreditation (Central Australia and Lake Mungo role only)
• Work with Traditional Owners and Head of Region to develop itineraries that provide for powerful and meaningful experiences for travelling students, teachers and adult clients
• Liaising with an internal team to organise immersion and bookings as per the plan made with the Traditional Owner and community partners:
  • Report to the Head of Region, who works remotely out of region
  • Work and manage locally bases field operation support staff
  • Work with remotely based Travel Operations Managers to organise immersions
  • Work with remotely based Relationship Mangers, who prepare the travelling groups, supporting them through our Pre-Departure program

DESIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND EXPERIENCE

• 3+ years of outdoor ed experience
• 3+ years of experience in logistics and planning
• Tertiary qualifications where relevant
• Experience working in Indigenous communities desired but not required
• Experience working with high school students
• Experience supervising staff
• Advanced 4WD experience, or a willingness to be trained
• Experience organising or preparing for large scale events or travel
• Proven ability to follow set processes and systems
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail
• Highly skilled in Microsoft suite of products
• Ability to work to strict timelines with independence and dedication
• Excellent interpersonal and people management skills

For more information, you can view our website here.

Click "Apply Now" to submit your application. 

Red Earth is an equal opportunity employer. In particular, we encourage people who identify as Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander to apply.

A position description is attached below.