Associate Director - Environmental Impact Assessment

“Working on complex environmental and planning projects to advance our energy transition has provided me with so many rewarding experiences here at AECOM – I love working with our team here in Newcastle and can really say I feel inspired to turn up to work every day!” – Liam Buxton, Principal Environmental Planner, Newcastle

Work with Us. Change the World.

At AECOM, we're delivering a better world. Whether improving your commute, keeping the lights on, providing access to clean water, or transforming skylines, our work helps people and communities thrive. We are the world's trusted infrastructure consulting firm, partnering with clients to solve the world’s most complex challenges and build legacies for future generations.

There has never been a better time to be at AECOM. With accelerating infrastructure investment worldwide, our services are in great demand. We invite you to bring your bold ideas and big dreams and become part of a global team of over 50,000 planners, designers, engineers, scientists, digital innovators, program and construction managers and other professionals delivering projects that create a positive and tangible impact around the world.

We're one global team driven by our common purpose to deliver a better world. Join us.

Come grow with us.

What legacy to you wan to leave? If you’re driven to shape Australia’s energy transition, influence region-defining infrastructure and deliver environmental solutions with real impact, we’d love to talk to you.

With our growing  pipeline of transformational energy, transport and water projects, we are looking for an Associate Director – Environment Impact Assessment to lead our Newcastle Impact Assessment and Planning team.

You’ll join a passionate group of eight of environmental impact specialists  within an organisation committed to creating meaningful change across Australia and around the world.  You will lead and grow a high-performing team delivering environmental impact assessments across renewable energy, transmission, transport, water, and industrial sectors. AECOM’s EIS portfolio includes the first offshore wind farm EIS, the nation’s longest road tunnel EIS, and the first place-based EIS for an infrastructure project in NSW.

What you'll do

As a senior leader in our Newcastle Impact Assessment and Planning team, you will have the opportunity to shape and grow the capability of the group while building your own leadership profile within AECOM.  This role includes day-to-day management of a team of 8+ environmental impact professionals and having a meaningful voice in the direction of the business, while:

• Managing daily activities of team members to ensure alignment with AECOM’s policies and procedures.
• Supporting staff wellbeing, retention, development and engagement.
• Collaborating closely with the Sydney and Canberra Impact Assessment and Permitting Team Leaders to shape and deliver the annual workgroup plan, including workshare arrangements, resource planning and cross‑office delivery
• Fostering an engaged, motivated and high‑performing team of well‑qualified and experienced professionals.
• Tracking and managing the team’s pipeline of opportunities, ensuring visibility and strong business performance.

What you'll bring

We are seeking a senior, highly experienced environmental approvals professional to lead the delivery of timely, high-quality environmental impact assessments, constraints analyses, strategic assessments and environmental management plans. You will also play a key role in organising project resources, budgets, and timelines to ensure smooth and efficient delivery.

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in Environmental science, planning, town planning or environmental engineering or similar.
• Demonstrated ability to lead the growth, development and performance of teams and individuals.
• Proven ability to build and sustain client relationships through quality delivery, commercial acumen, and trusted advice.
• Deep technical competence in environmental assessments, planning and approvals, due diligence, and land‑use planning.
• REAP Certification, or eligibility and active progress toward certification.

The above experience and qualifications are highly desirable - but if you don’t tick every box, we still encourage you to apply.  We are interested in people with leadership potential, the ability to grow a team, and a passion for environmental outcomes.

Why you’ll love working with us

As the world's most trusted infrastructure consulting firm, we manage our business responsibly and continuously push for better –  whether that’s reducing emissions, creating social value, or diversifying our senior leadership and workforce.

Our team members receive:

• Market competitive salaries
• Professional and technical development opportunities
• Career planning and coaching support
• Industry-leading project management and leadership training
• Paid membership to a recognised industry body
• Study assistance opportunities
• A supportive team culture where we have each other’s backs
• Flexible working arrangements including start/finish times, WFH, part‑time and job share
• Paid parental and partner leave
• Ability to purchase additional annual leave
• Salary packaging options
• Wellbeing benefits including health/fitness rebates, vaccinations, in-office yoga, and health insurance discounts
• Corporate Employee discounts 400+ retailers

Ready to push the limits of what’s possible?

We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including people with disabilities, additional health or mental health needs, and/or neurodiverse conditions. If you require any adjustments during the hiring process, please let us know.

Applications are reviewed as they come in, and the role may close earlier than expected, so if this opportunity sounds like you, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

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#Work180

AECOM acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which we, our clients and our communities live and work around Australia. We pay our respects to their cultures and to their Elders — past, present, and emerging. We are committed to connecting to Country in our work through meaningful engagement with First Nations peoples and businesses.  Find out more about our Australian Reconciliation Action Plan here: https://aecom.com/au/our-vision-for-reconciliation/.

About AECOM

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2024. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity 

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion – a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation and benefits programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We also provide a robust global well-being program. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.