Are you ready to lead the charge in climate change risk management? The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is seeking a Climate Change Risk Manager to spearhead innovative initiatives across NSW. This is your chance to make a significant impact on environmental policy and sustainability.
Joining this role now is a strategic move for any professional passionate about climate change. This is a temporary 12-month role which is perfect for candidates with private sector experience to trial working in government and build really valuable government skills. Obviously that will make you a standout candidate for any future roles in this space.
With the support of the Unofficial Guide to Mastering NSW Government Recruitment and a free NSW cover-letter template, you can craft a compelling application that stands out.
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Climate Change Risk Manager Salary and Overview
| Position Title | Climate Change Risk Manager |
| Organisation / Entity | Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development |
| Location | Statewide with preference for Regional NSW |
| Work Type | Full-Time |
| Base Pay | Starting from $145,378.00 + super and leave loading |
| Closing Date | 01/07/2025 – 11:55 PM |
About the Climate Change Risk Manager at Enabling Services
The Climate Change Risk Manager position is a pivotal role within the Governance, Risk & Audit division of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. This temporary opportunity, lasting up to 12 months, places you at the forefront of climate change risk management. You will lead the integration of climate initiatives across the department, collaborating with NSW Treasury and other departments to manage climate risks effectively.
Your role will involve engaging with climate science and sustainability experts to provide insights that influence decision-making at the highest levels. This is more than just a risk management position; it’s about fostering a positive climate risk culture and building internal capabilities in climate risk management. Your ability to translate complex climate issues into actionable strategies will be crucial in this role.
Why Climate Change Risk Manager Is a Great Opportunity
This role offers a competitive starting salary and the chance to influence significant change within the NSW government.
- Lead strategic climate change initiatives across NSW.
- Multiple locations available across the state.
- Temporary full-time role with potential for career advancement.
The fact that this is a temporary opportunity makes this ideas for external candidates with the right experience. Temporary roles can sometimes be less competitive and represent a great opportunity to get hands-on government experience.
Application Requirements for Climate Change Risk Manager
Application Process
To apply, submit your current Resume/CV and a Cover Letter (max. 2 pages) outlining your relevant skills and experience, and why you’re our ideal candidate.
- Resume/CV
- Cover Letter (max. 2 pages)
What to Include in Your Government Cover Letter
To apply for Climate Change Risk Manager, you’ll need a strong, evidence-based cover letter. Include clear examples showing how you meet the criteria below.
- Proven track record in climate change risk management
- Deep understanding of climate science and sustainability
- Experience in leading strategic initiatives
- Adept at coordinating and collaborating across functional areas
- Crucial ability to engage with senior leaders and stakeholders
- Knack for building internal capabilities and knowledge in climate risk management
- Passionate about influencing positive change
- Strong analytical skills
- Ability to translate complex climate issues into actionable strategies
There are a lot of criteria to include in your cover letter. I’ve demonstrated below exactly how to craft STAR method examples that effectively address multiple criteria.
Climate Change Risk Manager Application Checklist
| Read the full job ad | Climate Change Risk Manager |
| Draft with the free template | NSW Government Cover Letter Template |
| Use the STAR method | STAR Method Guide |
| Really want this role? Get the $39 Cover-Letter Review | NSW Government Cover Letter Review |
| Submit & prep for interview by 01/07/2025 | Prepare thoroughly |
Candidate Profile — Climate Change Risk Manager
Meet Anthony, a seasoned professional transitioning from the private sector, where he built a strong career in environmental management and risk analysis.
Anthony most recently worked as a Senior Risk Analyst at a leading environmental consultancy, overseeing national projects focused on climate risk assessment, regulatory compliance, and sustainability planning. In this role, he collaborated with government clients and industry stakeholders to develop mitigation strategies aligned with state and federal environmental policy.
Prior to that, Anthony spent five years as an Environmental Advisor for a major infrastructure firm, where he helped embed risk frameworks into long-term project planning and drove internal policy reforms to support ESG goals. His ability to translate complex climate data into clear, actionable advice has positioned him as a trusted voice in managing climate-related risk. With a strong foundation in stakeholder engagement, policy interpretation, and operational planning, Anthony brings a highly transferable skillset to this government opportunity.
Example Cover Letter — Climate Change Risk Manager
Dear Hiring Manager,
I am writing to express my interest in Climate Change Risk Manager position.
With over a decade of experience in environmental management, climate science, and enterprise risk leadership, I offer a proven track record in climate change risk management and a strong ability to drive high-impact, cross-sector climate initiatives from concept to implementation.
Most recently, I worked as a Senior Risk Analyst with a national environmental consultancy where I led a major strategic engagement with a Tier 1 infrastructure operator. The client sought to embed climate risk into their core risk and investment decision frameworks following new APRA guidance. This initiative required a deep understanding of climate science and sustainability, including both physical risk modelling and transition scenario analysis.
The organisation had limited visibility over its exposure to climate risks across critical assets and services. I initiated the engagement by conducting a structured diagnostic using IPCC-aligned scenario modelling and sector-specific vulnerability indices. I developed a tailored climate risk register, categorising over 40 potential risks across domains such as infrastructure resilience, legal compliance, and workforce safety. I also mapped each risk to probability-impact matrices aligned with the client’s enterprise risk framework.
To enable cross-functional delivery, I established and chaired a steering group involving senior leaders from finance, legal, sustainability, and operations. This demonstrated my ability to be adept at coordinating and collaborating across functional areas. I worked closely with the CFO to align climate metrics with financial risk appetite and collaborated with legal and insurance leads to assess contractual and liability implications.
Engaging senior leadership was pivotal. I developed and presented climate literacy briefings for the Executive Leadership Team and Board, using tailored visualisations and risk narratives to bridge technical content and strategic relevance. This project reflected my crucial ability to engage with senior leaders and stakeholders, ensuring alignment and shared ownership of outcomes.
From there, I designed and piloted a new governance framework that embedded climate risk into business case approvals, project delivery, and annual performance planning. I authored policy recommendations and worked alongside the internal audit team to implement a climate assurance process. Ultimately, the strategy was endorsed by the Board and integrated into the organisation’s corporate plan—helping them become one of the first in their sector to meet regulator expectations. This outcome reflects my experience in leading strategic initiatives and delivering measurable results in high-accountability environments.
A critical success factor was ensuring internal capability uplift. I developed a climate risk training toolkit, led multiple knowledge-sharing workshops, and introduced a tiered self-assessment template that enabled business unit leads to assess risk independently. This practical investment in staff capability reflects my knack for building internal capabilities and knowledge in climate risk management, a priority I carry through every project.
Beyond this engagement, I bring well-developed strong analytical skills grounded in both technical and policy contexts. I have conducted risk heatmapping for complex asset portfolios, undertaken climate impact modelling using regionalised datasets, and regularly briefed executive stakeholders on risk convergence with ESG, net zero, and resilience priorities. I also have experience navigating complex datasets to inform decisions under uncertainty—skills essential to robust climate risk assessment.
Throughout my career, I’ve built a reputation for my ability to translate complex climate issues into actionable strategies. I bridge technical modelling with strategic advice, and I consistently deliver practical, structured frameworks that organisations can own and maintain long after external support ends.
Above all, I am passionate about influencing positive change. Climate change demands not just technical proficiency, but a deep commitment to equity, stewardship, and long-term thinking. I see this role as a meaningful opportunity to contribute to the State’s leadership in climate adaptation and resilience—and to help shape decisions that will impact communities for generations to come.
I would welcome the opportunity to bring my expertise to your team and contribute to the state’s evolving climate risk agenda.
Thank you for considering my application.
Kind regards,
Anthony
How to Use the STAR Method for Climate Change Risk Manager Applications
The STAR method is a structured way of writing examples in your application to show exactly how you’ve demonstrated a capability in real life. It stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. NSW Government hiring managers expect applicants—especially for senior roles like Climate Change Risk Manager—to provide clear, outcome-focused examples that follow this format.
You can see a strong example of this structure in Anthony’s cover letter above:
- Situation: A major infrastructure client needed to embed climate risk into its enterprise risk and investment frameworks, in response to emerging regulatory expectations.
- Task: Anthony was responsible for leading the organisation through a climate risk diagnostic, aligning physical and transition risks with strategic planning, and ensuring executive-level engagement.
- Action: He initiated and led the diagnostic using IPCC scenarios and sector-specific indices, developed a tailored risk register, and chaired a steering group that included senior leaders from finance, legal, operations, and sustainability. He designed executive briefings, built internal governance processes, and developed practical tools to help business units assess climate risks independently.
- Result: The Board formally endorsed the new Climate Risk Strategy, integrating it into the corporate plan. The regulator publicly recognised the organisation’s leadership, and internal capability was strengthened through staff toolkits and policy reform.
This example clearly demonstrates multiple capabilities in one response—without needing to list them individually. By following the STAR method, your application becomes easier to follow, more persuasive, and more aligned to what NSW hiring panels are looking for.
Preparing for Your Climate Change Risk Manager Government Interview
NSW government interviews involve a panel format, focusing on capabilities and STAR method delivery. Here are three sample interview questions to help you prepare:
- Can you tell me about a time when you influenced decision-making at a high level?
- Describe an instance where you had to build internal capabilities in climate risk management.
- How have you engaged with senior leaders to drive climate change initiatives?
Don’t leave your interview preparation to chance—book a practice interview session today!
Get Your Climate Change Risk Manager Application Ready Now
Direct your attention to the iWork for NSW job ad to ensure you have all the details you need. Enhance your application with the $39 Cover-Letter Review and get started with the free NSW cover-letter template.
