Do you have a passion for environmental conservation and want to make a tangible impact in NSW?
The Senior Project Officer role for the Reconnecting River Country Program offers you the chance to lead initiatives that improve the health of the Murray and Murrumbidgee River systems. This is your opportunity to work with a team dedicated to creating thriving environments and communities.
As a Senior Project Officer, you’ll play a pivotal role in delivering the Reconnecting River Country Program, a key initiative under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. This program is focused on enhancing the environmental health of river systems by reconnecting rivers to wetlands and floodplains, working collaboratively with First Nations people, landholders, and the broader community.
Learn more about the NSW Government recruitment process and access a free cover letter template to get started on your application.
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Reconnecting River Country Program Senior Project Officer Salary and Overview
| Position Title | Senior Project Officer – Reconnecting River Country Program |
| Organisation / Entity | Water |
| Location | Statewide, Regional NSW / Riverina & Murray |
| Work Type | Full-Time |
| Base Pay | $129,464 to $142,665 plus super |
| Closing Date | 20/08/2025 – 11:55 PM |
About the Reconnecting River Country Program Senior Project Officer
As a Senior Project Officer in the Reconnecting River Country Program, you will lead a multidisciplinary team to deliver safe, efficient, and well-coordinated operational activities that support healthier river systems.
Backed by $274 million in funding until December 2026, this flagship Murray–Darling Basin Plan initiative works to remove physical, operational, and policy constraints that limit water flows. By enabling rivers to better connect with wetlands and floodplains, the program helps restore ecosystems, protect species, and maximise the benefits of water recovered for the environment.
This temporary full-time role is based in Albury, Wagga Wagga, or another southern NSW office by negotiation, and runs until 31 December 2026 (aligned with program funding). You will balance competing priorities, manage budgets, and lead your team to achieve safe and effective outcomes. Strong communication skills are essential, as you will engage with diverse stakeholders to resolve issues and progress program objectives. Knowledge of the Murray–Darling Basin’s floodplain and wetland ecology will be highly regarded.
Why Senior Project Officer Is a Great Opportunity
This is a genuine government project position working directly on a major, multi-million-dollar program with dedicated funding and well-defined goals. It’s a significant environmental initiative offering competitive remuneration and clear pathways for professional growth.
Here’s why it’s worth considering:
- Inclusive collaboration — chance to work with diverse stakeholders, including First Nations communities.
- Attractive salary — especially appealing for professionals moving from the private sector.
- Security with potential — temporary full-time role with the possibility of ongoing opportunities.
- Work-life balance — flexible locations and hybrid working arrangements.
- Meaningful impact — ideal for those with strong project management skills and a passion for environmental conservation.
Application Requirements for Senior Project Officer
Water Application Process
Follow the application instructions closely to avoid being screened out early. Make sure you provide all required documents in the correct format — incomplete or incorrectly formatted applications may be rejected without review.
You’ll need to include:
- Cover letter outlining your interest in the role and demonstrating your suitability
- Resume
There’s no specific guidance on length for this role, but I recommend a 3-page CV and a 2-page cover letter. Your cover letter should directly address the role’s capabilities, which I’ve outlined below. You can start drafting yours now using this free NSW Government cover letter template.
What to Include in Your Senior Project Officer Cover Letter
To apply for the Senior Project Officer role, use your cover letter to introduce yourself to the Hiring Manager and clearly explain how your experience relates to this role. In your cover letter, make sure to use the exact language from the job ad wherever possible.
For this role, you must be able to demonstrate:
- Genuine interest or knowledge of the Murray–Darling Basin’s floodplain and wetland ecology, including key threatening processes.
- Ability to balance competing demands while delivering and coordinating a range of activities.
- Experience leading and supporting a team to achieve safe and effective operational outcomes, as well as administrative and communication deliverables.
- Capacity to maintain a thorough, up-to-date understanding of issues affecting project and program outcomes, and to escalate key issues or risks promptly.
- Strong communication skills with the ability to effectively engage with multiple stakeholders.
- Proven project management skills with a track record of delivering results.
- Experience in staff coordination to ensure smooth operations and team productivity.
- Budget management experience to oversee and control financial resources effectively.
Feeling overwhelmed? Check out the example cover letter below to see how each capability can be addressed clearly and effectively.
Or, skip the stress and get personalised support from an expert government hiring manager. Priority Pass is an exclusive program designed specifically for private sector professionals making the move into government.
Candidate Profile For Reconnecting River Country Program Senior Project Officer
Greg is an experienced Project Coordinator and Business Analyst with a proven ability to deliver complex projects and coordinate cross-functional teams in the private sector. He has strong skills in managing competing priorities, streamlining processes, and maintaining open communication with stakeholders. While Greg has limited direct experience in government operations and water management, he brings transferable expertise in risk management, project scheduling, and budget oversight that can be readily applied in a public sector context.
Greg is a confident communicator with experience engaging clients, contractors, and community representatives, though he has not yet worked extensively with environmental stakeholders. He has a personal interest in the Murray-Darling Basin and is committed to developing his understanding of floodplain and wetland ecology. His mix of project management skills, analytical capability, and willingness to quickly build new sector knowledge positions him as a motivated and adaptable candidate for the NSW Reconnecting River Country Program.
Reconnecting River Country Program Senior Project Officer Example Cover Letter
Dear Hiring Manager,
I am writing to express my interest in the Senior Project Officer position for the Reconnecting River Country Program.
My background as a Project Coordinator and Business Analyst in the private sector has equipped me with the skills, adaptability, and commitment to deliver high-quality outcomes across complex, multi-stakeholder projects. While I have limited direct experience in environmental project delivery, I bring strong transferable capabilities and a genuine passion for the objectives of the NSW Reconnecting River Country Program.
I have a genuine interest in the Murray–Darling Basin’s floodplain and wetland ecology and an awareness of key threatening processes. Over the past two years, I have completed online courses in Australian water management and environmental impact assessment to broaden my knowledge. I have also participated in community-led wetland restoration activities, where I learned first-hand about the effects of altered water flows and invasive species. This experience deepened my understanding of the Basin’s ecological challenges and strengthened my motivation to work on projects that protect and restore these vital systems.
I have a strong ability to balance competing demands while coordinating a range of activities. In my current role, I was tasked with delivering a complex systems upgrade while simultaneously maintaining day-to-day operational support for business-critical services. By implementing a priority-mapping system and introducing weekly alignment meetings with stakeholders, I ensured deadlines were met for both streams of work. The project was delivered on time, with minimal operational disruption, and client satisfaction scores improved by 18% in the following quarter.
I have successfully led and supported teams to achieve safe and effective operational outcomes while delivering on administrative and communication commitments. During a large-scale warehouse automation project, I coordinated a multidisciplinary team of technicians, analysts, and logistics staff. I introduced a clear safety reporting framework, ensured all operational changes were documented and communicated, and implemented a digital dashboard for real-time status updates. This not only improved safety compliance by 20% but also reduced administrative backlog by 30%.
I maintain a thorough, up-to-date understanding of issues affecting project and program outcomes and escalate risks promptly. In one instance, while managing a product rollout, I identified early signs of a supply chain delay that could have pushed back delivery by six weeks. I immediately escalated the issue to senior management with a mitigation plan, which involved re-sequencing the rollout and engaging an alternative supplier. As a result, the delay was reduced to just three days, avoiding contractual penalties.
I have strong communication skills and can effectively engage with multiple stakeholders. In a recent project involving multiple international vendors, I facilitated weekly virtual workshops to align project milestones and resolve disputes. By adapting my communication style to suit each audience—ranging from technical specialists to executive sponsors—I helped secure consensus on scope changes that ultimately saved the project over $200,000 in unnecessary development costs.
My project management skills are proven through the consistent delivery of results across scope, schedule, and budget. For example, I managed the rollout of a cloud-based asset management system across 15 sites nationally. I developed a detailed implementation plan, coordinated site readiness checks, and monitored progress against milestones. The rollout was completed two weeks ahead of schedule and under budget, with zero unplanned downtime.
I have extensive staff coordination experience to ensure smooth operations and team productivity. While overseeing a time-sensitive process migration, I coordinated the efforts of ten team members across different locations. I established clear responsibilities, implemented daily stand-ups, and introduced a shared tracking tool for task visibility. This structure allowed the team to work cohesively, resulting in the migration being completed 12% faster than originally forecast.
My budget management experience includes overseeing annual operational budgets of up to $3 million. In my last role, I implemented a monthly financial review process that tracked expenditure against forecast and identified potential overruns early. This enabled targeted cost-saving measures, resulting in a year-end underspend of $150,000 without compromising project quality or delivery timelines.
I am confident that my combination of transferable expertise, leadership skills, and commitment to continuous learning would allow me to contribute meaningfully to the NSW Reconnecting River Country Program. I welcome the opportunity to bring my experience to this important work and to further develop my knowledge of the Murray–Darling Basin’s unique environmental challenges.
Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss how my skills and experience align with your needs.
Kind regards,
Greg
How to Use the STAR Method for Reconnecting River Country Program Senior Project Officer Application
The STAR method is a structured approach to answering behavioural questions, often used in government job applications and interviews. STAR stands for:
- Situation – Describe the context or background.
- Task – Explain your responsibility or goal in that situation.
- Action – Outline the specific steps you took to address the task.
- Result – Share the outcome and any measurable impact.
This method works well for the Senior Project Officer role because it allows you to present concrete, real-world examples that demonstrate your ability to handle the program’s diverse demands. The Reconnecting River Country Program Senior Project Officer needs someone who can manage complex projects, lead teams, and engage with stakeholders while understanding environmental considerations. STAR helps you link your past achievements directly to these requirements in a clear, persuasive way.
Example using a section from Greg’s cover letter – “Ability to balance competing demands”
- Situation: Greg was responsible for delivering a complex systems upgrade while maintaining day-to-day operational support.
- Task: He needed to ensure both the project and ongoing services met deadlines without compromising quality.
- Action: He introduced a priority-mapping system and weekly stakeholder alignment meetings to keep work streams coordinated and on track.
- Result: The project was delivered on time, operational disruption was minimised, and client satisfaction scores increased by 18% in the following quarter.
By structuring examples in this way, you make it easy for the panel to see not only what you have achieved, but how you achieved it. This approach turns general statements into compelling evidence that you have the skills and mindset to succeed in the Senior Project Officer role.
Get Your Senior Project Officer Application Ready Now
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