Lead Land Access & Approvals - Perth, WA, Australia

The Opportunity

At APA, our purpose is to secure Australia’s energy future. We’re not doing it alone. We’re doing it with our customers and communities as Australia’s energy infrastructure partner, a role our unique experience and expertise positions us to play.

We now have an exciting opportunity available for a Lead Land Access & Approvals to join us in our Access, Approvals and Geospatial Solutions team in Perth, WA on a permanent full-time basis.

Reporting to the Manager, Project Land Access and Stakeholder Engagement, you will play a key role in the development of power projects by leading land access, tenure and stakeholder engagement activities. You will manage statutory approvals, negotiate with key stakeholders, and provide strategic advice to ensure projects meet regulatory requirements and are successfully delivered.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead land access, tenure, stakeholder engagement and statutory approvals activities for power and renewable energy projects through origination, scoping, pre-feasibility and feasibility phases.
• Develop and implement land access, tenure and impact mitigation strategies that support project development objectives and provide competitive advantage in securing new opportunities.
• Manage the preparation, submission and progression of statutory approvals, permits and licences, ensuring compliance with regulatory, First Nations and community requirements.
• Lead negotiations and relationship management with landowners, pastoralists, mining tenement holders, government agencies and other stakeholders to secure land access, tenure rights and project approvals.
• Provide strategic advice on land tenure, stakeholder and approvals requirements, identifying risks, constraints and opportunities to support project feasibility, development schedules and investment decisions.
• Coordinate consultants, contractors and cross-functional teams to deliver project development milestones, approvals and tenure outcomes safely, on time and within budget.
• Support business development activities by assessing land access, tenure and approvals pathways, including associated costs, schedules, risks and feasibility considerations for new projects.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, providing expert guidance and influencing outcomes that support successful project development and delivery.

Your Background

• Tertiary qualification in Law, Planning, Earth Science, Environmental Science, Engineering, Construction, Sustainability or a related discipline; or extensive related experience.

• Extensive experience as a land access and tenure practitioner in Western Australia, with demonstrated expertise in navigating the Land Administration Act 1997 (WA) and the Mining Act 1978 (WA) and their application to major infrastructure, energy, resources or renewable energy projects.

• Strong stakeholder engagement, communication and negotiation skills, with proven experience influencing and negotiating with pastoralists, private landowners, mining tenement holders, government agencies, Traditional Owners and other stakeholders to secure land access, tenure and project development outcomes.

• Strong team-first mindset with a proven ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary teams, share knowledge, support colleagues and contribute to a positive, high-performing workplace culture.

• Demonstrated commitment to a safety-first culture, consistently incorporating safety, risk management and environmental considerations into planning, decision-making and stakeholder engagement activities.

• Highly developed conceptual, analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to provide strategic advice and make sound decisions in complex environments.

• Willingness and ability to travel to remote project locations.

Working at APA

At APA, we’re committed to fostering a safe and inclusive workplace where you can achieve your best.

We offer targeted career development programs designed to accelerate your career, competitive remuneration, employee benefits, flexible working arrangements, and wellbeing initiatives are all part of what we’ll offer you. Our inclusive parental leave policy offers 18 weeks of leave, including superannuation, to support parents at work and in life.

We employ around 2,000 people across Australia and are committed to building a high-performing, customer-focused organisation where everyone feels safe, valued, and trusted to perform at their best.

We are APA

At APA, we’re taking on one of Australia’s greatest challenges:​ the energy transition.​ We’re not doing it alone. We’re doing it as Australia’s energy infrastructure partner, a role our unique experience and expertise positions us to play.​

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We proudly own, operate and manage a diverse $20 billion portfolio of assets which deliver essential services to communities and customers across Australia. And we own more than 15,000 kilometres of gas pipelines which deliver energy to households and businesses across every corner of Australia.

As the partner of choice in delivering infrastructure solutions for the energy transition, we’re focused on bundled remote grid energy solutions, electricity and gas transmission, and future energy, including hydrogen and carbon capture and storage.

Our customer focused approach means we understand our customers and offer them reliable, innovative, and cost-effective energy solutions that support their decarbonisation ambitions.

We are committed to securing Australia’s energy future by delivering infrastructure solutions for Australia’s energy transition and supporting the decarbonisation ambitions of our customers and communities.

Join our team and be part of securing Australia’s energy future. We’d love to hear from you.

APA is an equal opportunity employer. The safety, health and wellbeing our people, community and environment a priority. We embrace diversity in our people to ensure our workforce is representative of the communities that we operate in.

Applicants must be eligible to work in Australia to be considered.

This vacancy works with critical APA data, systems or infrastructure and candidates are subject to background vetting (including Police checks) before & during employment.

APA Group will not accept unsolicited resumes from recruitment agencies.

We will contact successful candidates after the closing date.