- Build and scale East Coast vegetation management operations
- Establish teams, capability and operations from the ground up
- Key leadership role within a growing national business
Project/Operations Manager, East Coast – Heavy Vegetation Clearing
About Genus Environmental
Genus Environmental is the specialist vegetation management and arboricultural business within GenusPlus Group (ASX: GNP). Formed in 2025 through the merger of Classic Tree Services and Geographe Tree Services, it delivers utility and infrastructure vegetation management, large-scale land clearing and environmental consulting. Operating from established depots in Western Australia, the business is now extending its capability to the eastern seaboard to service the national transmission build-out.
The Opportunity
AEMO's Integrated System Plan identifies roughly 4,500km of new transmission lines required by 2030 – a structural, decade-long vegetation clearing market across New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria and Queensland. Genus Environmental is establishing a self-perform clearing capability on the east coast, anchored by numerous major projects Transmission projects across NSW, Victoria, and Tasmania.
Purpose of the Role
This is a
build-and-run role. The Project/Operations Manager – East Coast is accountable for establishing and leading Genus Environmental's transmission vegetation clearing operations across the eastern states from a standing start: standing up the people, plant, systems and commercial framework; proving the operating and cost model through an initial pilot package; and scaling the business through a staged, asset-light-to-owned investment pathway as the pipeline converts.
Key responsibilities
Establishment & Mobilisation
- Stand up east coast clearing operations from the ground up – operating base, mobilisation logistics and field readiness for the first packages in NSW.
- Register Genus on the relevant contractor and procurement gateways (e.g. ICN Gateway) and position the business with head contractors and network operators.
- Lead delivery of an initial pilot clearing package to establish real productivity, cost and margin benchmarks that underpin the wider investment case.
People & Crew Capability
- Recruit, build and lead the east coast field workforce — supervisors, arborists, plant operators and support staff.
- Establish rostering, working-away and labour arrangements suited to remote, multi-state delivery and the relevant enterprise agreements.
- Develop local supervision and succession so the business reduces reliance on WA-based support over time.
Plant, Equipment & Procurement
- Execute the initial start-up strategy by utilising a wet-hire model for major plant (forestry mulchers, excavators with mulching heads, EWPs) and deploying existing Genus civil plant and low-cost owned equipment before committing capital.
- Own the buy-versus-hire decisions as utilisation justifies ownership (broadly the >120 days/year threshold), building toward an owned fleet through Stages 2 and 3.
- Manage subcontractor procurement and panels for specialist and overflow work.
Client & Stakeholder Management
- Build and hold key relationships with head contractors, network operators and REZ delivery bodies.
- Represent Genus Environmental credibly to transmission project teams as a self-perform clearing partner, not a subcontract manager.
Safety, Environment & Quality
- Own WHS leadership and a visible safety culture across all field operations, consistent with GenusPlus Group standards and high-risk vegetation/EWP work.
- Ensure environmental compliance – native vegetation clearing approvals, conservation and access obligations, and project-specific controls.
- Embed quality and assurance processes across crews and subcontracted support.
Systems, Data & Compliance
- Stand up field data capture and work-package management using GIS tools (QField / QGIS) — polygons, cleared areas, clearing type, daily progress, and delay/variation capture.
- Ensure crews and plant hold the required credentials for utility and rail environments (EWP, traffic management, white card, and rail industry worker requirements where applicable).
Commercial & Contract Management
- Develop the commercial framework for transmission clearing packages — standard assumptions, exclusions, variation triggers and pricing methodology.
- Negotiate and administer clearing contracts and subcontracts, protecting program certainty and margin.
Commercial performance
- Hold P&L accountability for east coast operations, manage to budget and report performance, utilisation and variance to the General Manager.
About you — essential
- Substantial operational leadership experience in vegetation management, large-scale land clearing, or linear civil infrastructure delivery.
- Willingness and ability to travel extensively and work away across NSW, Tasmania and other eastern states during establishment.
- A track record of standing up or scaling field operations – mobilising crews, plant and systems in new regions or greenfield settings.
- Strong commercial and contract acumen: pricing, variations, subcontractor management and P&L ownership.
- Demonstrated safety leadership in high-risk field environments (vegetation, plant, EWP, working near live assets).
- Sound grasp of plant selection and buy-versus-hire economics for clearing operations.
- Comfort with field technology and data – GIS/QField or similar work-package and progress-capture systems.
About you — desirable
- Existing networks with east coast transmission head contractors and network operators, and REZ programs.
- Arboricultural, environmental or land management qualifications.
- Familiarity with rail and utility credentialing regimes (RIW, traffic management, accredited vegetation work).
- Experience delivering within an asset-light-to-owned growth model.
Key Deliverables
First 12 months
- Build the case: engage all active Genus transmission projects; confirm which existing Genus plant can be deployed; establish wet-hire contacts; register on contractor gateways.
- Build the system: pre-qualify a subcontractor/crew panel; configure work-packages and data-capture templates; develop the internal commercial framework; prepare a specific pilot package proposal.
- Go to market: commence the first self-perform pilot clearing package on NSW REZ; capture productivity and cost data; prepare a Stage 2 investment recommendation; begin targeting other Genus and external clearing opportunities.
- Stabilise: deliver the pilot and convert it into a confirmed forward program; make the Stage 2 (owned plant + permanent crew) decision on real data; establish continuous crew utilisation across a blended internal and external pipeline.
12–18 months
- Safety: zero serious incidents; a visible, leading safety culture.
- Pilot delivery: first self-perform package delivered on program, with validated productivity.
- Commercial: east coast operations achieving target EBIT margin, with the pricing model proven against actual cost.
- Utilisation: continuous crew utilisation maintained through a blended internal + external pipeline.
- Growth: a credible Stage 2 investment case built on real data, and a forward program of confirmed and targeted packages secured.
- Capability: an established, credentialed east coast workforce.
Why Join Genus Environmental?
- Opportunity to build a new operational capability from the ground up
- Direct involvement in Australia's largest transmission and renewable energy projects
- High level of autonomy and influence
- Long-term growth opportunity within a rapidly expanding business
- Support from a national ASX-listed infrastructure group
- Attractive remuneration package and career development opportunities
Ready to Build Something? If you're looking for an opportunity to lead, grow and shape a business capability rather than simply manage an existing operation, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply now and help build the future of Genus Environmental's East Coast operations.
GenusPlus Group values diversity and inclusion and strongly encourages applications from women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Due to high application volumes, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
