CMA Board Member

The Victorian water sector is leading in:

• Climate change adaptation: Victoria's water sector is reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to be net-zero by 2035, and protecting the state's water resources from the impacts of a changing climate by delivering on the Water Cycle Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan 2022-26.

• Traditional Owner Self-determination: The Victorian Government is committed to Aboriginal self-determination. Water is Life: Traditional Owner Access to Water Roadmap establishes a pathway to increasing Traditional Owner self-determination and decision-making in water management.

• Gender Equality: 58% of members of catchment management authority (CMA) boards are women.

The Victorian Government is committed to increasing diversity on water sector boards to encourage new ideas and reflect the rich diversity of the Victorian community.

Catchment management authorities (CMAs) are responsible for the integrated planning and coordination of land, water and biodiversity management in each catchment and land protection region.

The role of Victoria's nine CMAs includes: preparing, coordinating, and monitoring the implementation of regional catchment strategies; advising the Minister on priorities for catchment management and on the condition of land and water resources; and promoting community awareness and understanding of the importance of land and water resources, their sustainable use, conservation, and rehabilitation.

This includes understanding and respecting Aboriginal cultural values and traditional ecological knowledge of management of land and water resources of the catchments in the region.

For more information about Victoria's CMAs please visit water.vic.gov.au

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the Victorian water sector, with approximately 38 board member positions including 7 Chairperson positions becoming vacant on 1 October 2025 on Catchment Management Authorities located across Victoria.
Each CMA board has a maximum of nine members including the Chairperson. The Board is responsible for the strategic planning of the authority and ensuring that the CMA fulfils its statutory functions consistently with its overall governance framework. This includes:

• providing strategic direction and setting performance targets for the authority;
• appointing and overseeing the performance of the chief executive officer;
• approving related plans, budgets and policies;
• establishing and monitoring accountability, compliance and risk management policies and procedures;
• ensuring compliance with legislation and government policy;
• approving and submitting the annual report to the Minister/s;
• liaising with DEECA and the Minister/s through the Chair;
• establishing board processes such as meeting procedures and the management of conflicts of interest; and
• establishing and monitoring delegations and committees.

The appointed board members must commit to attending regular meetings and boards generally meet 10 times a year, however additional meetings and out-of-session discussions are expected. Board committees are formed for specific topics, such as risk, audit, and remuneration. Board members may need to contribute additional time to board committees, for which they are eligible for additional remuneration under government guidelines. A board member can usually expect to be a member of at least one committee of the Board.

CMA boards require members with experience and knowledge in one or more of the following areas:

• land management,
• water resources management and the water industry,
• waterway management,
• environment or natural resources management,
• primary industry,
• strategic or business planning,
• financial management, and
• primary production (see below).

More than one half of the members of the Board of each CMA must be persons whose principal occupation is primary production (agriculture, apiculture, aquaculture, forestry, or horticulture), which includes people who work in primary production, provide advice about primary production or engage in research about primary production.
Skills, knowledge and experience in Aboriginal cultural values and uses of waterways, community engagement, public administration and corporate governance, climate change adaptation, and risk and audit are also highly desirable.

The Victorian Government is committed to ensuring that government boards and committees reflect the rich diversity of the Victorian community. We encourage applications from people of all ages, women, Aboriginal Victorians, people with disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, from lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, gender diverse intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) people, and from people living in rural and regional Victoria.
Please note that current members of CMA boards are able to reapply through this EOI process.

The standard process requires applicants to register an account on the Join a Public Board website prior to applying online.

When you apply for a board position, you will be asked to enter your personal details before moving on to a questionnaire. In the questionnaire, you will have the opportunity to outline your relevant qualifications and experience. Applicants must upload a current curriculum vitae with their application.

Applications close 11.59 p.m. Tuesday 8 April 2025.

For further enquiries or for assistance with accessing documents please contact the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action at water.governance@delwp.vic.gov.au