Plantation Supervisor

Don’t come for an easy career. Stay for a rewarding one.

Santos is a global energy company committed to increasingly cleaner energy and fuels production, with operations across Australia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and North America.

We are currently PNG’s largest single investor and most active explorer, operating all the country’s producing oil fields and holding an extensive appraisal and exploration portfolio. Our aspirations and strategies reflect our genuine commitment to making a meaningful contribution to the lives of Papua New Guineans.

At Santos, our commitment is to be a global leader in the transition to cleaner energy and clean fuels, by helping the world decarbonise to reach net-zero emissions in an affordable and sustainable way.

Santos is one of Australia’s biggest domestic gas suppliers, a leading Asia Pacific LNG supplier and is committed to supplying the critical fuels such as oil and gas in a more sustainable way through decarbonising projects such as the Moomba CCS project.

For more than 65 years, Santos has been working in partnership with local communities, providing local jobs and business opportunities, safely and sustainably developing its natural gas resources, and powering industries and households.

The Markham Valley Afforestation/Reforestation (MVAR) project is managed by PNG Biomass Limited, a subsidiary of Santos. MVAR project is one of Santos’ flagship nature-based carbon initiatives, located in the Markham Valley, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea.

Spanning a 160-kilometre corridor, the project cultivates mixed native tree species to create a biodiverse conservation forest on previously degraded grasslands. With a ten-year history and a target to sequester over eight million tonnes of CO₂, MVAR is at the forefront of Santos’ climate transition strategy.

What you’ll do:

We're seeking a Plantation Supervisor to play a key role in delivering plantation establishment and maintenance programs while leading safe, efficient and high-quality silviculture operations.

Based in the Markham Valley, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea you will work closely with the Silviculture Lead, you'll help ensure plantation activities are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget and to the highest operational standards. Your key responsibilities include:

1. Operations & Planning

• Lead and supervise daily plantation establishment, maintenance, tree farming, and measurement activities across allocated compartments.
• Support the Silviculture Lead in the development and delivery of annual, monthly and weekly work programs and schedules.
• Conduct daily site inspections, monitor progress against targets, and maintain accurate compartment history records and field data.
• Monitor operational costs, raise work orders, track expenditure and drive cost optimisation initiatives.
• Coordinate with Forest Technical Services, Mechanical Services, and Nursery teams to ensure operational readiness.

2.Safety Leadership - Believe in Zero

• Champion our Believe in Zero safety culture: we believe all injuries and incidents are preventable.
• Lead daily pre-start meetings, toolbox talks, Take 5s and safety inspections. Ensure all safety documentation, incident reports and risk assessments are completed to standard.
• Lead fire preparedness and emergency response: ensure equipment readiness, firebreak maintenance, crew training and active participation in firefighting operations when required.

3.Quality, Environment & Compliance

• Ensure all silviculture operations (land prep, planting, weeding, fertilising, pruning, thinning) are completed to required quality standards and forestry best practice to achieve survival and growth targets.
• Develop, implement and enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Ensure compliance with Company policies, Environmental Management System, Gold Standard Principles & Criteria, and PNG regulatory requirements.
• Support GIS mapping, inventory, silviculture trials and continuous improvement projects.

4.People & Stakeholder Management

• Supervise, mentor and develop plantation field crews and equipment operators to build a high-performing team.
• Manage contractor performance to ensure work is delivered safely, efficiently and to specification.
• Build and maintain respectful, positive relationships with customary landowners, community leaders and key stakeholders, ensuring clear communication of operational plans.
• Prepare and submit accurate weekly and monthly operational reports.

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in forestry,Natural Resource Management or related discipline.
• Previous experience in plantation forestry, silviculture or broadacre land management, with experience in a supervisory role.
• Strong technical knowledge of plantation establishment, silviculture regimes and maintenance programs in tropical environments.
• Proven experience leading field-based teams and managing contractors.
• Working knowledge of environmental and certification systems, preferably Gold Standards
• Demonstrated commitment to safety leadership and zero-harm culture.
• Strong organisational, planning and numerical skills with experience in work scheduling and budget control.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel) and field data collection. GIS / GPS experience highly regarded.
• Excellent communication, reporting and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Valid PNG Class 6 (or equivalent) Driver's Licence.

Highly Regarded:

• Experience working in Markham Valley / Morobe Province and with customary landowner communities.
• Firefighting crew leader certification and first aid.
• Experience with mechanized silviculture operations.
• Personal Attributes:
• Self-motivated, resilient and proactive with ability to work independently in remote field conditions.
• High attention to detail, integrity and commitment to operational excellence.

What you’ll get:

Here, you’ll be amongst high-calibre people and get to work on industry-leading projects. We don’t shy away from solving tough problems at pace. We like it that way. You can expect to be challenged and supported; to learn and grow.

As a subsidiary of Santos, we’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone can thrive. This means a place that is safe; where you are valued and respected, and your contribution is recognised and appreciated. Join us, and you’ll play a role in this too.

What you’re part of:

Our purpose is to restore degraded lands and sequester carbon to help create a better world for everyone.

Everywhere you turn, you will be part of a team contributing to that single uniting purpose. Because it is not only what you plant, but how you grow it - you will also contribute to improving the living standards of the communities across the Morobe Province of Papua New Guinea, building enduring and respectful relationships with landholders that serve a generation. It is about each of us, and all of us - together.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted via the online recruitment system before COB 02. 11. 2026

A requirement of this role is that you will need to have in place the legal work rights for PNG to apply.