Animal Control / Compliance Officer | Relocate to Australia

Ready for a Change Across the Tasman? If you work in animal control, compliance or local government enforcement in New Zealand, there is a fair chance you have developed some strong views about how the job should be done. We want to hear them. Walgett Shire Council, in regional New South Wales, Australia, is building a new, quality driven Regulatory Compliance team and we are looking for an experienced Animal Control or Compliance Officer who is interested in joining us. Your formal Australian position title will be Regulatory Compliance Officer , but if you currently work as an Animal Control Officer, Animal Management Officer, Animal Services Officer, Compliance Officer or in a similar New Zealand local government role, your skills and experience may be exactly what we are looking for. We are not looking for someone to arrive and simply be told how things have always been done. We want someone with practical experience, good judgement and ideas of their own. Someone who will share what they know, listen to the experience of their colleagues and help us build a regulatory service that is professional, practical and genuinely focused on quality. What You Will Be Doing This is a varied field based role covering much more than one area of compliance. Your work will include: Companion animal management, animal welfare, impounding, pound operations and rehoming. Responding to roaming, stray and nuisance animal matters. Investigating illegal dumping, unauthorised camping, abandoned vehicles, littering, noise and environmental nuisance. Conducting regulatory investigations, gathering evidence and maintaining accurate records. Using education, negotiation and enforcement to achieve practical compliance outcomes. Issuing notices, orders and infringements where formal enforcement is required. Working with Police, health agencies, animal welfare organisations, rescue groups and other government agencies. Delivering community education and practical advice. Contributing your experience and ideas to policies, programs and improvements in the way our regulatory service operates. You will have autonomy in the field, but you will also be part of a team that is expected to communicate, share information and support each other. Your Experience Matters Good compliance officers know the legislation. Great compliance officers also know people. They know when a conversation will resolve something, when education is worth trying, when someone needs a firmer approach and when formal enforcement is simply necessary. That judgement comes from experience, and we value it. We are particularly interested in hearing from people with experience in New Zealand local government, animal control, animal management, regulatory compliance or enforcement. You do not need to have previously worked in Australia. If you have developed strong practical skills in New Zealand and are confident you can apply those skills within a new legislative framework, we encourage you to apply. We want people who have opinions about how the work can be done better and who are confident enough to put those ideas forward. We also want people who understand that being part of a quality team means listening to other perspectives, sharing knowledge and backing your colleagues when it matters. A Package Worth Considering The salary is AUD $71,432.76 to $87,177.60 per annum , depending on skills and experience, plus Australian superannuation and applicable overtime. At current exchange rates, that is approximately NZD $85,700 to $104,600 , before superannuation (an additional 12% paid by us) and overtime. Currency rates fluctuate, so this is provided only as an indication. You will also receive: 5 weeks annual leave every year. An additional week of My Leave , Council's wellness and wellbeing leave. Relocation assistance to help with your move from New Zealand. Subsidised Council housing may be available , depending on your work location and availability. Training and professional development opportunities. A permanent, full time position with a regional Australian council. And you have some choice about where you live. The position can be based in Walgett, Lightning Ridge or Collarenebri , by negotiation. Moving From New Zealand? For eligible New Zealand citizens, moving to Australia is considerably simpler than many international relocations. New Zealand citizens travelling on a valid NZ passport generally do not need to apply for an Australian visa before travelling. Eligible NZ citizens can receive a Special Category visa on arrival, which allows them to live and work in Australia. Individual circumstances vary, so applicants should confirm their eligibility with the Australian Department of Home Affairs. Something Different Walgett Shire is not a metropolitan council, and that is part of the opportunity. You will deal with a broad range of issues, work across different communities and have genuine responsibility for the decisions you make. You will not simply disappear into a large regulatory department. Your contribution will be noticed. Your experience will be used. Your ideas will be heard. We are deliberately building a team where people respect each other's experience, challenge ideas constructively and take pride in producing quality work. If you are an experienced New Zealand animal control or compliance professional who has thought “there has to be a better way of doing this” , we would particularly like to hear from you. Bring your experience. Bring your judgement. Bring your ideas. We will provide the opportunity to help build something better. Closing date for applications: Applications close at 9.00am on Monday, 24 August 2026. Council reserves the right to close, withdraw or extend vacancies without prior notice. Walgett Shire Council is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in our workplace. We encourage applications from people with disabilities, culturally and linguistically diverse persons, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.