About this role
Who are we? We’re here to help people live well and create a better and more sustainable future. We support healthy and liveable communities by delivering water, sewerage and recycled water services to 1.77 million people who rely on us every day and every night. At South East Water, we innovate with purpose and act with care to deliver healthy water for life. Fresh thinking and collaboration are at the heart of our organisation. We are constantly learning, embracing the challenges of today and excited by the opportunities that tomorrow will bring. South East Water is seeking an experienced and influential Head of Safety & Wellbeing to lead our enterprise-wide safety, wellbeing and risk strategy. Reporting to the General Manager People, Safety & Governance, you will provide strategic leadership across safety, wellbeing, critical risk management, contractor safety, psychosocial risk, injury management and assurance. Leading a team of nine, you will drive the organisation’s Safety Maturity Uplift Program, strengthen leadership accountability, embed effective safety systems and ensure critical risk controls deliver meaningful outcomes across our operations. You will also play a key role in enhancing contractor and delivery partner safety performance while leading the ongoing uplift of the Safety & Wellbeing function. Working closely with the Board, Executive Leadership Team and senior leaders, you will help shape a proactive, high-performing safety culture where safety is embedded in everyday decision-making and accountability across the organisation. The role This role will be responsible for: Providing visible, felt leadership and establishing clear accountability for safety outcomes across the organisation. Leading the implementation and delivery of the Safety Maturity Uplift Program, strengthening and embedding the organisation’s Safety Management System across all levels of the business. Translating the Safety Maturity Uplift Program into practical operating plans, measurable outcomes and sustained improvements in leadership accountability, risk ownership and safety performance. Developing, implementing and assuring effective controls to manage critical safety risks, including control verification, assurance and continuous improvement. Providing strategic advice to the Executive Leadership Team and preparing high-quality Board and executive reports. Strengthening and embedding contractor and delivery partner management, including prequalification, onboarding, monitoring, performance management and assurance, to achieve positive safety outcomes. Leading the organisation’s psychosocial risk, wellbeing, injury management and return-to-work strategies. Establishing meaningful safety analytics, dashboards, leading indicators and performance reporting. Restructuring and uplifting the Safety & Wellbeing function to ensure it has the capability, capacity and operating model required to deliver effectively against business priorities. Building leadership capability and fostering a culture focused on learning, risk ownership, accountability and continuous improvement. Who are you? You will be an experienced and credible safety executive who has led safety, health and wellbeing functions within complex, operationally focused or high-risk environments. You will bring a strong combination of strategic insight, technical expertise, executive presence and the ability to translate safety expectations into practical and sustainable business outcomes. You will have demonstrated experience in: Leading enterprise-wide safety transformation and cultural change. Delivering safety maturity uplift programs and embedding safety management systems. Developing safety operating plans, governance frameworks, assurance programs and performance measures. Implementing, verifying and assuring effective controls for critical operational risks. Leading contractor and delivery partner safety across complex operational environments. Managing psychosocial risk, wellbeing, injury management and return-to-work programs. Restructuring and uplifting the capability of safety, health and wellbeing functions. Maintaining and improving ISO 45001-certified safety management systems. Influencing senior leaders and building accountability across a complex matrix organisation. Preparing Board and executive reporting for senior stakeholders. You will bring relevant tertiary qualifications in occupational health and safety, risk management or a related discipline, supported by substantial leadership experience in complex operational environments. A background in water, utilities, infrastructure, construction, energy, transport or another high-risk sector will be highly regarded, particularly where you have led safety transformation, strengthened critical risk controls, improved contractor safety, influenced operational leaders and embedded a culture of accountability, wellbeing and continuous improvement. What's in it for you? Working at South East Water means you can enjoy a wealth of benefits, starting with the chance to be part of an organisation deeply committed to environmental initiatives and sustainability. South East Water cultivates a dynamic culture that emphasises collaboration and strong work ethics, supported by career-focused learning and development opportunities. As a SEW employee, you can enjoy the following offerings from our benefits package: Access to My Fitness Passport, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), annual flu shots, and health checks. Work-life balance with flexible working arrangements, including hybrid work options. Additional leave offerings, such as cultural and ceremonial leave and study leave. Head office with modern facilities and panoramic beachfront views, a separate parents' room, a prayer and meditation room and an onsite cafe. Limited free onsite and offsite car parking available, as well as pay-as-you-go parking options nearby. Opportunity to be part of great initiatives involving the local community. We're for everyone Our people are as diverse as the communities we serve. It makes us better learners, thinkers and collaborators, helping create better outcomes for our customers. We are deeply committed to Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, and we encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, LGBTIQ+ individuals, people with disability and jobseekers of all ages and cultures. We aim to provide an inclusive, accessible workplace where everyone is welcome, safe, and celebrated. If you need any help with the application process or would like to discuss your reasonable adjustments during interviews, please reach out to our Talent team at [email protected]. Keen to make an impact? This is an opportunity to shape the next phase of safety and wellbeing maturity within an organisation that delivers essential services to the community. You will have the mandate, executive exposure and leadership platform to influence culture, strengthen critical risk management, uplift the Safety & Wellbeing function and create safer, healthier and more resilient outcomes across the enterprise. If you are a values-led safety executive ready to make a meaningful organisation-wide impact, we would welcome your interest. Click here to check out the position description For any enquiries or to submit an application for this role, please contact Anthony Grey at Davidson Recruitment on [email protected]