Communications & Engagement Manager

At Melbourne Water we love water and love life. What we do makes a vital contribution to Melbourne’s famous lifestyle. We achieve this by supplying high quality drinking water, providing outstanding sewerage services, integrating drainage systems, building resilience to flooding and by enhancing our waterway and land for greater community use. At Melbourne Water, we are in the ‘Decade that Matters’ and we’ve got some ambitious goals to achieve. It’s a pride we share in helping to make greater Melbourne a fantastic place to live.

Reporting to the Manager Operational Communications and Engagement, this role is responsible for implementing ‘next generation’ communications and engagement strategies, and program leadership for complex projects and business strategies delivered by Melbourne Water. Furthermore, you will be responsible for a Melbourne Water Service Portfolio ensuring strategic forward planning, consistent engagement approach and common language for projects and works associated with Sewerage, Water, Waterways, Flooding and Drainage and critical engagement services for major project planning and delivery as well as industry leadership and relationship management.

This will be achieved through:

• Developing annual portfolio forward plan and associated communications and engagement resourcing needs, strategic oversight of delivery against the plan.
• Developing, leading and evaluating integrated communication and engagement strategies (face to face and digital), plans and procedures for complex projects and business strategies being delivered across Melbourne Water service portfolios.
• Leading a Community of Practice, focused towards delivering Melbourne Water’s Next Generation of Engagement and other associated business improvement initiatives.
• Leading, advising and mentoring Melbourne Water Communications and Engagement Advisors through complex issues resolution for projects within the assigned Service Portfolio.
• Developing and maintaining strong strategic relationships with key project stakeholders, internal groups, industry partners and external agency officers.
• Respond to incidents, providing communication, engagement and general support and advice during and after these events.

*Please note that this is a 12-month fixed-term contract opportunity.

• Strong leadership ability, having experience managing teams or program of works.
• Experience in developing and delivering proactive and innovative community engagement strategies on complex projects, business strategies or sensitive community issues.  Exposure to Infrastructure projects will be highly regarded.
• Exceptional social awareness and ability to quickly and creatively redesign engagement activities to meet community expectations.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills and an eye for detail.
• Experience working in sensitive political environments.
• Experience with online engagement techniques, social media and digital content creation.

Your ability to engage others and gain support and confidence of senior management and key stakeholders will be keys to this role.

For more information, please see the attached Role Mandate.

We take enormous pride in cultivating a culture that holistically benefits our team and the wider Melbourne community. The pillars of our culture are based on Flexibility, Impact, Growth & Development, and People.

• We are committed to flexible working in a variety of manners including hybrid work, varied start/finish times, purchased leave, part time work, and 9-day fortnights. We understand that Melbourne Water and our customers are benefitted by enabling balance in work and life.
• Make an impact as part of a passionate team doing meaningful work to enhance life and livability in Melbourne.
• We relish learning and challenging the status quo for continuous growth. Perpetual and varied opportunities for learning and development are offered in a variety of manners - from formal development programs, digital learning content and lunch & learns; to visiting our sites and getting to see our initiatives and projects first hand.
• People are the foundation for all that we do. Our people are warm, welcoming, and inclusive.
• We welcome applications from everyone, including people with disability, mature age and young job seekers, members of the LGBTI+ community, and people from culturally diverse backgrounds. Melbourne Water welcomes and encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

How to apply

Click on the "apply" button and complete the online application form.

Closing date: 7 March 2024 at 11:55pm AEST