Public Affairs Coordination Lead

• Comprehensive Benefits Package: Sydney Water offers a competitive benefits package, including health and wellness programs & professional development opportunities
• Join a dynamic, diverse, and high performing team in an exciting time of growth!
• Full-time, permanent opportunity located at Parramatta

About us 

At Sydney Water, we are creating a better life with world-class water services. We are Australia’s largest water utility, providing water, wastewater, recycled water and some stormwater services to 5.3 million people. For 135 years, this has been our legacy – ensuring our waterways are healthy and thriving and the people of Greater Sydney have a safe, reliable water supply. 

Sydney Water will service nearly two million more people by 2050. To enable this growth, in an integrated and sustainable way, Sydney Water will be making significant investments over the next 10 years to deliver a resilient water and wastewater network, protect the environment and support healthy waterways. 

About the role 

As Public Affairs Coordination Lead, you will be responsible for coordinating engagement activity across government, internal and external stakeholders, while providing advice on socio-political issues and opportunities to senior leaders. You will lead all engagement reporting including developing board reports and managing Sydney Water’s stakeholder database. The role holder will represent the Government, Stakeholder and Community Engagement team in cross-functional working groups and facilitate efficiencies across the team. You will have one direct report, a Reporting Engagement and Information Officer. 

This position requires excellent written communication skills, including experience writing for an executive audience. To be successful in the role you will have capabilities across stakeholder and government engagement, business collaboration, analytical skills and issues management.  

Responsibilities include:  

• Coordinate delivery and track progress of the Government, Stakeholder and Community Engagement team’s 2023 -2025 plan 
• Scan the external environment and provide written advice to senior leaders on emerging trends and developments likely to affect the organisation. 
• Participate in cross-functional working groups and identify opportunities to leverage this work to build stakeholder relationships.  
• Lead and oversee reporting products including the Board report and briefing memos to the Executive. 
• Lead the management, optimisation and adoption of Sydney Water’s stakeholder database including training, reporting, analysis and data management. 
• Provide support on stakeholder events, forums, tours and workstreams which require additional resourcing. 

What’s in it for you 

• Flexible/Hybrid working 
• Childcare allowances 
• Up to 18 weeks’ Parental leave 
• Novated lease options 
• Fitness Passport offering access to hundreds of gyms and pools around NSW 
• Flu vaccinations and discounted options on health insurance membership providers. 

About you 

As Public Affairs Coordination Lead, you will communicate a compelling view of Sydney Water's current purpose and future state, initiate strategic relationships with stakeholders and business partners, and promote 'Customer at the Heart' as a core value. 

You will have:

• Tertiary qualifications in Communications, Journalism, Public Policy, Economics, Political Science or Business, or a related discipline. 
• 5-7 years' experience working as a ministerial staffer or departmental officer, stakeholder engagement advisor, government relations advisor, or Public Affairs advisor in a corporation, government department, statutory authority or agency with a proven track record in the management of complex stakeholder relationships that operate in a very public arena. 
• Demonstrated competence in leadership and ability to coach and develop the skills of others 
• Superior written and verbal communication skills including experience working to meet executive level expectations and translate technical information into simple messages. 
• Project management skills with the ability to converse on a range of technical, regulatory, policy issues 
• Seeks in-depth understanding of the organisation and its strategy, operations and objectives and the broader water industry 

Please see the position description for the role’s full accountabilities. 

Application closing date: Wednesday, 10th April 2024

You must be an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident at the time of submitting your application to be considered for this role.

For more information, you can contact ***************@sydneywater.com.au.

Sydney Water welcomes you to apply if you feel you meet the selection criteria. The successful completion of a Criminal History Check and Medical Assessment form part of the application process. 

 Please advise if you require any adjustments to actively participate in the application and recruitment process. 

 We want your perspective and ideas to help us find better ways to delight our customers, so we encourage you to apply no matter your age, sex or culture. You can be part of a committed, highly skilled team who’ll appreciate what you bring to the table. You’ll set and achieve real goals and make decisions that matter, as together we help shape the lifestyle of greater Sydney.

As part of the application process, Sydney Water will be collecting your personal information to assess your suitability for the role. We will also use your personal information to establish a LiveHire talent profile in our Talent Community. We look at our Talent Community first when new opportunities come up when you apply for a role. Your personal information will be collected in accordance with LiveHire’s Terms, Privacy Policy and Sydney Water’s Privacy Collection Statement – Job Application