Position overview

• 3 Year Maximum Term Contract, Full Time opportunity
• True hybrid working - work from home and our Mitcham office
• $157,594 TRP (Total Remuneration Package) inclusive of 11.5% superannuation

The Role

The Joint Project Manager - Emergency Management role builds effective relationships across the Melbourne Metropolitan Water Industry (MMWI) to align and enhance sector-wide emergency management across multiple elements. This includes people, processes, organisation, support, technology, training and exercising to better plan for, respond to, and recover from incidents and emergencies that impact the MMWI corporations.

The Joint Project Manager does this by leading, managing and facilitating collaborative working groups, projects and forums focused on emergency planning and preparation. They operate under agreed MMWI governance and priorities set out within the MMWI's Emergency Management Strategic Improvement Plan.

Through these bodies and forums, this role facilitates and enhances MMWI information sharing and networks, including development and delivery of joint training and exercising.

The role is hosted by Yarra Valley Water and reports to an Executive governing body comprising representatives from all four MMWI corporations (Greater Western Water, Melbourne Water, South East Water and Yarra Valley Water).

About us

We're on a mission to create a brighter future, where you can be a change maker at the actual source. We're one of Australia's largest water utilities with over 30% of Victoria's population relying on us for their essential water and sanitation services.

Our award-winning culture fosters an inclusive, collaborative, and flexible environment that enables our people to thrive. Here, you'll be inspired and challenged to grow alongside us.

We're committed to reconciliation and supporting the self-determined role for Traditional Owners/Custodians in water and land management.

Your key responsibilities

• Support continuous improvement of the joint MMWI emergency management program through review of and update to the Emergency Management Strategic Improvement Plan, embedding lessons management processes from general engagement and collaboration, recent incidents or emergencies, and exercises.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships across the MMWI, water sector and key external stakeholders to identify, plan and deliver mutually agreed outcomes across the sector.
• Facilitate and promote sector information sharing to build awareness and promote collaboration.
• Lead and facilitate collaborative forums, project teams and working groups focussed on strengthening emergency management alignment across the MMWI to contemporary best practice approaches (policy, process and practices).
• Manage projects by prioritising actions, scoping work, identifying project milestones, phases and elements, and forming project teams (as required).
• Seek and acquire annual budget for agreed priority initiatives and deliverables.
• Provide regular project reports, updates and trend analysis to meet stakeholder, project and governance needs.
• Manage procurement and contracts associated with agreed deliverables.
• Oversee internal invoicing arrangements and associated communication with MMWI partners for costs associated with resourcing and delivering agreed work.
• Demonstrate a personnel commitment to a positive safety and wellbeing culture - where your actions match your words.

What we're looking for

• We're looking for candidates with a minimum of 10 years' relevant industry experience, particularly in stakeholder-facing positions.
• Emergency management experience is essential, ideally within the context of Victoria's emergency management arrangements.
• Experience in the water, utilities, or broader infrastructure sector is highly desirable.
• Proven ability to build strong relationships, influence stakeholders, and negotiate effective outcomes.
• Someone who can operate at both a strategic and practical level and is capable of setting long-term (3-year) work plans, working with senior leaders, and following through to deliver results.
• Demonstrated experience leading end-to-end project delivery - including proactively driving progress, taking initiative to develop key content or first drafts, and ensuring outcomes are achieved without waiting for direction.
• Confident navigating complexity, resolving conflicting viewpoints, and building consensus in ambiguous and evolving environments.
• Deep understanding of the Australian Emergency Management Arrangements and their practical application
• Demonstrated experience in emergency management planning across multiple organisations, encompassing prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.
• Proficient in applying the Australasian Inter-Service Incident Management System (AIIMS).

To view the full position description, click HERE.

Why Yarra Valley Water?

We celebrate and encourage new thinking at every level. Creating opportunities for you to grow - both professionally, and personally. When you flourish, we all do.

• $157,594 TRP (Total Remuneration Package) inclusive of 11.5% superannuation
• Flexible working arrangements where our people are empowered to design their days with their team. Read our hybrid playbook HERE.
• $650 home office set up allowance for eligible employees
• Free and secure on-site parking with on-site café at our Mitcham office
• 14 weeks paid leave parental leave
• 15 days paid personal leave, which can be used for caring, wellbeing, mental health, menstrual or menopause
• Request to swap certain public holidays for another day of paid leave

To read more about our benefits and culture, read our employee handbook HERE.

Did you know?

Research shows that men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, while women and other marginalised people tend to only apply when they meet all of them. So, if you think you have what it takes, but don't necessarily tick every box, please apply or get in touch. We'd love to have a chat and see if you could be a great fit.

How to apply

Applications should include a supporting Cover Letter and Resume.

Closing date: Tuesday 8th July 2025

This position is available for Yarra Valley Water employees and external applicants.

Your application will be reviewed by the Yarra Valley Water and South East Water recruitment panel

We welcome applications from everyone, including Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, mature age and young job seekers, members of the LGBTIQA+ community and people of all cultural backgrounds. If you need this information in an accessible format or would like to discuss reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please call 03 9872 2542 or email [email protected]. If you need any help with the application process or would like to discuss the recruitment process, please contact us via email [email protected].

Successful applicants must be eligible to work in Australia and agree to provide information for pre-employment checks, if required for the position. This may also include a Police Check or AusCheck, where an offer will be subject to a satisfactory outcome of these checks.