Leading Hand

At Wollongong City Council, we continuously strive to create an Extraordinary Wollongong. We focus on the delivery of exceptional services, infrastructure and facilities for our community.

Wollongong is a great place to work, live and play! Together, our responsibility is to create an inclusive community where everyone is welcome, valued and belongs. Our strength is the diversity of our people.

We lead with courage, openness and curiosity and believe our employees are the key to our success. Learn more about us here.

Lead with purpose. Maintain with pride. Shape extraordinary public spaces.

The Opportunity

Step into a leadership role that shapes the spaces our community loves.
Join our Open Spaces & Environmental Services team in one of two exciting hands-on opportunities:

• Leading Hand - Beach and Dune Maintenance
• Leading Hand - Parks and Open Spaces (Central Depot)

Whether you're passionate about preserving our iconic coastline or enhancing the beauty and functionality of our city parks, these roles offer a chance to lead with purpose and make a meaningful impact across the Wollongong region.

As a Leading Hand, you'll be responsible for planning, coordinating, and supervising maintenance and construction works across either beach or city park environments. You'll lead a dedicated team, ensuring high-quality service delivery, safety, and environmental compliance while fostering a culture of teamwork and continuous improvement.

These roles are both hands-on and leadership-focused, requiring someone who can guide and support staff, manage resources effectively, and liaise with internal and external stakeholders to deliver exceptional public spaces.

These are Permanent Full-Time positions.

Salary from: $81,190.37 up to $90,935.12 per annum, plus superannuation

(Salary package will be assessed based on skills, experience and qualifications)

Applicants must be physically capable of undertaking manual tasks relating to the role. This role may also include some weekend and over-time work

What you will be doing

Whether your experience lies in beach maintenance and dune restoration or parks and gardens care, in this leadership role you will play a key role in shaping safe, sustainable, and welcoming public spaces across the Wollongong Local Government Area. As a Leading Hand, you will:

• Lead and supervisea team in the delivery of scheduled and reactive maintenance programs.
• Coordinate resourcesincluding staff, plant, contractors, and materials to meet operational goals.
• Ensure safety and compliance, applying WHS and environmental standards across all activities.
• Provide technical adviceand support to your team and coordinator, recommending improved work methods.
• Liaise with stakeholders, respond to public enquiries, and represent Council with professionalism.
• Monitor performance, conduct reviews, and foster team development through coaching and mentoring.
• Maintain accurate recordsincluding timesheets, work orders, incident reports, and project documentation.

About you

You're a practical, hands-on leader who takes pride in creating safe, clean, and welcoming public spaces. Whether you're guiding your team through beach restoration or city park maintenance, you bring strong organisational skills, a collaborative mindset, and a commitment to quality service.

You have solid experience in outdoor maintenance and team supervision, with the ability to plan, coordinate, and deliver work efficiently. You understand the importance of safety and environmental standards and apply them confidently in your day-to-day work.

You're comfortable using tools, equipment, and basic technology, and you communicate clearly with your team, the public, and other stakeholders. Physically fit and ready to take on manual tasks, you're also flexible-willing to work weekends, public holidays, and overtime when needed.

You hold a current Class C Driver's Licence and relevant industry qualifications. (As a Leading Hand-Beach Maintenance you bring qualifications for Powerlines or are willing to obtain within the first 3 mos.) You're committed to ongoing learning to keep your skills sharp and your knowledge up to date.

Why you'll love working at Wollongong City Council!

• Great working conditions
  Enjoy a 35-hour work week or a 9-day fortnight with a regular rostered day off (RDO).
• Career growth and recognition
  We are committed to supporting your personal and professional development. Our initiatives include a reward and recognition program, corporate learning opportunities, study assistance, and leadership development programs to help you grow and succeed.
• Generous leave provisions
  Benefit from five weeks of annual leave per year (pro rata) and access long service leave after just five years.
• Health, safety, and wellbeing
  We prioritise a safe workplace for everyone, every day, everywhere. Our wellbeing programs support mental, physical and social wellbeing of our people to be at their best and include an Employee Assistance Program, skin and hearing checks, vaccinations, and discounted gym memberships.
• A vibrant social culture
  Join our Social Club for monthly activities, an annual trivia night, and fantastic Christmas events!

Participate and engage in meaningful work, and contribute to our extraordinary community, where together we make a difference.

For more information, click on 'Apply' to be redirected to Wollongong City Council's job vacancy page.

Applications close 11:59pm, Monday 11 August 2025.

We invite everyone to apply no matter your identity, you'll be welcome. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people who are culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), people with disability and veterans.

Wollongong Council adheres to the principles of a child safe organisation and is committed to the care and protection of all children and young people in the community.

Applicants are required to undergo a rigorous employment screening process which will include Reference, Identity and Medical History Checks, and may also include a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check and Working with Children Check. Employment is subject to clearance of all these checks.