WHS Lead - Contractor Management & Critical Risk

Perth Airport is Australia’s Western Hub connecting the people, businesses and communities of Western Australia with the rest of Australia and the world. Operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week throughout the year, Perth Airport plays a significant role in providing economic, social and cultural benefits to West Australians. 

Perth Airport is investing more than $5 billion in new infrastructure so we can support our airline partners to grow, offering more services to new destinations and an improved customer experience. 

Over the coming decade we will expand T1 International, and build new domestic terminal facilities, a parallel runway, two multi-storey carparks and our first airport hotel. This will deliver one airport for the people of Western Australia which will host all flight services in a central location giving passengers a seamless, world-class travel experience. 

The Perth Airport estate is spread over 2100 hectares and has developed a $1.5 billion portfolio of existing industrial premises and significant vacant land holdings. 

We service a truly diverse community and play an important role in strengthening cultural, family and social bonds while supporting business, tourism and leisure travel. 

About the role 

Perth Airport is seeking an experienced WHS Lead to provide strategic guidance across our safety programs, with a strong focus on critical risk (fatality prevention) and contractor management. In this pivotal role you will partner with operational leaders, project teams, tenants and contractors to strengthen high-impact controls, uplift capability and embed consistent safety expectations across a complex, high-risk environment. You’ll bring a pragmatic, systems-thinking approach, using data, assurance and effective coaching to drive continuous improvement and support safe, resilient operations across the airport estate and capital works program. 

You will own and evolve the Critical Risk Framework and Contractor Management Framework, setting standards, verifying control effectiveness and influencing decision-making at all levels. The role blends strategic governance with hands-on field engagement, including assurance activities, incident investigations and coaching. If you enjoy working with multiple stakeholders, leading change and translating legislative requirements into practical operational outcomes, this is an opportunity to make a visible impact.  Your key focus areas include:

• Lead the Critical Risk Framework (Fatality Prevention Program) and verify control effectiveness for high-risk activities across operations and projects.
• Govern the Contractor Management Framework across construction, maintenance, tenant activities and third-party providers (onboarding, evaluation, supervision and performance monitoring).
• Provide pragmatic WHS advice and coaching to leaders and teams, including PCBU duties and Principal Contractor responsibilities.
• Lead or support significant incident investigations (e.g., ICAM), ensuring outcomes drive system-level improvements and corrective actions are verified to closure.
• Deliver concise, data-informed reporting on lead/lag indicators, trends, emerging risks and assurance outcomes for senior forums.
• Plan and deliver assurance activities (audits, inspections and monitoring) aligned to Perth Airport’s SMS, with a strong focus on critical risk controls and contractor compliance.
• Partner with delivery teams to embed safety requirements into planning, permits, safe work methods and safety management plans.
• Facilitate contractor safety and critical risk forums and influence shared accountability in line with a Just Safety Culture.
• Monitor legislative and industry changes and translate them into practical improvements to frameworks, processes and training. 

About You 

You’re a confident WHS leader who can translate legislative requirements into practical, risk-based controls in a complex operational environment. You bring strong experience in critical risk (fatality prevention) and contractor governance, and you’re comfortable working both in the field and at senior forums, coaching, influencing and driving measurable improvements through assurance, investigation and continuous improvement. You can also contribute the following: 

• Tertiary qualification in Work Health and Safety, OHS, Risk Management or a related discipline.
• Extensive knowledge of WHS legislation and model WHS laws, including PCBU duties and Principal Contractor obligations.
• Proven experience designing and governing critical risk and contractor safety management frameworks in complex operational environments.
• ICAM (or equivalent) capability, with experience leading complex investigations and driving corrective actions to completion.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills and the ability to influence, coach and challenge constructively at senior levels.
• Demonstrated strength in risk assessment, hazard identification and control verification, particularly for fatality potential and high-risk work.
• Confidence working in the field and in governance forums, balancing operational practicality with standards and assurance. 

About Us 

We offer a dynamic and supportive team culture, a contemporary workplace with great facilities and a modern approach to work/life integration. Our competitive remuneration package comes with additional company benefits including free parking. 

Perth Airport is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We are committed to building an equitable and diverse workforce representative of the community we serve. We encourage and welcome applications from all communities and backgrounds. 

Doing the right thing by the planet and future generations is important to us. At PAPL we place a strong emphasis on embedding sustainability throughout our business strategy and operations. We remain steadfast in our commitment to driving ESPG (Environmental, Social, People, Governance) performance across our value chain and areas that have material environmental and social impact.

If this sounds like you, please get in touch.