Head of Safety, Health and Wellbeing

Head of Safety, Health & Wellbeing - Sydney Water

At Sydney Water, we’re seeking a high-calibre Head of Safety, Health & Wellbeing to lead our commitment to a workplace where safety, physical health, and psychological wellbeing are at the heart of everything we do. Reporting to the Executive General Manager, this role is a key member of the People & Governance leadership team and the broader Sydney Water Enterprise Leaders Group.

You will play a critical role in shaping and sustaining a proactive, people-centred safety culture across our diverse operations, ensuring our employees, contractors and partners all experience a safe, healthy, and supportive working environment.

This is an opportunity to set direction, influence at executive and Board level, and lead a function that makes a genuine difference to the wellbeing of thousands of people every day.

What You’ll Be Doing

Leading the Function: Lead and develop a team of experienced safety and wellbeing professionals across our field and operational sites, ensuring alignment between strategy and day-to-day operations.

Shaping Culture: Drive a culture of care and accountability, embedding psychosocial health and wellbeing into every level of our organisation.

Strategic Leadership: Advise the Executive Leadership Team and the Board on safety risk, governance, and culture, ensuring alignment with Sydney Water’s long-term strategy.

Driving Performance: Deliver tangible improvements in safety outcomes and wellbeing engagement through leadership capability, operational excellence and performance frameworks.

Contractor and Workforce Engagement: Foster strong partnerships across a diverse contractor base to ensure consistent safety standards and collaboration.

Legislative Stewardship: Provide high-level direction on NSW safety legislation and compliance, ensuring Sydney Water continues to lead in regulatory performance and ethical responsibility.

Experience and Qualifications

You bring extensive leadership experience and a proven ability to influence at both strategic and operational levels. You’re not just a safety manager, but a culture leader who understands the importance of trust, inclusion, and psychological safety in achieving lasting change.

You bring:

• Senior safety leadership experience in complex, multi-site operational environments such as manufacturing, industrial, or within the water industry.
• Deep expertise in health, safety and wellbeing, including psychosocial risk management and safety culture leadership.
• Proven success leading large teams and contractor-based workforces.
• Strong understanding of NSW safety legislation, governance frameworks, and risk systems.
• Exceptional stakeholder management, able to confidently engage with executives, the Board, and workforce representatives.
• Tertiary qualifications in Health and Safety, Occupational Health.

Join us in creating a safer, healthier workplace for thousands of people every day

Please note, as part of the application process, you will be asked to undergo background checks which includes a criminal history check and a medical assessment either online or in person. Please advise if you require any adjustments to actively participate in the application and recruitment process. 

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

Closing Date: Sunday 29th of March at 11:59pm AEST

For any further information regarding the position please contact Mercedeh Emadi via Mercedeh.Emadi@sydneywater.com.au

Dive into Our Great Benefits:

• Competitive Remuneration: We’ll ensure that your skills and contributions are valued and rewarded appropriately.
• Hybrid Work Environment: We offer a hybrid work model that balances remote work and office collaboration, supporting our team's productivity and well-being.
• Continuous Professional Growth: We will invest in your career with leadership and development programs to propel your success.
• 24/7 Wellbeing Support: Access for you and your family to free and confidential mental health and general health support through our EAP portal.
• Discounted Private Health Insurance: Unlock affordable access to top-tier health coverage with our discounted insurance plans.
• Family First: Prioritise your family with up to 18 weeks of fully paid parental leave and a childcare allowance.
• Fitness Passport: Achieve your physical fitness goals using our Fitness Passport, granting you access to a multitude of gyms and pools across NSW.
• Novated Leasing: Get in the driver's seat of your financial future with our novated lease options.

Working at Sydney Water

At Sydney Water, we are passionate about making a difference to the lives of our customers and communities. We have a proud heritage and progressive future providing world class drinking water and services that are vital to our customers’ quality of life and safeguarding Sydney’s future. We see the world is changing, so we are changing too.  

Our vision is to create better lives through world-class services, and we believe that starts with our people. Our people and their jobs are as diverse as the communities we serve. Our diverse skills, mindsets and backgrounds work together on exciting and challenging projects that make a difference and help ensure Sydney remains one of the most iconic and liveable cities in the world.

We welcome and encourage applications from diverse backgrounds, including First Nations people, LGBTQIA+, people with disability, people with caring responsibilities, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and veterans. 

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.

Please see the job profile for the role’s full accountabilities.