Description:
There’s No Us Without U. Care with Us, for Today and Tomorrow
There's no life without water, and at Urban Utilities, we live and breathe this every single day. It's why our people are so passionate about what we do and how we do it. And it's why we need people like YOU . Come shape our future with us and make a real and lasting impact across our teams.
Your opportunity:
Aligned to Urban Utilities’ corporate strategy and core operations, the People and External Relations group is a key enabling function in our business, responsible for driving performance and achievement of the organisation’s objectives through the delivery of effective engagement, partnerships and relationships with our people and key external stakeholders.
Reporting to the Head of Stakeholder Relations, the Manager, Community Relations is responsible for leading the strategic development and delivery of effective and targeted community engagement and relationship management with members and representatives of the communities in which Urban Utilities operates and who we service across our participating Councils in Brisbane, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Scenic Rim and Somerset.
Together with a team of dedicated and experienced engagement professionals, you will lead the engagement and effective partnerships with Urban Utilities’ internal representatives and delivery partners to support the delivery of associated capital programs and infrastructure maintenance activities. This includes ensuring the design, development, delivery and management of communication and engagement activities for high-visibility, high-profile and high-risk programs affecting the communities within Urban Utilities’ service region.
In this critical leadership role within the Stakeholder Relations function, the Manager, Community Relations is required to build and maintain relationships with key internal stakeholders to ensure the value of engagement is realised, develop and deliver a standardised engagement framework and toolkit to enable consistent and high quality engagement programs, effectively manage the resourcing and service delivery standards across a program of 100 projects annually and be part of and nurture a team culture of collaboration, continuous improvement and effective relationships.
Your key responsibilities will include, but not be limited to:
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Leadership – lead the development and implementation of Urban Utilities’ Community Relations program of work with a team of engagement professionals, ensuring all team members are equipped, enabled and empowered, and by creating a positive working environment for all;
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Internal Partnerships – Partner with a range of internal stakeholders to collaborate on the development and implementation of strategies, programs, activities and solutions relevant to the delivery of Urban Utilities’ capital infrastructure and maintenance programs/activities;
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Program Integration and Planning – develop and deliver a coordinated program that supports effective and integrated engagement across 100 concurrent projects annually during planning, delivery, operational and maintenance phases that also support service delivery models and long-term infrastructure planning;
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Strategic Community Engagement – provide strategic advice for the execution of complex community engagement strategies for planning, delivery and maintenance projects and programs that build social licence, mitigate risk and align with regulatory expectations and requirements;
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Framework & Standards Development –develop an engagement toolkit that can be consistently applied across the project lifecycle, supports contractual guidelines with Delivery Partners, enhances Urban Utilities brand and reputation and is supported by internal stakeholders;
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Brand & Reputation – lead activities to protect and enhance the Urban Utilities brand and our reputation as a reliable, trusted and progressive provider of water and wastewater services; and
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Customer/Community Advocacy – seek to understand and advocate for issues on behalf of and in the best interests of Urban Utilities’ Customers and Community members and representatives.
Please note, this position may also require on-call duties outside of standard working hours due to the critical nature of the role.
About you:
If you’re passionate about what you do and are ready to join an organisation that has a genuine impact on the communities we serve, we’d love to hear from you. Ideally you will have:
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Tertiary qualifications in Communications, Community and/or Stakeholder Engagement, Public Relations, Community/Urban Planning, or other relevant discipline/s;
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IAP2 Certification (highly regarded);
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Experience in strategic community and stakeholder engagement within critical infrastructure programs, projects or organisations and/or other services industries highly regarded;
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Demonstrated success in developing and managing a complex program including accurate resource planning and management, and delivering efficiencies through standardisations and toolkits
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Proven experience in building effective working relationships and influencing a diverse set of stakeholders; and
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Proven experience leading operational teams and partnering with leaders across multiple functions.
At Urban Utilities, we celebrate diversity. We genuinely believe that bringing together diversity of thoughts, perspectives and expressions is key and crucial to our success as a business. You might find you meet some, but not all, of the job requirements for this role. We’d still encourage you to apply as we we’re looking for the right person for this role - it’s about so much more than ticking all the boxes!
Why Urban Utilities?
At Urban Utilities, the work we do is more than just about the bottom line. We're a leading provider of world-class drinking water and wastewater services to the vibrant communities of Brisbane, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Somerset, and Scenic Rim. As we continue to grow, we're committed to planning ahead and shaping a sustainable future around water for generations to come.
We know the chance to thrive, and progress comes hand in hand with the support to balance work with life. So, you’ll access an increasingly diverse range of benefits and initiatives that’ll help you bring the best you. Urban Utilities is an endorsed employer for all women. See our range of benefits and policies directly at WORK180
Here’s just a sample of the benefits we offer our team:
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18 weeks of paid parental leave, 15 days personal leave including two proactive wellbeing days, and an additional day of leave each year to connect with friends and family
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Generous Salary Packaging options, including novated leases
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Corporate discounts across Health insurance, technology and more
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Flexibility at UU depends on the type of work you do but could include options such as, 9-day fortnights and flexible days. Talk to us about what flexibility means to you!
At the core of our work lies genuine CARE : for our team, our customers, communities, and the environment. From the flush of a toilet to major infrastructure projects and residential developments, we're dedicated to being there every step of the way. HQ is in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, but you'll find us all over SEQ - working in cool places like the SAS Laboratory in Darra, field-based depots in Eagle Farm, Acacia Ridge, Bundamba, and wastewater treatment plants dotted across the region.
How to apply
Visit our website to learn more about us at www.urbanutilities.com.au and click on “Apply” to complete your application.
Please note, applicants will be required to undergo pre-employment & background checks as part of the recruitment process for this role. This may include a medical, which includes Drug and Alcohol testing.
This job ad reflects the high-level role Urban Utilities plays in the community, emphasising the strategic and impactful nature of the position while inviting diverse applicants. Let us know if you need any further adjustments or additional details by contacting our friendly Talent Team at careers@urbanutilities.com.au