Head of Operational Services & Contracts

Our Business

Working at TasWater isn't just a job; it's an opportunity to deliver social, environmental, and economic benefits for Tasmania today, and tomorrow. Every day we deliver essential water and sewerage services to more than 474,500 customers, supported by a talented workforce of around 920 people.

We have a bold and ambitious future, inspired by our vision to unlock water’s full potential, and centered on our customers and communities, our people and partners, the environment, and our collective water future.

Over the coming 4 years we’re investing $1.2 billion to ensure a safe and secure water future for a growing Tasmania, and we will make great steps towards our aspirations of net zero carbon emissions and towards zero waste.

The Role

As Head of Operational Services & Contracts, you will lead the functions that enable safe, reliable and efficient operations across TasWater. Reporting to the General Manager, Operations, and as part of the Operations Senior Leadership Team, your central purpose will be relationship-based contract management, building constructive partnerships and using positive influence and negotiation to achieve stronger commercial and operational outcomes from high-value contracts.

This role requires a leader who can navigate complexity through positive influence, thoughtful negotiation, and the ability to create alignment and commitment across diverse stakeholders. Success will be driven by influence rather than authority, and come through credibility, commercial judgement and respectful negotiation. You will understand what matters to TasWater and its partners, creating shared ownership of outcomes, and holding people to account while preserving productive long-term relationships.

You will also lead leaders across operational planning and monitoring, logistics, electrical and SCADA, and mechanical services. You’ll create and communicate a compelling vision, gain genuine buy-in, and strengthen a positive culture that lifts staff engagement, accountability and operational performance.

Your leadership will be pivotal in:

• Leading relationship-based contract and supplier management that improves value, performance, service continuity and operational outcomes.

• Using positive, solutions-focused negotiation and influence to align suppliers, contractors and internal stakeholders around shared outcomes.

• Creating and selling a clear vision that earns buy-in, connects teams to TasWater’s priorities and translates strategy into action.

• Leading leaders to build a constructive, inclusive, and accountable culture that increases staff engagement and performance.

• Applying strong commercial and financial judgement across significant contracts, suppliers, resources and an operating budget estimated at $40 million.

• Strengthening collaboration, continuous improvement, safety and service responsiveness across Operations and the broader organisation.

What we're looking for

We’re looking for an influential, commercially astute and people-centred leader who achieves results through relationships. You will be a confident and positive negotiator who can navigate complex, high-value arrangements, balance cost, risk, service and customer outcomes, and bring suppliers and internal stakeholders with you. You will know how to build trust without avoiding accountability, and how to challenge constructively without relying on authority or confrontation.

We recognise that great candidates may not meet every requirement listed below. If you’re excited by the opportunity and believe you can make a positive contribution, we encourage you to apply.

To succeed in this role, you’ll demonstrate:

• A strong track record in relationship-based contract and supplier management, delivering better commercial and operational outcomes across significant, complex or high-value arrangements.

• Highly developed positive negotiation and influencing skills, with the ability to create alignment, resolve tension constructively and secure sustainable outcomes.

• Proven experience leading leaders and building a positive, inclusive and performance-focused culture that improves staff engagement and operational results.

• The ability to create a compelling vision, communicate it clearly and gain genuine buy-in across diverse teams and stakeholders.

• High-level commercial and financial acumen, including operating budgets, resource allocation, business case evaluation and value-for-money decision-making.

• Exceptional relationship management and communication skills, with the confidence to hold suppliers and stakeholders accountable while maintaining constructive partnerships.

• Demonstrated safety leadership and a commitment to a proactive, respectful and psychologically safe workplace.

• A track record of continuous improvement, using evidence, systems and contemporary practices to improve productivity, resilience and service performance.

• Experience in utilities or a similarly complex operational environment (desirable).

• Current C class driver’s licence.

Why TasWater

Across our multi-disciplinary organisation, we are serious about enhancing the skills and careers of our team members. When you join TasWater, you join a company that offers career development pathways, training courses, and access to subject matter experts.

We are continuing to build an inclusive workplace and workforce that truly represents the Tasmanian community that we serve.

We value diversity in all its many forms and welcome a range of perspectives and identities to enrich the way we work and what we do. We take pride in being acknowledged as a Jobs Tasmania Employer of choice and an employer of choice for women by WORK180. Visit the Work180 website to view our benefits and policies, such as 18 weeks of paid parental leave for all parents regardless of tenure and with full superannuation contributions.

We’re continuing to work on future benefits through a dedicated Employee Experience team.

The Details

This is a permanent full-time role and can be based in Launceston or Devonport.

Final appointment will be conditional upon a final interview with TasWater’s CEO and the completion of a psychometric test.

Ready to apply? Include a CV/resume and a 1–2-page cover letter telling us how your experience matches What we are looking for and how you connect to our TasWater values and vision.

For more details about the role and duties of the Head of Operational Services and Contracts, contact Brendan Windmeyer - General Manager Operations on 0427 789 ***, For assistance in applying, please connect with Christie Hopp – Talent Acquisition Manager on 0409 322 ***.

Our applications will be closing on Wednesday 16th September at 10:00AM

Visit our website at www.taswater.com.au or click the video below to hear from our General Manager of Operations - Brendan Windmeyer.

https://youtu.be/Ac-fPjABdXI

Please note: To be considered for this opportunity, applicants must have the right to work in Australia. As part of our recruitment process, you may be asked to participate in pre-employment checks relevant to the role. These may include a National Police Check or AusCheck, with any offer of employment subject to satisfactory outcomes.