Head of Stakeholder Relations

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 Executive Leader, People & External Relations, the Head of Stakeholder Relations is responsible for overseeing the engagement, relationship management and effective partnerships with Urban Utilities’ many and varied external stakeholder groups and representatives, in the endeavour to identify and deliver mutually beneficial value and outcomes in support of and aligned to the achievement of Urban Utilities’ long-term strategic goals and critical outcomes.
- In this pivotal, highly visible role within Urban Utilities’ Senior Leadership Team, you will advocate for and seek to influence key stakeholders on matters that are important to Urban Utilities, ensuring alignment with customer and community interests, while navigating a complex political, regulatory and legislative landscape in doing so.
- Together with a team of dedicated and experienced engagement, relationship management and partnership professionals, you will engage, build effective relationships, partner and collaborate with key stakeholders across all levels of Government (Local, State and Federal), the Water sector/industry, our shareholding Councils in Brisbane, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Scenic Rim and Somerset, and the Communities in which Urban Utilities operates and who we service.

Your key responsibilities will include:
- Lead the design and implementation of Urban Utilities’ Stakeholder strategy and program of work for stakeholder engagement, relationship management, partnership and influencing;-
- Lead, develop and enable the Stakeholder Relations team across the functions of Government & Industry Relations, Shareholder Relations, and Community Relations;-
- Collaborate with stakeholders and decision makers to drive the best outcomes for Urban Utilities customers, including influencing future government policy and legislation to provide an enabling environment for Urban Utilities overall strategic direction;-
- Partner with Executive and Senior Leaders across Urban Utilities to collaborate on the development and implementation of strategies and solutions to address the challenges impacting our customers and communities;-
- Maintain and enhance business performance by designing and leading the implementation of strategies and solutions to mitigate risks; and-
- Monitor regulatory developments and contribute to shaping Urban Utilities’ position on the policy, legislative and regulatory frameworks relevant to achieving organisational success.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:
- Tertiary qualifications in Business, Political Science, Public Policy, Communications, and/or related fields.-
- Senior leadership experience leading a stakeholder engagement/relations division in the water or utilities sector, public sector, or other critical services.-
- Proven experience in organisational strategy development and leadership and risk management.-
- Proven experience engaging with and influencing senior stakeholders and building effective working relationships across government agencies, industry bodies, and community groups.-
- Expertise in project management and policy development within complex political, regulatory and legislative environments.-
- Strong communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to inspire and guide cross-functional teams.Why Urban Utilities?
- At Urban Utilities, the work we do is more 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 e