Senior Communications and Community Engagement Advisor

Position overview

• 2-Year Maximum-Term Contract, Full-Time opportunity
• True hybrid working – work from home and our Mitcham office
• $117,026 - $126,511 per annum plus 12% superannuation

About the role

Are you a community engagement expert who thrives on building trust, navigating complex stakeholder environments and delivering meaningful outcomes? As our Senior Communications and Community Engagement Advisor, you'll play a key role in shaping how we connect with diverse communities as we renew aging infrastructure and expand our network. You'll help smooth project delivery to provide a positive customer experience and reliable water and sanitation services for years to come.

You'll work closely with Project Managers, communities and other external stakeholders to design and deliver strategic engagement activity that ensures we listen to our community, mitigate risks and realise opportunities for social and environmental value.

About us

We're on a mission to create a brighter future, where you can be a change maker at the actual source. We're one of Australia's largest water utilities with over 30% of Victoria's population relying on us for their essential water and sanitation services.

Our award-winning culture fosters an inclusive, collaborative, and flexible environment that enables our people to thrive. Here, you'll be inspired and challenged to grow alongside us.

We're committed to reconciliation and supporting the self-determined role for Traditional Owners/Custodians in water and land management.

Your key responsibilities

• Leading engagement strategy - develop and implement tailored plans aligned with project goals and organisational values.
• Building relationships - foster strong connections with residents, businesses, community groups, service providers, utilities, councils and government agencies.
• Providing expert advice - support project teams with best-practice advice on engagement approaches that maximise positive outcomes.
• Creating clear communications - prepare accessible, timely content across multiple platforms, including digital, print, and face-to-face channels, and work with Communication colleagues to promote the project broadly across our service area.
• Facilitating engagement - coordinate briefings, workshops, public forums and one-on-one meetings.
• Managing risks and issues - proactively identify project risks and support actions to resolve these, working with our project and Case Management teams.
• Evaluating impact - monitor and report on stakeholder sentiment and engagement outcomes, using insights to refine strategies.

What we're looking for

You're a skilled engagement professional who excels in a fast-paced, complex environment and is passionate about creating positive community experiences.

• Proven experience designing and delivering engagement strategies for major infrastructure or construction projects in urban settings.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft messages for diverse audiences and platforms.
• Highly developed interpersonal skills, including problem-solving, negotiation and conflict resolution.
• Proficient with engagement platforms and CRMs such as Social PinPoint and Consultation Manager.
• Experience managing project and reputational risks through strategic engagement.
• Highly organised, able to prioritise competing demands and work autonomously as well as collaboratively.

Why Yarra Valley Water?

We celebrate and encourage new thinking at every level. Creating opportunities for you to grow – both professionally, and personally. When you flourish, we all do.

• $117,026 - $126,511 per annum plus 12% superannuation
• Flexible working arrangements where our people are empowered to design their days with their team. Read our hybrid playbook HERE.
• Free and secure on-site parking with on-site café at our Mitcham office
• 14 weeks paid leave parental leave
• 15 days paid personal leave, which can be used for caring, wellbeing, mental health, menstrual or menopause
• Request to swap certain public holidays for another day of paid leave

To read more about our benefits and culture, read our employee handbook HERE.

Did you know?

Research shows that men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, while women and other marginalised people tend to only apply when they meet all of them. So, if you think you have what it takes, but don't necessarily tick every box, please apply or get in touch. We'd love to have a chat and see if you could be a great fit.

How to apply

Applications should include a supporting Cover Letter and Resume.

Closing date: Wednesday, 17th September 2025

This position is available for Yarra Valley Water employees and external applicants.

We welcome applications from everyone, including Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, mature age and young job seekers, members of the LGBTIQA+ community and people of all cultural backgrounds. If you need this information in an accessible format or would like to discuss reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process. Please call or email If you need any help with the application process or would like to discuss the recruitment process, please contact us via email

Successful applicants must be eligible to work in Australia and agree to provide information for pre-employment checks, if required for the position. This may also include a Police Check or AusCheck, where an offer will be subject to a satisfactory outcome of these checks.