- Opportunity to innovate and be part of conversations and projects that matter
- Be valued for your ability to engage across the organisation and help build capability
- Caring team environment offering flexibility, stability and the opportunity to grow
Bring your ability to lean in, value relationships and identify opportunities to this key safety role with this people focused local council!
Team Leader Safety and Risk
About the Company
The City of Charles Sturt is one of South Australia's largest metropolitan councils, proudly serving a diverse and vibrant community across Adelaide's western suburbs. With a strong commitment to creating a leading, liveable and connected city, Council delivers a broad range of services, infrastructure and community initiatives that make a genuine difference to the people who live, work and play in the area.
Their organisational values are passionate, progressive, caring and courageous and are committed enabling and embedding Safety Leadership where people genuinely matter. They believe that safety is everyone's responsibility and encourage open communication, collaboration and continuous improvement. The City of Charles Sturt are people focused and safety is a key enabler which must be embedded across the organisation and truly felt in the way they work and live.
Role Overview
This newly formed position of Team Leader Safety and Risk demonstrates the commitment of the Council to strengthen this key area to provide operational oversight and integration of Council’s Safety and Risk function, including Safety (including psychosocial safety), Risk Management, Emergency Management and Business Continuity.
Through proactive leadership and capability building, the role strengthens Council’s Safety Leadership and Risk culture, enables courageous and future-focussed conversations and informed decision-making, and supports positive outcomes for their people and community. The role leads a team and works across the organisation to ensure contemporary and integrated frameworks, systems and practices are embedded across the organisation, supporting legislative compliance, effective governance and organisational priorities.
You will be a valued member of the Governance and Risk leadership group, contributing to the planning, strategy and culture of the broader portfolio and working with other leaders to further enhance their culture, to enable their people and support the portfolio’s service to the organisation.
About the Person
City of Charles Sturt is seeking a candidate who can demonstrate advanced leadership skills to enable a thriving, connected and high performing team to operate effectively across the organisation to support outcomes for their people and community. You will have the ability to communicate a clear strategy and direction and a multi-disciplined team to achieve organisational and individual goals and the proven ability to motivate, inspire, coach, mentor and lead team members and others towards a common goal. You are motivated by exploring the dependencies and connections which will enable a truly integrated approach.
An inherent passion and natural curiosity for the bigger picture will enable you to understand risk and opportunity proactively and will drive your ability to seek opportunities for improvement by making decisions that are based on cost-benefit analysis and consideration of constraints, resources and alignment with strategic directions.
Key Responsibilities
- Leading, developing and inspiring a multi-disciplinary Safety and Risk team, stating clear objectives and service standards, and managing the business unit’s operating budget
- Driving Safety Leadership and a Positive Risk Culture and supporting delivery of Council’s WHS Strategic plan and actions.
- Leading strategic and organisation risk management program including the annual risk assessment process, reporting on Council’s risk profile and the LGA Mutual Liability Scheme’s risk management evaluation.
- Coordinating community emergency management, including reviews of the Community Emergency Response Plan and work with the Western Adelaide Zone Emergency Management Committee.
- Ensuring the Business Continuity Plan is regularly tested, trained and improved
- Using risk, incident and performance data to give strategic advice to the Executive and Management team and to target training to where it is most needed
- Acting as the Council’s key liaison with Local Government Risk Services and the Mutual Liability Scheme.
Skills, Knowledge and Experience
- Sound knowledge of South Australian work health and safety legislation and self-insured standards and the ability to apply this knowledge pragmatically.
- Knowledge of human and financial resource management practices and planning.
- Demonstrated experience leading work health and safety, injury management or workplace wellbeing functions.
- Experience leading, coordinating and developing a multi-disciplinary team.
- Experience leading safety and/or risk functions in a complex environment.
- Experience interpreting and applying legislative and policy requirements, working within a political framework.
- Experience leading large-scale improvement activities.
Qualifications & Requirements:
- A tertiary qualification in Law, Psychology, Safety, Risk or Management, or related field and/or commensurate demonstrated experience in lieu of formal qualifications.
For more information, please contact Lorraine Kenny on 0489 278296 or lorraine.kenny@harrisonmcmillan.com.au
Please note applications close COB 24th November 2026
Please note – all applicant resumes must be submitted in Word format only.
