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General Manager Engineering and Asset Infrastructure Planning

QLD Executive Permanent(Full Time)

Lead Council-wide engineering, capital planning and strategic asset management to shape Townsville's growth, resilience and liveability.

Lead engineering, capital planning and strategic asset management.

Drive design governance and infrastructure lifecycle planning.

Build a high-accountability culture focused on safety and value.

Townsville City Council is the largest local government authority in Northern Australia, serving a vibrant community and stewarding a broad and complex asset base that supports a growing regional capital. Our vision is to be a globally connected community driven by lifestyle and nature. As we drive economic diversity and cultivate an enriching lifestyle, we are growing a city for both current and future generations.

At Townsville City Council, our purpose is simple: Grow Townsville. To achieve this, we are seeking an exceptional executive leader to join us as the General Manager Engineering and Asset Infrastructure Planning.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Director, Infrastructure and Operations, this is a pivotal senior leadership role with responsibility for approximately 80 FTE. This position is not simply about managing a function; it is an opportunity to shape how Council plans, designs, delivers and stewards the community assets that support Townsville's growth and liveability.

You will lead a specialist technical group spanning whole-of-life asset planning, engineering services, infrastructure planning, capital planning, design governance and strategic asset management. The role requires you to set the operating rhythm, lift accountability, strengthen governance and balance technical rigour with timely, well‑informed decision‑making.

Your Contribution

As a contemporary engineering leader, you will provide Council‑wide leadership across the whole-of-life asset cycle, capital planning and strategic asset management.



You will work closely with the Executive Leadership Team and senior stakeholders to translate Council's strategic vision into practical priorities, programmes and service outcomes.

Your success will be measured by your ability to implement disciplined asset lifecycle planning, strengthen design and capital governance, and build effective internal and external partnerships. You will optimise long‑term value across a diverse asset base covering water, wastewater, transport, drainage, waste, community facilities and open space, while navigating legacy issues and strong stakeholder expectations.

About You

We are looking for a contemporary engineering leader with the emotional intelligence to bring people with you, the commercial and financial discipline to optimise the asset lifecycle, and the resilience to navigate complexity in a large and visible public sector setting. You may come from local government, utilities, infrastructure, consulting or a comparable asset‑intensive organisation, but you will bring the credibility and judgement to lead a high‑impact technical function.

To be successful in this role, you will demonstrate:

- Safety Leadership: Demonstrated experience embedding safety culture and health and safety management systems through visible leadership, due diligence and compliance.
- Contemporary Leadership: Proven ability to lead collaboratively across divisions and with key stakeholders to develop and deliver strategies, policies, plans and projects aligned to Council priorities.
- Financial and Commercial Acumen: Strong budget management capability, with experience balancing resources to deliver customer outcomes alongside statutory and legal obligations.




- Strategic and Technical Depth: Extensive experience across complex engineering, infrastructure or asset environments, including planning, design, governance, cost management, implementation and executive reporting.
- Stakeholder Influence: Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, including consultation, advocacy, negotiation, influencing, conflict resolution and assertiveness.

Qualifications

Relevant tertiary and skilled qualifications in Engineering are essential. RPEQ registration (or Chartered Engineer status) is mandatory, and postgraduate qualifications in a related field will be highly regarded.

Why Townsville?

Townsville offers a lifestyle like no other. From the iconic Strand and Castle Hill to the pristine beauty of Magnetic Island, our city provides a mentally and physically healthy environment for you and your family. With a booming economy backed by Defence, education and mineral processing, this is your chance to lead the development of Northern Australia's most exciting city.

How to Apply

Before applying, we strongly encourage you to download the comprehensive candidate information pack. This pack contains the detailed Position Description and further insights into the role, the organisation and the region. To access the pack, please visit mcarthur.com.au and enter reference J9321 into the job search function.

To be considered for this role, your application must include:

- A current Resume; and
- A tailored Cover Letter (maximum two pages) that specifically addresses the Key Selection Criteria as outlined in the candidate information pack.

For a confidential discussion regarding this significant executive opportunity, please contact Matt Weston on (07) 3211 9700.

Townsville City Council is an equal prospect employer and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We value Safety, Excellence, Respect, Value and Enjoyment (SERVE).

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Apply on Kit Job: kitjobau.com/job/3p9j94

📌 General Manager Engineering and Asset Infrastructure Planning (Townsville City)
🏢 Wellington Shire Council
📍 Townsville City