Position DescriptionManager Water Treatment and QualityIt’s an exciting time to join North East Water!

We’re transforming the way we do business with significant investment in customer, digital and business innovation, redesigning our infrastructure to service communities for generations to come and pursuing a circular economy so we can not only reduce our environmental footprint but also reduce energy costs to keep customer bills affordable. We’re also engaging communities to achieve better outcomes and supporting our incredibly talented and valued leaders and people.

Organisational Context

North East Water provides water and sewage services to an estimated population of 110,000 people in 39 towns in northeast Victoria across an area of 20,000 square kilometres. The service delivery area is bound by Corryong, Yarrawonga, Benalla and Dartmouth. We operate 21 water treatment facilities and 22 wastewater treatment plants that service most towns across the region. Over 200 full time equivalent staff are employed at our centres in Wodonga, Wangaratta, Benalla, Yarrawonga, Corryong, Beechworth, Mount Beauty and Myrtleford.

Our operations are overseen by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) on behalf of the Minister for Water, and the Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF) on behalf of the Treasurer. We continue to invest in innovative and long-term capital projects which contribute to the health and well-being of current and future generations.

Our Commitment to Health and Safety

- Business, strategy and negotiation acumen.
- Agility and adaptability.
- Program and change management.
- Communicator, connector, influencer, relationship builder.
- Opportunity focused, growth mindset.
- Developing, coaching and supporting others.
- Leading hybrid teams.
- Management essentials (safety first, planning, budgeting, delivery, people management, continuous improvement, chance and risk management).

Our Mindsets

- Committed to advancing and supporting people to succeed.
- Consistent in interactions with people and in applying processes.
- Provide empathy for people and be willing to place oneself in another person’s position.
- Accountable for one’s own actions and responsibilities and playing your part for the success of the organisation.
- Cooperative with others to work towards the Corporation’s common goals.

North East Water - Position Description - Manager Water Treatment and Quality

Position Objectives

The Manager Water Treatment and Quality:

- Provides strong, encouraging and inspirational leadership to the water treatment, water systems and treatment technician teams to ensure alignment to the Corporations ambitions and objectives.
- Drives excellence within the operational delivery of our services through the high performance and continual improvement of our drinking water quality management system.
- Ensures compliance at 21 water treatment plants, including day to day operations, process improvement and compliance to Safe Drinking Water Act and Regulations.
- Provides strategic and operational management of water resources including adhering to bulk entitlements volumes, water licences and developing drought preparedness plans.

Key Responsibility Areas

- Provision of timely, effective and compliant operational services to North East Water’s community, focussing on water treatment, water quality compliance and water resource compliance.
- Managing over $8m in operational expenditure, including oversight of maintenance, chemical and laboratory services budgets and associated scheduling of works.




- Customer service decisions and decision making that support the Corporation and comply with legislative requirements.
- Strategic advice and data integrity related to operational functions.
- Optimising existing infrastructure and operations in order to reduce operational expenditure as opportunities are identified.
- Emergency response function to manage non-compliances within relevant legislation and regulations.
- Ensuring water treatment plants adhere to the HBT framework or have a clear pathway to compliance.
- Identifying, communicating and addressing immediate and emerging risks to safe drinking water delivery and water resources.
- Working collaboratively across the business to embed adherence to Safe Drinking Water legislation and best practice into planning processes and infrastructure uplifts.
- Maintaining positive working relationships with Department of Health, including adherence to Safe Drinking Water legislation and regulations.
- The day-to-day management of the people and functions of the drinking water quality, treatment technician and treatment operations teams.

Organisational Relationships

This role reports to the General Manager Environment, Systems and Operations and liaises with all internal stakeholders, peers in water corporations or local government, government agencies and members of the public.

Accountability and Extent of Authority

- Accountable: Accountable for water treatment performance and improvement, safety compliance, budget adherence, team performance, stakeholder relations, public health compliance.
- Authority: Decisions on daily operations, allocate resources for maintenance, projects and emergencies within the budget and financial delegation. Communicate directly with stakeholders and customers on operational matters. Decisions and actions taken may have a substantial effect on the community.

Judgement and Decision Making

- Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment and decision-making skills, and timely responses to water treatment emergencies, operational challenges and improvement opportunities.
- Able to balance immediate operational needs with corporation requirements based on organisational strategy.

Specialist skills and knowledge

- Knowledge and expertise in water treatment, systems and operations. Knowledge of the legislative and compliance framework associated with public health and supply of safe drinking
- water. Demonstrated understanding of water treatment industry best practices to ensure efficient and sustainable water
- Experienced safety leader, demonstrating the expectations of the Occupational Health & Safety System every day.
- Leads the improvement of and adheres to established safety and operational standards.
- Demonstrated understanding of the long-term goals of North East Water, and the socio-economic context in which
- A sound knowledge of budgeting procedures.

Management Skills

- Directly supervise the lead water treatment coordinator, water systems coordinator and treatment technician coordinator ensuring they are adequately trained, and performance concerns are promptly addressed.
- Oversee and provide support to the water treatment coordinators and operators to ensure adherence to safety, environmental and organisational standards.




- Support the General Manager through representing water treatment operations at senior management forums.
- Develop and deliver reports for board and executive.
- Promote a cohesive treatment and operations team environment.
- Skilfully delegate tasks, ensuring their efficient completion.
- Utilise effective time management and prioritisation to meet schedules and deadlines.
- Display proficiency in timely problem resolution.

Interpersonal Skills

- Demonstrates strong leadership communication, fostering open dialogue with both direct reports, higher management and other business units.
- Builds and maintains relationships with various internal departments and external stakeholders, ensuring alignment with organisational objectives.
- Handles public and customer interactions with tact and professionalism.
- Engages, negotiates and persuades effectively with other employees, contractors, suppliers, and other partners, ensuring projects align with the authority's standards and goals.

Qualifications and Experience

- A degree in a relevant science or applied science and several years’ experience at a senior level leading a team of operational professionals.
- Demonstrated extensive leadership experience.
- Substantial experience in a management position relevant to the objective of this position and a sound knowledge of the Victorian Water Industry.
- Experience in water and/or wastewater treatment.

Requirements of Employment

Employees of North East Water must be eligible to work in Australia and hold a valid Driver’s Licence.

Health, Safety and Wellbeing

- Champions HS&W; across the business through the proactive implementation of the HS&W; Management System.
- Actively promote a generative health, safety & wellbeing culture.
- Guarantee appropriate resources (including time) are made available for the implementation of the businesses HS&W; Management System and safe work practices.
- Exercise a high level of due diligence to ensure ongoing compliance with both the requirements of the businesses HS&W; Management System and relevant legislation.
- Inspire all levels of the business to proactively focus on their physical and mental wellbeing.
- Ensure all incidents regardless of the severity are reported and debriefed in accordance with NEW’s procedures.

Protecting the Environment

- Champions environmental stewardship across the business through the proactive implementation of the Environmental Management System.
- Actively promote a generative environmental stewardship culture.
- Exercise a high level of due diligence to ensure ongoing compliance with both the requirements of the businesses Environmental Management System and relevant legislation.
- Inspire the water treatment, water quality and treatment technician teams to proactively focus on positive
- Ensure all environmental incidents regardless of the severity are reported in accordance with NEW’s procedures.

Data Privacy

As a Victorian government organisation, North East Water is required to comply with the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 ("PDP Act"). There are 10 Information Privacy Principles ("IPPs") in the PDP Act that govern the way that North East Water collects and handles the personal information of current and future employees and customers. North East Water’s Privacy Statement can be found on our website.

Employee Position Declaration

I’ve read and understand the requirements and expectations of the Position Description. I accept my role in fulfilling the key responsibilities and upholding the mindsets.

Name of incumbent:

Signed:

Dated:

- Position Description
- Manager Water Treatment and Quality

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📌 Manager Water Treatment & Quality (Wodonga)
🏢 North East Water
📍 Wodonga