- True hybrid working - work from home and our Mitcham office

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.

The Role

We're seeking a strategic and experienced communications and community engagement professional to lead engagement for major capital works and infrastructure projects that directly impact our community.

This role is suited to someone who has successfully delivered engagement on complex infrastructure, transport, or urban projects, and can confidently navigate competing stakeholder interests, community sensitivities and fast-paced project environments.

This is an chance to influence outcomes at a strategic level, manage complexity and play a key role in protecting and enhancing organisational reputation.

This is an 8-Month parental leave cover opportunity, offering the chance to work on a range of high-profile projects and hit the ground running within a collaborative team.

To view the full position description, click HERE.

Your Key Responsibilities

- Leading community and stakeholder engagement for complex,



high-profile infrastructure and capital works projects.
- Developing and implementing strategic communication and engagement plans for capital works projects and organisational initiatives.
- Providing trusted communications advice to senior leaders, project managers and subject matter experts, informing project direction or outcomes.
- Identifying and managing reputational risks and developing mitigation strategies.
- Managing engagement and communication activities in sensitive and highly scrutinised environments.
- Protecting and enhancing our brand across customer and stakeholder interactions.
- Supporting media preparedness, including media handling plans, holding statements and Q&As.;
- Leading and supporting stakeholder engagement activities, including ministerial opportunities where appropriate.
- Monitoring media coverage, stakeholder sentiment and community feedback to inform communication strategies.
- Building strong relationships across the organisation, with project partners, community and traders to ensure communication is coordinated, timely and effective.
- Proactively identifying opportunities to showcase organisational achievements and project outcomes.




- Contributing to the continuous improvement of strategic communications practices, tools and processes.

What we're Looking for

- Demonstrated experience delivering community and stakeholder engagement for major infrastructure, capital works or urban projects.
- Strong written communication skills, including preparation of engagement materials, consultation reports, executive briefings and stakeholder correspondence.
- Strong experience managing complex or sensitive communication issues, stakeholder and community impacts and reputational risks associated with construction, transport, infrastructure or urban development projects.
- Excellent stakeholder engagement and relationship-building capabilities.
- Knowledge of contemporary engagement principles and frameworks, including IAP2 methodologies.
- Sound understanding of traditional media, digital channels and communication best practice.
- Experience evaluating communication effectiveness and using insights to improve outcomes.
- A collaborative approach and commitment to meaningful stakeholder engagement.
- A proactive and 'can do' approach

About You

You're an experienced communications and engagement practitioner who thrives in complex environments where projects are highly visible and community expectations are high. You can balance strategic thinking with meticulous attention to detail, manage multiple priorities simultaneously, and maintain strong stakeholder relationships while delivering outcomes to tig

📌 Strategic Projects Advisor (Melbourne)
🏢 Yarra Valley Water
📍 Melbourne