Division/Section: Infrastructure and Operations – Water Services

Position Type: Senior Officer contract – four years full time

Salary Range: A competitive executive remuneration package will be negotiated with the preferred candidate, commensurate with the scale and complexity of the role. Relocation assistance is available.

Application Close: 11:45pm, Sunday 22 November 2026

Lead the future of water services in Northern Australia

Townsville City Council is seeking an accomplished utility executive to lead the safe, reliable and sustainable delivery of water and wastewater services for one of Northern Australia’s most important regional cities.

As a member of Council’s Senior Leadership Team, you will shape long-term water security, infrastructure investment, operational resilience and customer outcomes during a period of continued city growth and increasing environmental and regulatory complexity.

This is an opportunity to lead an integrated water business with responsibility spanning water and wastewater networks, dam operations, mechanical and electrical services, and laboratory services. You will work at the intersection of public health, environmental stewardship, major infrastructure, technology, commercial performance and community service.

A competitive executive remuneration package will be negotiated with the preferred candidate, commensurate with the scale and complexity of the role. Relocation support is available with consideration for temporary accommodation for a period of time. The position does not attract vehicle allowance.

Reporting to the Director Infrastructure and Operations,



the General Manager Water Services is accountable for the strategic and operational performance of Council’s integrated water and wastewater services.

You will lead a skilled and diverse workforce of approximately 250 employees and ensure that Townsville’s community can rely on safe drinking water, compliant wastewater services and resilient critical infrastructure every day.

Your mandate will include:

- leading Council’s long-term water and wastewater strategy, including water security, demand management, treatment, recycled water and infrastructure sustainability;
- maintaining strong drinking-water, environmental, trade-waste and dam-safety compliance;
- overseeing an annual operating budget of approximately $189 million and the delivery of Council’s Water Services $82.9 million three-year capital works program, ensuring prudent financial management, value for money and long-term service sustainability.
- providing strategic oversight of $4.1 billion in water and wastewater assets, driving asset performance, reliability, resilience and sustainable infrastructure outcomes for the community;
- strengthening incident, emergency and business continuity capability;
- improving asset performance, service reliability and customer outcomes;
- advancing secure, reliable and data-led operational technology, including SCADA and control systems;




- growing the performance and value of Council’s laboratory and technical services;
- developing workforce capability and succession pipelines for critical technical skills; and
- building trusted relationships with government, regulators, industry, Traditional Owners, elected members and the community.

About You

You are a contemporary executive leader who combines sound technical judgement with commercial discipline, visible leadership and a robust commitment to public service.

You will bring:

- substantial senior leadership experience in a water or wastewater utility, or a comparable regulated infrastructure business;
- demonstrated accountability for complex operations, regulatory compliance and public-health or environmental risk;
- a record of turning long-term strategy into measurable service, asset and customer outcomes;
- strong financial, commercial and asset-management capability, including oversight of major operational and capital programs;
- experience leading through incidents, emergencies and business-continuity events;
- the ability to build capable, accountable and safety-focused teams in a scarce-skills environment;
- highly developed stakeholder skills and the ability to operate effectively with regulators, government, elected representatives and communities; and
- relevant tertiary qualifications.

Registration as a Professional Engineer of Queensland, or eligibility to obtain registration, is highly regarded.

Experience in dam safety, bulk water, operational technology, NATA-accredited laboratory services or regional utility operations will be highly regarded.

For further information review the Position Description.

Why Townsville?

Townsville offers a

📌 General Manager Water (Townsville)
🏢 Townsville City Council
📍 Townsville