General Manager - Workplace Health & Safety ANZ

Opal; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 260,000 - 360,000; Full time

Job summary

Opal, a leading paper and packaging manufacturer, seeks a strategic General Manager WHS ANZ to champion safe, compliant, and continuously improving performance across operations in Australia and New Zealand. You will report to the Chief People & Corporate Affairs Officer and lead the WHS team across two arm areas.

As an executive adviser to ELT/Board, regulators and unions, you will embed proactive hazard identification, risk-based assurance, and a consistent WHS system across ANZ, with regular

Qualifications

• Executive-level WHS leadership experience within manufacturing or heavy industry.
• Proven track record in enterprise change and technology-enabled transformations.
• Deep expertise in ANZ WHS legislation and risk-based assurance programs.
• Ability to engage and influence ELT/Board stakeholders, site leaders, regulators and unions.

Responsibilities

• Deliver enterprise WHS strategy and coach executive leaders to strengthen safety culture.
• Lead a multi-disciplinary WHS team across ANZ with clear accountabilities.
• Oversee WHS management system design and continuous improvement of risk-based audits and reporting frameworks.
• Establish robust frameworks for critical risks and transport safety and manage regulatory relationships.
• Sponsor WHS transformation portfolio and integrate WHS into business planning and capital investments.

Skills

WHS leadership

Change management

Regulatory knowledge

Job description

Opal is a leading paper and packaging manufacturer operating a complex, multi-site network across Australia and New Zealand. As a core part of our operational philosophy, safety is at the centre of everything we do.

We are navigating a significant period of change and enterprise transformation. To lead our health and safety function through this next evolution, we are seeking a strategic, highly influential General Manager WHS ANZ to champion safe, compliant, and continuously improving performance across all operations.

Discover the Opportunity…

Reporting directly to the Chief People & Corporate Affairs Officer, you will provide enterprise-wide leadership for Opal’s WHS strategy, governance, and operating model. Managing a dedicated team across two core functional arms, Safety Business Partners and Safety Process & Systems, you will ensure the business owns operational risk while your team provides collaborative partnership, standards, and independent assurance.

In this executive role, you will move beyond traditional compliance to embed a proactive hazard identification and critical-risk management culture across our sites. Acting as an expert advisor to the Executive Leadership Team, Board forums, regulators, and unions, you will drive functional excellence and consistency across Australia and New Zealand.

What will you be doing?

• Delivering enterprise WHS strategy, coaching and constructively challenging executive and operational leaders to strengthen safety culture and accountability
• Leading a multi-disciplinary WHS team across ANZ, building capability, clear accountabilities, and an active internal WHS community across all business units.
• Overseeing the design and continual improvement of Opal’s WHS management system, risk-based audit programs, critical-control verifications, and executive reporting frameworks.
• Establishing robust frameworks for critical risks and transport safety. Overseeing serious incident notifications, escalations, investigations, and regulatory relationships with authority and independence.
• Sponsoring the WHS transformation portfolio, integrating WHS into business planning, capital investments, and organisational change while developing team capability and succession pipelines.

Who are we looking for?

• Executive-level WHS leadership experience within manufacturing, heavy industry, FMCG, logistics, or transport operating across complex, geographically dispersed environments.
• A proven track record of leading enterprise change, managing technology-enabled transformations, and implementing consistent systems across large-scale business operations.
• Deep expertise in ANZ WHS legislation, transport safety regulations, management systems, critical-risk control, and risk-based assurance programs.
• Demonstrated capability to engage, influence, lead with empathy and partner with ELT/Board stakeholders, site leaders, frontline teams, regulators, and unions.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly across Australian and New Zealand sites.

Why Join Opal?

• Take ownership of a critical function where safety is genuinely prioritised at every level of the organisation.
• Lead a high-performing ANZ team through meaningful change and continuous improvement.
• Opportunity to shape, modernise, and unify WHS systems and culture across a leading paper and packaging business