Operational Risk Advisor

Careers at Council; Wollongong City Council; Hybrid; AUD 93,000 - 106,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work options

35-hour work week / 9-day fortnight

Career growth and recognition

Generous leave provisions

Health, safety, and wellbeing

Vibrant social culture

Job summary

Wollongong City Council is seeking an Operational Risk Advisor to work within the Governance and Risk team. The role focuses on embedding strong operational risk practices across Council to support teams in identifying, assessing and managing risk as part of daily work.

This permanent full-time position offers a broad, organisation-wide risk remit, requiring site visits across the Wollongong LGA and a Class C driver licence. Salary ranges from $93,237.75 to $105,988.52 plus superannuation.

Qualifications

• Experience in a risk management role, ideally across a broad range of operational risk areas extending beyond a single discipline such as work health and safety.
• Demonstrated ability to independently conduct operational risk assessments, recommend appropriate controls and support teams to manage risk, with sound judgement about when to seek specialist advice.
• A solid understanding of risk management standards and frameworks, with the ability to apply them in practical settings
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders and deliver effective training across all levels of the organisation
• Proven ability to build capability in others, helping teams take ownership of risk in their day to day work
• Well developed analytical and investigative skills, with the ability to identify patterns, risks, and improvement opportunities
• Experience contributing to business continuity or crisis management planning and development
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities across different teams and work areas
• A current Class C Driver Licence is required, and you must be comfortable attending site visits across the Wollongong LGA.

Responsibilities

• Conduct proactive and responsive risk assessments and site inspections across a broad range of services, from infrastructure and public spaces through to projects and operational activities
• Provide practical, real world advice that enables teams to identify and manage their own risks
• Deliver engaging risk education and training to diverse audiences, from field based staff to senior leaders
• Support the development, review, and continuous improvement of risk frameworks, tools, and documentation
• Contribute to business continuity and crisis management planning, including development and maintenance of plans
• Work across a wide range of risk areas, offering variety and exposure to complex and evolving operational risks

Job description

At Wollongong City Council, we continuously strive to create an Extraordinary Wollongong for our community. We focus on the delivery of exceptional services, infrastructure and facilities for our community. Our aim is to work toward the community's goals in the Our Wollongong Our Future Community Strategic Plan 2035.

Wollongong is a great place to work, live and play! Together, our responsibility is to create an inclusive community where everyone is welcome, valued and belongs. Our strength is the diversity of our people.

We lead with courage, openness and curiosity and believe our employees are the key to our success. Learn more about us here.

The Opportunity

At Wollongong City Council, we are committed to building a safe, inclusive, and resilient community. Join our Governance and Risk team and help us deliver on that mission as a proactive and highly capable Operational Risk Advisor. This is not a traditional WHS role.

This is an opportunity to step into a broad, organisation wide risk role where no two days are the same. You will work across a wide range of operational risk areas, supporting teams to build capability and embed risk awareness into everyday decision making. You will play a key role in identifying, assessing, and managing risks across Council operations, working closely with teams at all levels of the organisation to support the implementation of practical risk management approaches that protect our people, assets, and services.

This is a hands on and influential role where you will move beyond performing risk assessments yourself and instead focus on enabling others to understand and manage risk as part of their day to day work. Applicants must be physically capable of undertaking manual tasks relating to the role.

This is a Permanent Full Time 35 hour per week position. Salary from $93,237.75 up to $105,988.52 per annum plus superannuation (Salary package will be assessed based on skills, experience and qualifications)

In this role, you will focus on embedding strong operational risk practices across Council rather than acting as the sole owner of risk outcomes. You will:

• Conduct proactive and responsive risk assessments and site inspections across a broad range of services, from infrastructure and public spaces through to projects and operational activities
• Provide practical, real world advice that enables teams to identify and manage their own risks
• Deliver engaging risk education and training to diverse audiences, from field based staff to senior leaders
• Support the development, review, and continuous improvement of risk frameworks, tools, and documentation
• Contribute to business continuity and crisis management planning, including development and maintenance of plans
• Work across a wide range of risk areas, offering variety and exposure to complex and evolving operational risks

This role offers a unique breadth of experience, working across a diverse risk profile that keeps the work interesting and provides ongoing development opportunities

About you

• You are a confident and capable risk professional who brings both technical knowledge and the ability to influence and educate others.
• You will bring:
• Experience in a risk management role, ideally across a broad range of operational risk areas extending beyond a single discipline such as work health and safety.
• Demonstrated ability to independently conduct operational risk assessments, recommend appropriate controls and support teams to manage risk, with sound judgement about when to seek specialist advice.
• A solid understanding of risk management standards and frameworks, with the ability to apply them in practical settings
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders and deliver effective training across all levels of the organisation
• Proven ability to build capability in others, helping teams take ownership of risk in their day to day work
• Well developed analytical and investigative skills, with the ability to identify patterns, risks, and improvement opportunities
• Experience contributing to business continuity or crisis management planning and development
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities across different teams and work areas

You will thrive in a collaborative, small team environment and enjoy working across a wide variety of risk topics, adapting your approach depending on the audience and situation. A current Class C Driver Licence is required, and you must be comfortable attending site visits across the Wollongong LGA.

Why you'll love working at Wollongong City Council!

• True work-life balance
  We know you work hard, and we make sure that effort is rewarded with real flexibility. Our hybrid work options, flex-time, and rostered days off mean you can maintain balance while delivering great outcomes.
• Great working conditions
  Enjoy a 35-hour work week or a 9-day fortnight with a regular rostered day off (RDO).
• Career growth and recognition
  We are committed to supporting your personal and professional development. Our initiatives include a reward and recognition program, corporate learning opportunities, study assistance, and leadership development programs to help you grow and succeed.
• Generous leave provisions
  Benefit from five weeks of annual leave per year (pro rata) and access long service leave after just five years.
• Health, safety, and wellbeing
  We prioritise a safe workplace for everyone, every day, everywhere. Our wellbeing programs support mental, physical and social wellbeing of our people to be at their best and include an Employee Assistance Program, skin and hearing checks and discounted gym memberships.
• A vibrant social culture
  Join our Social Club for monthly activities, an annual trivia night, and fantastic Christmas events!

Participate and engage in meaningful work, and contribute to our extraordinary community, where together we make a difference.

Applicants who applied when this position was previously advertised and were advised that their application was unsuccessful need not reapply.

We invite everyone to apply no matter your identity, you'll be welcome. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people who are culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), people with disability and veterans.

Wollongong Council adheres to the principles of a child safe organisation and is committed to the care and protection of all children and young people in the community.

Applicants are required to undergo a rigorous employment screening process which will include Reference, Identity and Medical History Checks, and may also include a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check and Working with Children Check. Employment is subject to clearance of all these checks.