Senior HSE Advisor

Downer; Australia; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Downer Group is seeking a Senior HSE Advisor to join our Energy and Utilities team, supporting Transmission and Substations projects across Australia. You will lead site-level HSE assurance, verify critical controls and maintain the Zero Harm register, guiding delivery teams, subcontractors and clients in applying robust risk management.

You will influence project leaders and drive corrective actions, ensuring compliance with WHS legislation, permits, SWMS and training requirements across

Qualifications

• Significant HSE experience in transmission, substations, utilities or high-risk projects
• Qualification in Work Health and Safety (Certificate IV or higher)
• Strong knowledge of WHS legislation and risk controls

Responsibilities

• Leading assurance over Health and Safety Management Plan implementation and critical risk controls
• Owning and maintaining the Zero Harm risk register and ensuring risks remain aligned with actual project delivery
• Conducting targeted site surveillance, workplace inspections and critical control verification
• Providing assurance over subcontractor competency, mobilisation, work readiness and HSE performance
• Supporting incident investigations and ensuring corrective actions address underlying control failures
• Providing assurance over plant, equipment, permits, training and competency requirements
• Supporting client, regulatory and external audits and assurance activities
• Coaching HSE Advisors, supervisors and operational personnel to strengthen risk and assurance capability

Skills

HSE assurance

Risk governance

Incident investigations

Subcontractor governance

Permits and controls

Critical control verification

Education

Certificate IV WHS or higher

Diploma or higher in WHS or related discipline

Job description

Senior HSE Advisor Transmission and Substations

The opportunity

Downer is seeking an experienced Senior HSE Advisor to join our Energy and Utilities business, supporting our Power Projects Transmission and Substations portfolio.

This is a senior project HSE assurance role with genuine influence across project delivery. You will provide independent assurance and risk governance, ensuring HSE systems and critical controls are effective in practice and remain aligned with changing project risks, site conditions and compliance requirements.

You will lead site assurance activities, critical control verification and risk governance while maintaining the Zero Harm risk register. Working closely with project leaders, supervisors, subcontractors and clients, you will identify emerging risks, challenge ineffective controls and drive corrective actions through to effective closure.

Key responsibilities include

• Leading assurance over Health and Safety Management Plan implementation and critical risk controls
• Owning and maintaining the Zero Harm risk register and ensuring risks remain aligned with actual project delivery
• Conducting targeted site surveillance, workplace inspections and critical control verification
• Providing assurance over subcontractor competency, mobilisation, work readiness and HSE performance
• Supporting incident investigations and ensuring corrective actions address underlying control failures
• Providing assurance over plant, equipment, permits, training and competency requirements
• Supporting client, regulatory and external audits and assurance activities
• Coaching HSE Advisors, supervisors and operational personnel to strengthen risk and assurance capability

What we’re looking for

You will bring significant HSE experience gained within transmission, substations, utilities, infrastructure, construction or another high risk project environment. You will be comfortable working at site level while also providing credible challenge and advice to senior project stakeholders.

You will also bring

• A relevant qualification in Work Health and Safety or a related discipline, ideally Certificate IV, Diploma or higher
• A current construction industry White Card
• Strong knowledge of Australian WHS legislation and high risk construction controls
• Demonstrated experience with HSE assurance, risk management, SWMS, permits and critical control verification
• Experience managing project risk registers and assessing whether controls are genuinely effective in the field
• Experience supporting incident investigations and corrective action management
• Strong subcontractor HSE governance and contractor management capability
• Clear and credible written and verbal communication skills across frontline teams, leaders, clients and assurance stakeholders
• The judgement and confidence to intervene and escape where critical controls are absent or ineffective
• Formal training in incident investigation, auditing, risk management or critical control verification will be highly regarded.

What we offer

At Downer, you will have the opportunity to contribute to significant infrastructure projects while working alongside experienced professionals across our Energy and Utilities business.

You will join an environment where safety leadership is more than compliance. This role provides the scope to influence how risk is understood, controls are applied and HSE assurance is delivered across complex project environments.

About Energy & Utilities

Downer's Energy & Utilities business provides services and solutions across Australia's essential infrastructure. Our teams work across complex operational and project environments, bringing together specialist capability, strong delivery disciplines and a commitment to Zero Harm.

Downer is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone belongs.