Senior Manager Production & Treatment

SA Water; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

SA Water in Adelaide leads South Australia’s water and wastewater services. We are seeking a Senior Manager Production & Treatment to drive performance, safety and continuous improvement across the state's water operations.

You will oversee about 500 direct employees and 200 partners, manage water production, treatment, wastewater operations, network service, and remote community services, balancing customer outcomes with regulatory and financial objectives.

Qualifications

• Significant experience within water, wastewater or related utility operations.
• Proven success leading large, geographically dispersed operational teams.
• Experience working collaboratively with alliance partners and contractors.
• A strong commercial mindset with the ability to balance customer outcomes, operational performance, risk and financial objectives.
• Demonstrated success leading change, continuous improvement and organisational transformation.
• Experience operating within complex and highly regulated environments.
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement, negotiation and influencing skills.
• Resilience, tenacity and drive to tackle challenges and deliver results.
• A genuine passion for developing people and building high-performing teams.
• A strong commitment to safety, operational excellence and customer service.

Responsibilities

• Lead the performance, optimisation and continuous improvement of SA Water's water and wastewater operations across South Australia.
• Oversee water production and treatment, wastewater operations, network service delivery, operations control, trade waste services and services to remote communities.
• Balance operational excellence, customer outcomes, environmental stewardship, regulatory compliance and commercial performance while fostering safety, accountability and collaboration.
• Drive innovation, operational resilience and continuous improvement to position SA Water to meet current and future challenges.

Job description

Lead the delivery of safe, reliable water and wastewater services for South Australia

As South Australia's sole provider of water and sewerage services, we deliver essential services to more than 1.8 million customers across Adelaide, regional centres and remote communities, from Ceduna and Port Augusta to the APY Lands, the Riverland, Coober Pedy and Mount Gambier.

As we enter an exciting period of growth and transformation, we are investing in the future of our operations and are seeking an exceptional leader to join our Operations Leadership Team as Senior Manager Production & Treatment.

About the Opportunity

Reporting to the General Manager Operations, this critical leadership role is responsible for the performance, optimisation and continuous improvement of SA Water's water and wastewater operations across South Australia.

Leading a large, geographically dispersed workforce of approximately 500 direct employees, together with over 200 alliance partners and contractors, you will oversee water production and treatment, wastewater operations, network service delivery, operations control, trade waste services, and services to remote communities.

This role requires a leader who thrives in complex operational environments and understands what it takes to deliver essential services safely, efficiently and sustainably. You will be responsible for balancing operational excellence, customer outcomes, environmental stewardship, regulatory compliance and commercial performance, while fostering a culture of safety, accountability and collaboration.

Through strong leadership and strategic oversight, you will ensure the reliable delivery of critical water and wastewater services that support the health, wellbeing and economic prosperity of South Australians. You will also drive innovation, operational resilience and continuous improvement, positioning SA Water to meet current and future challenges while delivering exceptional outcomes for customers and communities.

This is a 3-year max term, full-time opportunity available.

About You

You are a strategic and authentic leader who combines commercial acumen with operational expertise.

You understand the complexities of delivering essential services in a highly regulated environment and have a proven ability to lead large operational teams through change, growth and transformation. Equally comfortable in the field and at the executive table, you build credibility through action, develop strong relationships and create environments where people can perform at their best.

You are resilient, outcomes-focused and able to navigate competing priorities while building trusted relationships with employees, alliance partners, contractors, regulators, government agencies, community stakeholders and executive leaders.

About Operations and Maintenance

Operations and Maintenance (O&M) is where our essential services come to life. Our teams operate and maintain water and wastewater infrastructure right across South Australia, ensuring we continue to deliver services that communities rely on every day.

Working in O&M means hands‑on, meaningful work running treatment plants, maintaining critical assets, responding to faults, and solving real‑world problems. Depending on the role, this may include rostered hours, on‑call responsibilities, or weekend work.

Be part of a safety‑first, people‑focused team where experience is valued, learning is supported, and everyone knows their work matters today and for the future of South Australia.

We're Looking For Someone Who Brings:

• Significant experience within water, wastewater or related utility operations.
• Proven success leading large, geographically dispersed operational teams.
• Experience working collaboratively with alliance partners and contractors.
• A strong commercial mindset with the ability to balance customer outcomes, operational performance, risk and financial objectives.
• Demonstrated success leading change, continuous improvement and organisational transformation.
• Experience operating within complex and highly regulated environments.
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement, negotiation and influencing skills.
• Resilience, tenacity and drive to tackle challenges and deliver results.
• A genuine passion for developing people and building high‑performing teams.
• A strong commitment to safety, operational excellence and customer service.

Why SA Water?

This is more than a leadership role. It is an opportunity to lead one of South Australia's most critical operational portfolios and directly influence services that impact every South Australian every day.

You will lead critical infrastructure and operations, shape the future capability of a large operational workforce, influence strategic decision‑making and help deliver safe, sustainable and reliable water and wastewater services for generations to come.

If you are a proven operational leader with deep water and wastewater experience and are ready to make a lasting impact on South Australia, we'd love to hear from you.

A great customer experience is best achieved by having a diverse and inclusive team that reflects the community we serve. Applications are encouraged from everyone, including people living with disability, job seekers of all ages, members of the LGBTIQA+ community, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and people from culturally diverse backgrounds.

Our Industry is like no other. Dive into the wonderful world of water and explore the boundless opportunities. Learn more about the water industry at careersinwater.com.au.