Senior Project Manager, Project Development

Greater Western Water; City of Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 150,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work flexibility

Free onsite parking

16 weeks parental leave

Work life balance day off (monthly)

Income protection & salary continuance

Health insurance deals

Wellbeing/sensory rooms

Job summary

Greater Western Water is seeking a Senior Project Manager, Project Development to lead the early stage development of high-value infrastructure projects. The role drives robust business cases, aligns with capital delivery lifecycle and collaborates with NextGen planning and delivery partners across water assets, tanks, pump stations and treatment upgrades.

The role requires proven leadership, strategic thinking and the ability to mentor a team within a dynamic, government-owned utility.”

Qualifications

• Experience in infrastructure project development and planning.
• Strong business case writing to support investment decisions.
• Proven project management skills from planning through handover.
• Leadership and mentoring of project teams and delivery partners.
• Strategic thinking in environments of uncertainty.
• Water or utility project experience desirable.

Responsibilities

• Develop Part 1 Business Cases and handover to Delivery, meeting funding requirements.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to ensure project scope and service needs are met.
• Mentor Project Managers and Engineers to build team capability.
• Coach leaders to independently lead business case development and handover processes.
• Prioritise the project development pipeline considering needs, resources and deliverability.
• Lead cross-team investigations to improve development processes.

Skills

Infrastructure PM

Capital delivery

Business case

Risk management

Stakeholder engagement

People leadership

Strategic thinking

Education

Engineering/Economics/Business degree

Job description

Senior Project Manager, Project Development

GWW is a Victorian government owned water corporation that provides an essential service to some of the fastest-growing communities in Australia, stretching from Melbourne’s CBD to Lancefield in the north and Bacchus Marsh in the west.

• We embrace flexibility and connection with a balance of on-site and WFH
• Free onsite parking (subject to availability)
• Gender neutral, 16-week parental leave available from commencement
• Monthly work life balance day off to treat yourself (if full-time)
• Free income protection and salary continuance insurance
• Access to corporate health insurance deals with major providers
• Wellbeing, prayer, and sensory rooms in the Footscray and Sunbury office

The opportunity

The Senior Project Manager, Project Development is a senior leader within the Project Development team in Integrated Asset Planning, reporting to the Team Leader and responsible for guiding the early development of high-value, complex infrastructure projects through to the Business Case Part 1 gate. The role leads the preparation of robust business cases and comprehensive handover documentation, drives implementation of GWW’s capital delivery lifecycle (Portfolio and Project Management Framework), contributes to enterprise capital prioritisation aligned to strategic risks and business priorities, and builds capability across the function in business case development and effective project handover. The team delivers major projects across all asset types, including water and sewer mains, tanks, pump stations, odour control and recycled water assets, solar and energy initiatives, and treatment plant upgrades, with this role playing a key part in shaping delivery in collaboration with Greater Western Water’s new NextGen planning, engineering and delivery partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead the timely development of Part 1 Business Cases and handover of projects to Delivery, ensuring deliverables meet Department of Treasury & Finance and/or Commonwealth funding requirements, with clear functional requirements and defined next-phase activities.
• Engage and collaborate with key internal stakeholders to ensure project is meeting required service need, identify and assess project risks that inform scope development, and build strong alignment and support for the agreed project pathway and outcomes.
• Mentor and support Project Managers and Engineers within the Project Development team, actively contributing to a high-performing, collaborative and positive team culture.
• Build capability within Integrated Asset Planning (IAP) by coaching Team Leaders, SMEs and business case development champions to independently lead business case development, while strengthening understanding of project initiation and handover processes across the function.
• Collaborate with initiator and delivery teams to identify and prioritise the project development pipeline considering business need, resourcing and deliverability.
• Incorporate feedback from Integrated Asset Planning, the Project Management Office and Infrastructure Program Delivery to improve project development processes and ensure project priorities at master planning and initiation phases guide development timelines.
• Lead complex cross-team investigations and studies where required.

Skills & Experience

• Demonstrated experience in infrastructure project development and planning. Proven capability in capital delivery and/or operations (desirable)
• Experience developing network projects for water, sewer or recycled water infrastructure preferred (e.g. mains, pipelines, pump stations, tanks).
• Strong expertise in business case development and writing to support informed investment and project decisions.
• Proven project management skills, including leading complex projects from planning through to handover.
• Effective people leadership and change management abilities, with experience mentoring teams and driving capability development.
• Strategic thinking and decision-making skills, with the ability to operate confidently in environments of significant uncertainty.
• Degree in Engineering, Economics, Business or relevant industry experience
• Water or utility experience (desirable)

See yourself thrive

Our vision for GWW is Thriving People and Country. We aim to be as diverse as the communities we serve and are deeply committed to building a workplace where everybody thrives. We’re supportive, inclusive, and friendly, and value everyone for who they are and what they can bring.

We’re seeking applicants across all cultural backgrounds, genders, and abilities, and will make reasonable adjustments as required, so please talk to us about what you need.

The successful candidate will be required to complete pre-employment checks, including reference checks, medical assessments, a national police check, and verification of working rights in Australia.

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