HSE Operations Manager (Utilities | Major Projects) - Contract

Location: Victoria (metro + field sites)

Help power a safer, cleaner energy future.
Join a leading Victorian electricity distribution business and be the on‑the‑ground HSE partner who keeps people safe, lifts capability, and embeds best practice across construction, maintenance and network operations. You'll support frontline leaders, contractors and project teams as the network evolves with distributed energy, storage and EVs.

Why you'll love it

• Meaningful impact: Your coaching and assurance work directly improves how thousands of people plan and execute work-every day.
• Variety: Split your time across sites, depots, and projects-no two weeks are the same. Travel to other locations is part of the role.
• Future‑focused: Be part of the transition to safer, smarter networks (think renewables integration, batteries and EV charging).

What you'll do

• Provide practical, risk‑based HSE support to operational teams-coaching leaders and crews on hazards, critical controls, health and wellbeing, and safe work practices.
• Strengthen incident and hazard management-facilitate quality investigations, ensure appropriate escalation, and share learnings and corrective actions.
• Lift communication & consultation-engage workers and HSRs, present clear HSE insights at toolbox talks and forums, and help leaders foster speak‑up culture.
• Assure risk & compliance-plan/facilitate risk assessments; verify critical controls; run field engagements, inspections, audits and compliance checks; drive action closure and continuous improvement.
• Build strong stakeholder relationships with frontline leaders, HSRs, union reps, first aiders, project leads and contractors to enable safe, compliant delivery.

What you'll bring

• Qualifications: Tertiary OHS (Bachelor minimum). Incident investigation training (ICAM preferred). ISO Lead Auditor and Environmental Management quals desirable.
• Knowledge: Solid grasp of Victorian OHS legislation, WorkSafe requirements, risk management and hazards in construction/electricity distribution. Demonstrated experience with investigations, regulatory notifications, HSE systems, inspections and audits.
• Experience: Background in high‑risk, operational environments-ideally electrical distribution/sub‑transmission, construction, manufacturing, maintenance, or oil & gas.
• Strengths: Clear communicator and collaborator who can influence without authority; resilient, action‑oriented, good judgement and adaptable to changing site conditions.

The team you'll join

You'll be part of a People, Culture & Legal function that delivers practical HSE support and partners closely with the business to embed a robust, learning‑oriented safety culture. You'll work hand‑in‑hand with the broader HSE team to align practices and share learnings across the network.

What's on offer

• Permanent engagement with a well‑resourced, safety‑mature organisation
• Broad operational exposure across critical network assets and projects
• Supportive leaders who value openness, consultation and continual improvement

Keen to make a measurable difference in a role with real scope and variety?
Apply now or contact for a confidential chat.