The Role
The Manager, Work Health and Safety (WHS) plays a key role in delivering the Memorial's work, health and safety strategy and early intervention and injury management program. The role operates under broad direction exercising a degree of independence to resolve WHS issues and delivery quality outcomes. The role is committed to partnering with business, cultivating a safety risk management culture and working independently and flexibly. This involves working with all levels of the organisation including the Corporate and Senior Management Groups, being pro-active and solution focussed, and coaching and influencing to enable safety to be integrated in core business operations. The role is responsible for managing and leading a small team and is also required to contribute to the work of the broader HR Team.
This position will initially be filled for 6 months, with the possibility of extension and/or permanency.
Core Responsibilities
Work Health and Safety Service Delivery
* Ensure the effective delivery of work health and safety services and initiatives in alignment with the Memorial's work health and safety strategic priorities.
* Provide in-depth advice and guidance on the practical interpretation and application of relevant legislation, Codes of Practice, industry standards and internal guidelines relevant to the Memorial's diverse activities across diverse working environments.
* Foster and maintain effective working relationships with internal stakeholders including but not limited to HR team members, Branch Heads, Section Heads, Team Managers/ Leaders as well Building Services and the Memorial Development Team. Considering the diverse range of stakeholder needs, accounting for the range of operational contexts in which the Memorial and its people operate and manage this with sensitivity and appropriate care.
* Provide coaching and mentoring to employees in workplace responsibility roles (for example, First Aid Officers, Health and Safety Representatives, Harassment Contact Officers, Work Health and Safety Committee) to ensure they understand their responsibilities and obligations.
Work Health and Safety Policy and Risk Management
* Maintain the suite of policies and supporting documents under the work health and safety management system and frameworks to ensure legislative and regulatory compliance.
* Provide guidance and review of risk management plans for major Memorial events including ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day, and conduct lessons learned following these events to enable continuous improvement in the Memorial's risk management approach.
Early Intervention
* Provide oversight to early intervention programs, and case management to assist rehabilitation and return to work and evaluate and report on performance quarterly.
Work Health and Safety Reporting and Investigations
* Use experience and expertise to analyse and interpret data and statistical information to assess the effectiveness of relevant plans and interventions, identifying emerging trends to proactively manage identified risks.
* Foster a collaborative relationship with Comcare and other safety regulators ensuring effective engagement with Building Services (and where relevant the Memorial's Development Team) on matters impacting employees and requiring corrective action including notifiable incidents.
* Develop reports to Executive and Council covering work health and safety activities, identified trends and corrective actions, legislative and regularly compliance, injury prevention and management outcomes. As required, prepare complex and/or sensitive correspondence, corporate documents, submissions, proposal papers.
* Manage investigation of incidents including coordination of serious incident investigation with sections (and external specialists where relevant) to ensure appropriate analysis and effective mitigation/prevention of re-occurrence.
Work Health and Safety Operations
* Lead, coach and manage the WHS Team to produce quality outcomes.
* Manage the WHS budget and procurement activities in accordance with the Commonwealth finance and procurement processes.
* Represent the Work Health and Safety team with external stakeholders including Comcare, other safety regulators, and relevant agency work health and safety forums.
Position Eligibility
* Under section 22(8) of the Public Service Act 1999, employees must be Australian citizens to be employed in the Australian Public Service (APS).
* All applicants external to AWM that are offered employment will be required to successfully undergo a National Police Check, even if they currently hold a security clearance. The check is conducted in accordance with the Australian Government Protective Security Policy Framework requirements.
Mandatory Requirements
* Ability to obtain and maintain a baseline security clearance
Contact Information
* For specific questions relating to this job vacancy, please contact: Janette Coulton, ,
* For questions relating to the online lodgement of your application, please email the Recruitment team via
Submitting Applications
* Please note that applications can only be accepted through the Australian War Memorial jobs portal
* To apply, go to Australian War Memorial – Employment Opportunities and complete the online application by 11:30pm, Sunday, 9 November 2025
Notes
This recruitment process is being used to fill ongoing and/or non-ongoing position/s.
A merit pool of suitable applicants may be created which may be used to fill future ongoing and non-ongoing vacancies should they become available over the next 18 months.
Successful applicants engaged into the APS will be subject to a probation period.
The Memorial is committed to workplace diversity and maintains an environment that values the contribution of people from different backgrounds and experiences. The Memorial welcomes applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, veterans, mature age people, people from diverse backgrounds, and people with a disability.