Overview
Manager Operational PerformanceAt Wollongong City Council, we focus on delivering exceptional services, infrastructure and facilities for our community. We work toward the community's goals in the Our Wollongong Our Future Community Strategic Plan 2035.
Location: Wollongong, New South Wales
Employment Type: Full-time
The Opportunity
You will play a pivotal role in improving how Council delivers operational services to the community. This role focuses on translating strategy into practical, day to day service delivery across open space and city works environments. You will lead a small, highly capable team of technical and planning officers who coordinate work scheduling, resource planning and operational workflow. Your work will directly support frontline crews responsible for maintaining parks, playgrounds, sports fields, natural areas, street trees, transport assets, stormwater assets, buildings, pools and beaches.
You will partner with operational managers, coordinators, finance, procurement, safety teams and senior leaders. Together, you will create consistency in service delivery, reduce safety and financial risk, and improve the internal and external customer experience. This role aligns strongly to a purpose of delivering reliable, high-quality services through smart planning and continuous improvement. You will be empowered to influence change, reduce complexity and make a visible difference in how work is planned and delivered. You will be part of a collaborative and improvement focused environment that values practical ideas, data informed decisions and respectful leadership.
This is a permanent full time 35 hour per week position. Salary from $141,077 up to $166,182 per annum plus superannuation, and an option of a motor vehicle equalisation allowance ($10,450pa) OR a lease for private use of a motor vehicle. Salary package will be assessed based on skills, experience and qualifications. There will be a minimum salary increase of 3.25% from 1 July 2026 in accordance with Council's Enterprise Agreement.
How You'll Make a Difference
In this role, you will focus on improving operational performance by bringing structure, planning and consistency to service delivery. Your impact will include:
* Leading operational planning, scheduling and workflow management across key service areas
* Embedding work management practices that improve safety, productivity and cost visibility
* Translating strategic priorities into clear, achievable operational plans
* Leading the implementation of work scheduling across open space and city works
* Driving operational improvement initiatives across people, plant, equipment and work methods
* Overseeing plant and equipment planning, maintenance and lifecycle decision making
* Supporting place-based city presentation initiatives and coordinated service blitz programs
* Managing contracts, procurement activities and performance monitoring
* Building dashboards and performance measures to track service delivery outcomes and improve visibility for operational teams, service managers and other internal customers
* Partnering with leaders to balance workloads, skills, resource availability including relief staff
* Leading and developing a high performing technical team through empowerment and coaching
Over the first twelve months, you will be heavily involved in strengthening work management capability, implementing agreed plant and equipment strategies, embedding consistent scheduling practices, and supporting organisation wide operational improvement priorities.
About You
You are an experienced operational leader who enjoys improving how things work in real world environments. You are comfortable working in complexity and bringing structure where it is needed most.
You Bring
* Senior experience in operational improvement, service delivery or workforce planning
* A degree qualification in a relevant discipline
* Strong capability in scheduling, resource planning and workflow optimisation
* Experience leading technical or specialist teams in an empowering way
* Confidence working with data, KPIs and dashboards to drive improvement
* Sound financial and commercial acumen including contract management
* Experience leading and supporting change in operational environments
* An understanding of service delivery in a local government or similarly complex organisation
* A practical mindset with the ability to influence and collaborate across teams
* A commitment to Council\'s values of Respect, Integrity, OneTeam, Sustainability and Courage
You value consistency, clarity and fairness in service delivery and are driven to create improvements that frontline teams can see and feel.
Why you\'ll love working at Wollongong City Council
* True work-life balance: We offer flexibility, hybrid work options, flex-time, and rostered days off
* Great working conditions: 35-hour work week or a 9-day fortnight with an RDO
* Career growth and recognition: Rewards and development programs, study assistance, leadership development
* Generous leave provisions: Five weeks annual leave per year (pro rata) and long service leave after five years
* Health, safety and wellbeing: Wellbeing programs including Employee Assistance Program, and health checks
* A vibrant social culture: Monthly activities, annual trivia night, Christmas events
Participate and engage in meaningful work, and contribute to our extraordinary community, where together we make a difference.
For more information, click on 'Apply' to be redirected to Wollongong City Council\'s job vacancy page. Applications close 11:59pm, Monday 11 May 2026.
We invite everyone to apply no matter your identity. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, CALD communities, people with disability and veterans. Wollongong Council adheres to the principles of a child safe organisation and is committed to the care and protection of all children and young people in the community.
Applicants are required to undergo a rigorous employment screening process which may include reference, identity and medical history checks, and possibly a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check and Working with Children Check. Employment is subject to clearance of all these checks.
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