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About SA Water

SA Water is a successful, modern water utility wholly owned by the Government of South Australia. We employ more than 1,700 people across a broad range of disciplines who operate more than $14 billion worth of infrastructure to deliver essential water and sewerage services to more than 1.8 million South Australians.

With operations and offices across the state, our strength and expertise have been shaped by our history. For more than 165 years, South Australians have depended on us to innovate and deliver efficient and sustainable water services. With nationally and internationally recognised industry expertise, we’re focused on understanding and meeting our customers’ expectations.

As well as safely delivering smart and reliable services for our customers of today, we innovate to shape the water solutions of the future that will support thriving economies and healthy communities.

We are driven by our values; we value our people, we do work that matters, we keep it real, we know that our work has impact, and we are future focussed. Staying true to our values ensures that we consistently deliver positive outcomes for all South Australians.

About the job  

We’re looking for a leader with a strong presence—someone who supports lean principles, drives minimum viable solutions, and challenges stakeholders, including engineering subject matter experts, to achieve optimal outcomes. Your ability to inspire collaboration and efficiency will be key to delivering value-for-money solutions across our projects.

In this pivotal role, you’ll ensure the delivery of accurate, timely, and cost-effective technical outputs that support our commitment to excellence.

About the Person

You’re an experienced design leader with a proven ability to guide multi-disciplinary teams and deliver high-quality technical outcomes. You thrive in complex environments, balancing stakeholder needs with practical, value-for-money solutions. Your leadership style is proactive and collaborative, with a strong presence that inspires confidence and drives results.

Additional responsibilities include:

• Advocates Safety in Design by Lead by example in promoting a strong safety culture, ensuring compliance with SA Water’s Safety in Design (SID) and Sustainability in Design (SuiD) standards
• Lead Multi-Disciplinary Design Delivery by acting as the primary engineering representative, managing technical teams to deliver accurate, timely, and cost-effective design outputs
• Ensure Quality and Compliance by overseeing design reviews and verification processes, ensuring all deliverables meet SA Water’s technical standards and regulatory requirements while driving continuous improvement in design practices.
• Drive Customer-Focused Solutions by collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to develop effective, value-for-money designs that meet project goals, clearly communicating cost, risk, and schedule
• Build strong relationships across engineering teams and stakeholders, challenge and engage subject matter experts, and contribute to a culture of learning and innovation within the organisation.
• Support the adoption of new technologies and improvements in design processes, documentation, and systems to enhance efficiency and deliver sustainable outcomes.

Your success in this role will come from: 

• A degree in engineering (e.g., B.Eng) in a relevant discipline.
• Ability to inspire and lead multi-disciplinary teams, driving high performance and engagement in a challenging environment.
• Strong planning and organisational skills with the ability to develop and implement effective design strategies that meet project milestones.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence and challenge stakeholders to achieve optimal outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to identify and implement innovative solutions that improve design efficiency and project delivery.
• Extensive experience in engineering design, design review, and development of infrastructure standards, supported by strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Further information can be found in the attached PD – Design Manager - PD.docx

To apply, click 'Apply'. Please submit and complete the application form, upload a cover letter and current resume, by 5:00PM 5th of January. For enquiries, please contact Gregg Forte from the Talent Acquisition team on Gregg.forte@sawater.com.au

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

Please note: We request that recruitment agencies do not submit candidates for this position, as they will not be accepted.