Stay ahead. Get job alerts

About the Company 

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.

We operate in a geographically and climatically diverse service area, with sites and locations from Ceduna through to Port Augusta, the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, across to the Riverland, down to Mount Gambier, and most places in between.

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  

The Leadership Development Program Manager leads the design, development and delivery of SA Water’s contemporary Leadership Development Framework and programs, shaping how leadership shows up across the organisation. Working across all levels, from emerging leaders to executives, the position lifts capability, strengthens culture and supports the strategic direction of the business through targeted, practical and engaging development initiatives.

The role blends strategic leadership with hands‑on program design, facilitation and stakeholder engagement. You will partner with senior leaders, OD specialists, People Partners and external providers to build a cohesive, future‑focused leadership offering that supports SA Water’s people, culture and performance. This is a high‑impact role for someone who thrives in a complex environment and is motivated by creating meaningful, organisation‑wide capability uplift at pace.

About the Person

The ideal candidate is an experienced organisational development and leadership specialist with a strong track record designing and delivering contemporary leadership programs across varied industries. They bring a balanced blend of consultancy‑level expertise and in‑house practicality, enabling them to simplify complex leadership concepts and translate them into actionable, engaging development experiences. Their strong communication skills and natural curiosity allow them to build trusted relationships and influence effectively across all levels of an organisation.

They demonstrate genuine leadership “DNA,” supported by gravitas, credibility and the ability to navigate diverse stakeholder environments with confidence. Highly self‑motivated and proactive, they work independently while contributing collaboratively, exercising sound judgement and integrity in handling sensitive organisational and people matters. Their presence, adaptability and thought‑partnering approach enable them to foster meaningful leadership capability uplift across the business.

About People and Safety

The People and Safety group are focused on ensuring workforce well-being and success through strategies such as talent attraction, diversity, and collaboration, while also prioritising health and safety efforts to prevent harm and promote overall well-being and career development.

In addition, your responsibilities will include: 

Fostering trust with our people, customers and community by providing expert advice and service that ensure we effectively communicate and engage audiences with our business strategy and its delivery across South Australia, every day. 

You will: 

• Design, develop and embed SA Water’s Leadership Development Framework and tiered leadership programs.
• Assess leadership capability strengths and gaps, defining capability priorities aligned to future culture and strategy.
• Develop contemporary programs for executive, mid‑level, frontline, emerging leaders and high‑potential talent.
• Review and refresh leadership diagnostics, tools and development pathways.
• Provide expert facilitation and partner with internal teams to support leadership development.
• Contribute to key leadership capability projects, including Indigenous leadership development initiatives, safety leadership.

Your success in this role will come from: 

• Tertiary qualifications in Business/Human Resources Management/OD or wider management.
• Broad experience in Leadership development on a large and complex scale
• Comprehensive knowledge and practical experience in developing and deploying leadership development and cultural programs (including curriculum development).
• Proven project management skills and experience, with a practical delivery approach at pace.
• Demonstrable success at developing partnerships between support and business functions.
• Proven ability to act with integrity on sensitive organisational and people matters.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills (presenting to diverse audiences, establishing compelling business cases, report-writing). Is a natural leader, has gravitas and can target communications to all levels of the business.
• Formal accreditations (i.e. Prosci, HBDI, Hogan) is desirable.

Further information can be found in the attached PD – Leadership Development Program Manager.

To apply, click 'Apply'. Please submit and complete the application form, upload a cover letter and current resume. For enquiries, please contact Despina Livadiotis from the Talent Acquisition team despina.livadiotis@sawater.com.au.

Applications close 11:55pm, 28 April 2026.

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.