Position Description
Position Title:
Chief Shared Services Officer
Employment Type:
Full Time
Section:
Executive
Division:
Shared Services
Salary Band:
Individual Contract
Agreement:
Individual Contract
Reporting To:
Managing Director
Approval Date:
12 March 2014
Approved - Manager
Managing Director
Approved - HR
Group Manager People & Safety J Morris
Background
Hunter Water Corporation (HWC) operates on a commercial basis providing water, sewerage and
stormwater services to the lower Hunter region. HWC is a progressive organisation committed to offering
challenging and rewarding employment opportunities to our people. The Corporation has a comprehensive
employee benefits program including Health & Wellbeing and Professional Development opportunities.
We will encourage a working environment that promotes excellence, personal responsibility, decisiveness,
urgency and mutual respect. Every staff member has an Achievement Plan which assesses their
performance on an annual basis against the desired behaviours and individual KPIs. The general
performance requirements for all staff include safety and risk & regulatory compliance.
Work Health & Safety
All staff support the development and continuation of a safety culture at HWC, fulfilling requirements of the
Work Health & Safety Act 2011 (NSW). Employment with Hunter Water Corporation is subject to a preemployment functional assessment and drug and alcohol testing for all preferred external applicants.
Hunter Water Staff are committed to environmental impact minimisation, and will assess WHS and
environmental risk of undertaking any activity, report WHS and environmental incidents immediately, and
respond promptly to any incident in accordance with relevant legislative obligations.
Specific responsibilities and accountabilities are defined in Hunter Water Corporation’s WHS Management
System Manual and Environment Management System Manual.
Risk & Regulatory
All staff ensure compliance with relevant legislation, HWC regulatory requirements, the Code of Conduct,
Employment & Equal Opportunity, Diversity, Delegated Authority Manual and other people related policies
and procedures.
Role of the Group
The Shared Services division is responsible for ensuring Hunter Water is compliant with all applicable
Board and corporate policies, ensuring appropriate workforce levels, budgeting and cost control for Hunter
Water and providing divisional leadership and mentoring to employees. These functions are delivered
through the 5 groups within the division:

Strategy and Regulation

Corporate Services and Facilities

People and Safety

Legal and Risk

Audit
Overall Role Purpose
The Chief Shared Services Officer serves as chief corporate and governance officer of Hunter Water. The
role supports the Managing Director in focusing on the establishment and optimisation of daily operations
and is responsible for the delivery of essential corporate services. In conjunction with the Managing
Director and the Board is responsible for strategic planning, policy development, human resources and
ensuring organisational performance. The role, in conjunction with the Managing Director, assures Hunter
Water’s relevance to the community, the accomplishment of its vision and stakeholder accountability. The
role is primarily responsible for the effective and efficient management and delivery of multi-disciplinary
activities across the organisation so as to enable Hunter Water to meet its objectives in a safe & profitable
manner.
This position liaises with a wide range of stakeholders including, but not limited to the following:

Board members

Board Chairman

Managing Director

Executive Management Team members

Shared Services Team members
Key Responsibilities
Reporting to the Managing Director, you will be responsible for the following:

Act as a business partner to the Managing Director and the Executive Management Team.

Provide prudent and effective operational advice and information to the Board, Managing
Director and Executive Management Team.

Play a key leadership role in shaping Hunter Water’s corporate and strategic directions; ensuring
the organisation meets its corporate governance obligations; developing strategic connections
and productive relationships with key external stakeholders and building internal capability such
as a high performance culture focused on excellent customer service and continuous
improvement.

Directly oversee and manage daily divisional activities including regulatory performance, HR
management, commercial management, risk and fleet/property management, facilities
management and shareholder relations and compliance with policies approved by the Board.

Contribute to the development and implementation of corporate and strategic plans to
successfully meet the challenges of shareholders, customers, community and government
stakeholders.

Manage the development of corporate operational plans, strategies, policies, budgets and
performance measures that link to the corporate and strategic plans of Hunter Water.

Ensure existing and future operational activities are appropriately financed according to the
priorities outlined in corporate and strategic plans.

Establish and monitor organisational benchmarks and KPIs against industry standards to drive
business improvement and measure performance against budgets and corporate strategies.

Develop and manage models, tools and systems to provide critical corporate information to the
Managing Director and make actionable recommendations on both strategy and operations.

Represent Hunter Water in dealings with Government agencies and departments in relation to
operational matters.
Corporate Strategy and Regulation

Ensuring strategy development supports the Managing Director and the Board in shaping
corporate and strategic directions to respond to current and future challenges.

Preparing and lodging the annual Statement of Corporate Intent (SCI) with the shareholders.

Maintaining control of regulatory and economic concerns and providing on-going analysis and
advice on various business issues.

Ensuring appropriate economic and financial input into regulatory policies/regulations providing
assessment of legislative frameworks and the future impact of new regulatory policies.
People and Safety

Ensuring Human Resource and Safety Management efforts effectively communicate and support
Hunter Water’s vision and strategic direction.

Ensuring Human Resource Management plans and strategies support the achievement of the
overall corporate objectives.

Ensuring internal capability embraces Workplace Health & Safety objectives and compliance with
associated legislation and company policy.
Corporate Services and Insurance

Ensuring high quality asset planning and management of all property, fleet, plant, buildings and
facilities including purchases and sales.

Ensuring an appropriate and effective records management system is maintained for Hunter
Water Corporation, in accordance with regulatory requirements.

Ensuring the maintenance of appropriate and adequate insurance cover for Hunter Water
Corporation and its Directors and officers in accordance with the State Owned Corporations Act
1989.

Ensuring the appointment of reputable and effective insurance broker(s) in accordance with the
Commercial Management Framework as required by NSW Treasury.
Secretariat

Ensuring the duties of company secretary (under the Corporations Act 2001) are discharged.

Ensuring an effective and efficient Secretariat service is provided for the Board and its
Committees, including keeping the Board appropriately informed.

Ensuring the timely lodgement of returns / disclosures required under all legislation.

Ensuring maintenance of statutory and other registers.

Maintaining control over the custody and use of the Company Seal.

Drafting significant correspondence on behalf of the Managing Director, the Chairman and the
Board as required.
Risk and Compliance

Ensuring appropriate and effective risk management and compliance systems are maintained for
Hunter Water Corporation, in accordance with board requirements and policies.

Implementing within the corporation, applicable risk and compliance policies.
General Counsel

Ensuring the General Counsel provides efficient and cost-effective legal advice and services to
Hunter Water Corporation in accordance with the Board's and Managing Director’s requirements.

Overviewing the appointment and effective management of external lawyers.
Internal Audit

Ensuring the Internal Audit function provides an efficient, 'value-add', cost-effective service to
Hunter Water Corporation in accordance with the charter approved by the Board.
This position description does not form an exhaustive list of your duties. You may be required to undertake
other tasks and activities as required by the business from time to time. The Corporation reserves the right
to amend or update your position description in accordance with business needs.
Education / Experience and Skills [identify those skills, experiences etc required for role success]
Formal Education (Essential)
Tertiary qualifications in relevant Business or other
related discipline
Formal Education (Desirable)
Masters of Business Administration
Work Experience
Significant proven experience in the provision of
shared services in a large complex and regulated
environment.
Proven experience in managing multiple
departments in medium to large organisations
Skills (Technical Knowledge etc)
Demonstrated understanding of functional systems
in a medium to large organisation
Substantial knowledge/experience in analysing and
interpreting legislative, corporate and industry
requirements applicable to shared services function
Able to use computer systems relative to role – MS
Office, and related systems.
Behaviours
Model and provide leadership in Hunter Water’s
organisational values of working safe, providing right
solutions, being financially responsible, mutual
respect, community commitment, keeping promises,
continuous improvement, respecting the
environment, and promoting personal leadership.
Well developed leadership and management skills.
Proven ability to effectively lead and manage teams
across multiple sites.
Demonstrated high level communication, influencing
and negotiation skills.
Proven ability to effectively manage risk and manage
challenges and changing priorities whilst still meeting
Divisional and corporate deadlines.
Strong analytical skills and experience interpreting
and transforming a strategic vision into an
operational model.
Agree to act within the requirements of Hunter
Water’s policies and applicable legislation.
Abide by and provide leadership in Hunter Water’s
safety policies, procedures and safety instructions.
Abide by and provide leadership in Hunter Water’s
environmental policies, procedures and report all
instances of environmental harm.
PRE-EMPLOYMENT MEDICAL REQUIRED
CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK REQUIRED