Application Close Date: 11:59pm on 12/08/2026

At Penrith City Council, it’s not about having to choose.

Life with us is the best of both worlds.

What we offer you 

• Salary: $103,023 - $119,253 + Superannuation
• Flexible Working Arrangements: Options available to support work-life balance
• Location: Penrith, at the heart of one of Australia's fastest-growing regions
• Opportunities to work closely with Executive Leadership and influence organisation-wide initiatives
• Professional development and growth in a high-performing strategic team
• Meaningful work that directly contributes to Council's future direction and organisational success
• The best of both worlds – click here to learn more

Here’s what you’ll be up to…

Are you passionate about connecting people to strategy, creating engaging experiences and helping organisations navigate change? This newly created role offers the opportunity to lead the coordination and delivery of Council's Strategic Staff Engagement Program (SSEP), a cornerstone initiative of our One Team agenda.

Working alongside the Corporate Strategy Lead and Head of Future Directions and Resilience, you'll help strengthen clarity, connection and confidence across our workforce, ensuring staff understand how their work contributes to Council's vision and priorities.

In this role you will:

• Coordinate the planning, design, development and delivery of a structured annual staff engagement program, including leadership workshops, staff forums and strategic engagement activities.
• Partner with Executive Leadership Team members, leaders and stakeholders across Council to develop engaging content and experiences that align strategy with delivery.
• Lead event and activity management, communications, stakeholder engagement and supplier coordination to deliver high-quality outcomes.
• Analyse feedback, insights and outcomes from workshops and forums to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and organisational learning.
• Prepare executive-level reports, presentations and briefings that support decision-making and program outcomes.
• Contribute to Council's Integrated Planning and Reporting activities through research, program support and initiatives that strengthen organisational knowledge.

Success in this role means creating engaging and impactful experiences that help staff feel informed, valued and connected to the bigger picture. Your work will directly support a stronger, more aligned and future-focused organisation, helping Council deliver positive outcomes for our City and community.

This is an exciting opportunity to combine strategic thinking, stakeholder engagement, communications and program delivery while making a visible impact across the organisation.

Who we are (And why you’ll love us)

As the Corporate Strategy Lead, I'm looking for someone who is curious, collaborative and excited by the opportunity to work across the organisation on initiatives that genuinely make a difference. This role offers unique exposure to Council's strategic priorities, Executive Leadership Team and key organisational projects.

The Future Directions and Resilience team is responsible for helping Council think ahead, connect strategy to delivery and build organisational capability. We are a supportive, high-performing team that values initiative, innovation and continuous improvement.

You'll thrive here if you enjoy working with a broad range of people, bringing ideas to life and turning complex information into meaningful experiences and insights. We encourage professional development, knowledge sharing and genuine collaboration, and we celebrate the impact our work has on Council's people and future direction.

Together, we're helping shape an organisation where staff feel connected, informed and empowered to contribute, delivering the best of both worlds through challenge, growth, support and impact.

What are we looking for?

We're looking for someone who:

• Brings experience designing and delivering engagement, communication, event or organisational development initiatives within a large and complex environment.
• Can think strategically while managing the practical details required to deliver successful programs and events.
• Has exceptional communication, stakeholder engagement and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work confidently across all levels of the organisation.
• Is highly organised, analytical and proactive, with a passion for continuous improvement and helping people connect to purpose and strategy.

This role would suit someone looking for their next challenge, who is motivated by meaningful work, enjoys collaborating with diverse stakeholders and wants to make a tangible impact across the organisation.

The must-know bits

You will be required to undertake employment checks, which may include a Criminal History Check, Qualification Check, Working with Children Check, Medical Declaration and/or a Functional Test, as relevant to the position for which you have applied.

Where a Criminal History Check is required and has returned a result that indicates disclosable court outcomes, you will be required to provide a copy of the report to Penrith City Council, for review, to progress through the recruitment process.

Ready to make work feel less like… work?

If you’re nodding along and already picturing your first day, submit your application by hitting ‘Apply Now’.

In addition to a cover letter and resume, applicants are required to submit comprehensive responses to the selection criteria as a part of their application. Applicants who do not meet the essential criteria will not be considered.

We’ve got an opportunity, you’ve got talent… Let’s talk.

For more information, contact Lawrence Hennessy, Corporate Strategy Lead, on 04766327430 or ••••@penrith.city.

Applicants must have the right to live and work in Australia to apply for this position.

Council is a Child Safe Organisation. For more information about this, please see our website.

At Penrith City Council, we believe the best of both worlds means embracing the unique perspectives, backgrounds and experiences that make our City and our organisation vibrant. We are committed to building a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and supported and welcome applicants from people of all backgrounds, abilities and identities. 

Essential 

• Experience in designing, developing and delivering events, engagement or communications programs in large complex environments 
• Demonstrated strategic thinking and organisational awareness, with the ability to align engagement initiatives to organisational priorities and business outcomes. 
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to interpret data and feedback, identify trends and risks, and develop evidence-based recommendations. 
• Highly developed communication and stakeholder engagement skills, including the ability to synthesise complex information for a variety of audiences, prepare executive-level reports, presentations and briefings, and build strong relationships across all levels of the organisation. 
• Tertiary qualification or current study in communications, business administration, organisational development or a related field or demonstrated 2 year minimum relevant work experience 

Desirable 

• Experience with project management approaches 
• Strong knowledge of Council services and organisational management 
• Understanding of Integrated Planning and Reporting guidelines and practice 
• Presentation and facilitation skills