Operational Response Manager

At Transgrid, we play a crucial role in delivering safe, reliable, and sustainable energy to millions of Australians. Operating over 13,000 km of high-voltage transmission lines and 128 substations across NSW and the ACT, we connect electricity generators to the distribution network—powering homes, businesses, and communities.

As the energy sector evolves, we’re growing our workforce to drive innovation and transformation.

The Opportunity | Sydney or Newcastle Region

We are establishing a new Operational Response Manager role within our Delivery business unit to lead emergency preparedness, response, and recovery for operational events, while collaborating with enterprise resilience and other stakeholders. This role brings together strategy, operational leadership, stakeholder influence, and emergency management expertise to uplift our organisational readiness.

You will be responsible for shaping, governing and continually improving Transgrid’s emergency management approach. This includes leading the Power System Emergency Response Plan, coordinating multi stakeholder response processes, driving preparedness programs, and ensuring lessons learned are turned into measurable improvements. You will work closely with the Control Centre Manager, operational teams, engineers, system resilience teams, risk and governance specialists, corporate affairs, other utilities, emergency services, and government agencies. Your leadership will bring clarity, structure and confidence to moments where rapid decision making and coordination are critical.

This is a highly visible opportunity to strengthen Delivery’s emergency management capability and influence broader organisational readiness where you will support enterprise frameworks.

A Day in the Life in this Role

In this role, you will blend planning, leadership, coordination, and continuous improvement. No two days will look the same. You might be preparing teams for future scenarios, guiding operational staff through active network events, or working with external agencies to align response frameworks. Your work will shape how the entire organisation manages emergencies.

Typical activities include

• Owning and continually refining Transgrid’s emergency response frameworks and the Power System Emergency Response Plan
• Leading preparedness activities including scenario development, exercises, drills, and training programs
• Supporting and guiding operational teams during real time network events
• Coordinating response activities with the Control Centre, operational groups, and crisis management teams
• Engaging with TNSPs, DNSPs, emergency services and government agencies during and after events
• Overseeing post incident reviews and ensuring improvement actions are delivered
• Representing Transgrid in State or Local Emergency Operations Centres where required
• Preparing concise and accurate reporting, briefings, and updates for senior leadership
• Building, leading, and developing a new team of emergency management and engineering specialists
• Travelling to depots and operational sites to maintain visibility, build relationships and deliver training

Why This Role Matters

This role sits at the centre of organisational readiness and resilience. Transgrid’s ability to respond effectively during major events directly impacts community safety, network reliability, and public confidence.

As events become more complex, we need a dedicated expert to bring structure, governance, and strategic leadership to our emergency management practices. You will ensure the organisation is prepared before an incident occurs and capable of learning and improving after each event. Your leadership will influence how Transgrid responds during the most critical moments, shaping outcomes for customers, field crews, and the broader community.

About You

You bring significant and practical experience in emergency management and have led preparedness, response and recovery activities in a utility, government, critical infrastructure, or high-risk environments. You understand the structure, governance and discipline required for effective enterprise response and can demonstrate real, structured examples of your work.

You are a strong communicator, confident facilitator and capable leader who can influence both executives and operational teams. You bring clarity to complex situations, remain composed during rapid decision making and are experienced in building training, scenario exercises, and structured improvement actions.

You will bring

• Strong emergency management or crisis response leadership experience
• Demonstrated ability to design, implement, and improve emergency response frameworks
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills with influence across technical and non-technical groups
• Experience working in pressure situations requiring rapid coordination and decision making
• Proven capability in delivering measurable improvement outcomes
• Confidence representing the organisation to external agencies, regulators, or government stakeholders

What matters is your emergency management expertise and your ability to build capability and guide an organisation through high impact events.

Benefits & Perks

At Transgrid, we empower our people with a well-rounded benefits package designed to support their personal, professional, and social well-being, helping them deliver their best work every day. Employees have access to a range of corporate discounts across retail, utilities, travel, health & wellbeing etc., as well as novated leasing options, workplace flexibility, 20 weeks paid parental leave and more.

Applications close on December 19th, 2025 – Apply today as applications will be assessed on a rolling basis and this opportunity may close early. Please note that due to Transgrid’s annual holiday shutdown period, interviews for this role are expected to commence in January 2026.