Senior Manager, Commercial Operations + Property
At Wollongong City Council, we continuously strive to create an Extraordinary Wollongong. We focus on delivering exceptional services, infrastructure and facilities for our community.
Wollongong is a great place to work, live and play! Together, our responsibility is to create an inclusive community where everyone is welcome, valued and belongs. Our strength is the diversity of our people.
We lead with courage, openness and curiosity and believe our employees are the key to our success. Learn more about us here.
The Opportunity
Reporting to the Director Community Services, the Senior Manager Commercial Operations + Property is an important member of Council's Senior Leadership Team. As a key senior leader, you'll drive excellence every day, inspire creativity and have an eye on the future to ensure we are as dynamic as we are diverse.
You'll be responsible for the leadership and management of the Commercial Operations + Property portfolio. This commercial portfolio delivers a return to Council to re-invest in other services across the LGA.
This is a large and complex division comprising 105 employees that are spread across 10 different work sites. Our people have a diverse range of skills, including hands-on roles in our Tourist Parks and Memorial Gardens & Cemeteries, through to more office-based roles like customer service, property management and statutory property officers.
- Memorial, burial and funeral service facilities at six sites across the Local Government Area.
- Provision of beach side accommodation at our three tourist parks.
- Commercial leasing and licensing
- Statutory property management
- Property development
Salary: Circa $250,000 per annum with the option of a motor vehicle equalisation allowance OR a lease for private use of a motor vehicle (salary package will be assessed based on skills, experience and qualifications).
About you
You're a high-performing, strategic leader with a passion for delivering exceptional outcomes for both the organisation and the community. You bring a strong commercial mindset and a proven ability to lead complex, multidisciplinary teams across diverse operational environments.
You'll thrive in a dynamic setting where innovation, transformation, and customer experience are key. You're confident navigating competing priorities and driving change, and you're known for your ability to uplift business performance and workplace culture.
Your leadership style is inclusive and inspiring-you build shared direction, clarify priorities, and empower your teams to achieve excellence. You welcome new challenges, embrace diverse perspectives, and foster a culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement.
You'll bring:
- A relevant degree qualification and senior-level experience in commercial operations and property management
- Strong strategic and operational capability across property development, leasing, statutory property, and commercial services
- A track record of delivering commercial returns and high-quality customer experiences
- Experience leading transformational programs and cultural change
- Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills
- A commitment to safety, governance, and values-based leadership
Why you'll love working at Wollongong City Council!
At Wollongong City Council, you'll step into a senior leadership role within one of the largest and most forward-thinking local governments in NSW. You'll gain access to the scale, complexity, and resources of a major city - without sacrificing the lifestyle advantages of a coastal region.
What sets us apart?
We offer real authority to lead - paired with the autonomy to shape high-impact strategies, drive innovation, and influence city-wide outcomes. You'll have the opportunity to lead significant infrastructure and community projects that directly impact the lives of around 220,000 residents.
You'll also benefit from:
* Executive-level support to deliver on bold initiatives
* Strategic leadership opportunities across multidisciplinary teams
* Access to regional and national networks, industry forums, and sector-leading peers
* A progressive, values-driven culture that supports transformation
* Outstanding lifestyle balance-combining professional challenge with the wellbeing, recreation, and connectivity of coastal living
Join us to lead with purpose and impact-where your leadership shapes a better city, and your career thrives in a collaborative and future-focused environment.
Applications close 11:59pm Sunday, 31 August 2025.
For more information, click on 'Apply' to be redirected to Wollongong City Council's job vacancy page.
We invite everyone to apply no matter your identity-you'll be welcome. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people who are culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), people with disability and veterans.
Wollongong Council adheres to the principles of a child safe organisation and is committed to the care and protection of all children and young people in the community.
Applicants are required to undergo a rigorous employment screening process which will include Reference, Identity and Medical History Checks, and may also include a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check and Working with Children Check. Employment is subject to clearance of all these checks.