About Cowra & Council

Cowra is located within beautiful Central NSW on the banks of the Lachlan River. It is approximately one hour from the regional hubs of Bathurst and Orange, two hours from Canberra and four hours from Sydney. The town is situated at the intersection of three state highways: the Mid-Western Highway, the Olympic Highway and the Lachlan Valley Way, making it a central hub for travel, freight and logistics.

Cowra Council employs over 200 full time equivalent staff.  Our vision is to be a leading, innovative and creative community, proud of our place in history and offering opportunity with the best of country living. The region enjoys a range of economic, social, educational and health services with a welcoming community that embraces new members from all backgrounds. We strive to provide, maintain and extend Council services to improve the quality of life for residents throughout the Shire. We aim to actively lead, facilitate and foster sustainable development and wealth generating opportunities through agricultural, industrial, commercial and tourism growth

About the Opportunity 

We are seeking a proactive and solutions-focused Work Health & Safety (WHS) professional who is passionate about building strong safety cultures and partnering with leaders to create safer workplaces. Reporting to the Manager – Human Resources, this role is both strategic and hands-on. You will lead the continuous improvement of Council’s Work Health & Safety framework while also working alongside managers/supervisors and staff to ensure safe, practical and compliant systems of work across our diverse worksites and facilities.

This is an opportunity to make a genuine impact - shaping safety systems and influencing positive change.

Key areas of focus include:

• Leading and continuously improving Council’s WHS Management System
• Providing practical, high-quality WHS advice 
• Conducting site audits, risk assessments and driving improvement initiatives
• Overseeing incident management processes and promoting proactive reporting
• Coordinating WHS compliance training and inductions in partnership with HR
• Assisting with Workers Compensation claims management and supporting effective Return to Work programs
• Managing Council’s online WHS system and ensuring accurate reporting
• Supporting meaningful consultation through the Health & Safety Committee

This role will suit someone who enjoys working across both office-based and operational environments and who values collaboration, continuous improvement and practical outcomes.

To be successful in this role you will have:

• Tertiary qualifications in WHS
• Strong working knowledge of WHS legislation
• Experience implementing and maintaining Health & Safety Management Systems
• Experience managing online WHS systems and reporting frameworks
• Highly developed computer skills, with the ability to confidently navigate, administer and optimise digital WHS platforms
• Strong written communication skills
• Project management skills and the ability to lead change initiatives
• The ability to build trusted relationships and positively influence safety outcomes

The Benefits

The appointment will be in accordance with the Local Government (State) Award and Cowra Shire Council's policies and conditions of employment. 

If you're ready to make a meaningful impact and join our team that values safety, innovation, and community, we'd love for you to apply!

Benefits of working at Council include:

• Fortnightly Rostered Day Off (RDO)
• Four weeks of Annual Leave per year
• Access to Long Service Leave after five years
• Three weeks sick leave per year
• Corporate Wellbeing Programs, including Fitness Passport and Health and Wellbeing initiatives including two (2) Health and Wellbeing days per year.
• Employee Benefits Program 
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Paid parental leave
• Relocation assistance (2/3 the cost of removal expenses for successful candidate, subject to conditions) 

In addition, we value work-life balance and offer opportunities for training and professional development. 

Position Description

Please click on the link for a full copy of the Position Description.

For further enquiries please contact Manager - Human Resources, Tiffany Kent on 02 6340 2101. 

How to Apply

Before you apply for this position, please read the position description carefully to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position. You will be required to answer questions relating to the selection criteria on the online application below, your answers will be accessed and rated, so please ensure you take time in providing your answers and give examples of demonstrated experience when requested.

You will also be asked to attach your current resume which should include two employment related referees. Please note that you cannot submit your application without attaching your resume. A cover letter is not mandatory, but may be added if so desired.

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

If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise at time of application. 

Applications Close: 5.00pm Monday 23 March 2026

Pre-employment Screening

In the event you are shortlisted for an interview, and are then selected to progress to the next stage following interview, you must be prepared to undergo the following pre-employment screening processes as part of the selection process:

• A pre-employment physical examination, including hearing, drug & alcohol assessments.
• Please include two referees in your resume for reference checking purposes - please ensure your referee details are current.
• Provide the applicable Working with Children Check number if the role applied for requires a Working with Children Check.
• Council may also check authenticity of certificates and qualifications.

Privacy Statement

As part of the recruitment process, Cowra Shire Council will be collecting information about you. This information is private information for the purposes of the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act. This information will be included in the recruitment file and only accessed by members of the Recruitment Selection Panel. 

Equal Employment Opportunity