Group Manager Community Partnerships

Group Manager Community Partnerships
Kempsey Shire Council | Mid North Coast NSW

• Lead customer experience reform
• Shape engagement and community partnerships
• Base salary $153,000 – $180,000 (neg) + super + leaseback vehicle

Kempsey Shire Council is seeking an experienced senior leader to oversee its Community Partnerships portfolio — a broad and highly visible area shaping how Council engages with its community and delivers customer experience.

Reporting to the Director Corporate and Commercial, the role leads the functions responsible for customer service and libraries, communications and media, community engagement, community development, grants and key inclusion initiatives. Following a period of acting arrangements, Council is seeking a stable, long-term leader who can provide clarity, consistency and confidence across this portfolio.

The position sits at the intersection of service delivery, reputation and community trust. Council is focused on improving customer experience, strengthening engagement practices and ensuring communications are consistent and strategically aligned, within a financially constrained environment.

The Role
The Group Manager Community Partnerships will drive customer experience reform, provide strategic oversight of communications and media, strengthen community partnerships and stabilise and develop a capable, multi-disciplinary leadership team. The role includes responsibility for sound financial management across the portfolio, including budget planning, prioritisation and operating within financial constraints. It also requires influencing service standards across organisational boundaries and operating confidently in a regional, community-facing environment.

The portfolio includes a team of approximately 30 staff, across customer service, libraries, communications, engagement and community development.

About You
You are an experienced senior leader with capability across customer experience, communications, engagement or community-facing portfolios in a complex organisation. You are comfortable setting clear expectations, building leadership capability and lifting accountability across teams.

You operate confidently at a senior level while remaining practical and relationship-focused, and you bring sound judgement, political awareness and demonstrated financial management capability. You are credible, calm and resilient, with the maturity to navigate public scrutiny and broad stakeholder expectations. Local government experience is desirable but not essential.

Why Kempsey?
Located on the Mid North Coast of NSW, Kempsey offers an exceptional lifestyle combining coastal beauty, rural landscapes and strong community connection.

How to Apply
Please visit www.leadingroles.com.au to download the candidate information package and view the Position Description and Selection Criteria before submitting your application.
Applications close 12:00PM AEST Friday 11 September 2026.