Substation Technical Program Specialist

Fundamental role, coordinating contractor management to enact maintenance, and capital works for large Canberra based utility | Permanent position

Work with a leading commercial employer for the Canberra region and help steer them through their next period of growth and change.  

This complex, multi-faceted organisation has been successfully operating in the Canberra region for over 100 years and are one of the ACT’s largest employers. 

The Opportunity

Opportunity to move into a role that’s split between being on the tools and sit based but will see you gain more experience in technical program delivery for a large and well-respected ACT based utility.

Demonstrated experience in construction and maintenance of electricity distribution systems is essential, along with experience in primary, secondary systems, zone substations, protection systems, SCADA, or communications.

The Role

The role provides high‑level technical support to Program Delivery Leads, the Section Manager, and contractors and guidance to works preparers to ensure maintenance activities, outages, and defect rectification are planned, bundled, scheduled, and executed effectively.

A key function of the role includes managing work order structures, cost allocation, program reporting, and ensuring compliance with operational budgets for both OPEX and CAPEX programs.

This role is fundamental in the coordination of contractor management required to enact both maintenance, and capital works and is therefore required to work closely with procurement, participate in tenders, and evaluate contractor performance.

Your key responsibilities include:

• Manage and provide technical support for the delivery of the annual Zones and Protection maintenance program, while also strategically addressing network defect rectification. This includes coordinating outage requirements with the Program Delivery Leads, and guiding and directing the Works Preparer on job readiness and work packaging activities
• Developing a close working relationship with Asset Lifecycle engineers, Protection, Communications, and Automation engineering teams to ensure Zones Primary and Secondary works programs are delivered to plan. This includes planned augmentation (AUGEX), asset replacements (REPEX), maintenance, and defect rectification
• Assist in the coordination of planned CAPEX and OPEX works programs
• Assess defect reports, maintenance inspection results and incident reports, initiating corrective actions
• Prepare business unit documentation relating to resource needs, equipment procurement, training, and mentoring
• Support financial (day‑5) reporting for maintenance component
• Develop reporting mechanisms that track budgets, compliance, and resource utilisation, while also planning, coordinating, scheduling, and reporting on work carried out by both staff and contractors
• Develop an annual maintenance delivery plan for the Ground and Zone Asset delivery section, including:
  • Grouping of zone substation and secondary systems CAPEX and maintenance to site location and subsequent outage planning
  • Technically support zones and secondary systems delivery
  • Contractor management for Zones and Protection Maintenance and CAPEX works program
  • WO and cost allocation and management
  • Technical specifications for delivery contracts

The Ideal Person

You are a highly experienced and accomplished electrician, with a track record of success of project delivery, resource planning, and works and contract management in electricity distribution, construction and capital works or civil infrastructure. You have demonstrated experience in resource planning, works management and contract management.

In addition, you will have:

• Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician (essential) or tertiary qualification in Electrical Engineering
• Demonstrated experience in construction and maintenance of electricity distribution systems (essential) with experience in primary, secondary systems, zone substations, protection systems, SCADA, or communications
• Demonstrated advanced problem-solving and fault-finding experience in electricity distribution systems
• Strong knowledge, understanding and proven experience in developing and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders, including internal and external customers and contractors
• Experience in desktop applications including Microsoft Office, asset / project / works management systems, and financial systems

Salary / Rate

• $148k – $174k + 16% Super + allowances
• Canberra-based role – must be locally based or willing to relocate
• Permanent role with industry leading employer