Manager Property, Procurement and Contracts

Strategic Leadership | Coastal & Country Lifestyle | Regional Victoria

Lead people strategy. Shape culture. Live where others holiday

Salary information:
The TRP is circa $155k (inclusive of Super).  The position is classed as an Executive ongoing position. 

Colac Otway Shire Council is seeking an experienced and values‑driven Manager Property, Procurement and Contracts to join its senior leadership team. This is a rare opportunity to make a genuine, organisation‑wide impact while enjoying an exceptional coastal and country lifestyle.

This key leadership role offers the chance to lead a team, guiding Council on its Contract Management responsibilities, give strategic oversight and leadership on Council’s property and oversee Council’s procurement activities.

Why you’ll love working at Colac Otway Shire Council

This role offers more than career progression, it offers lifestyle, impact and purpose.

• Senior leadership opportunity with genuine influence across the organisation
• Lead procurement and property decisions to support environmental sustainability, social value and regional economic outcomes
• Supportive, inclusive and values‑driven executive team
• A rare opportunity to combine a senior business or commerce career with coastal and country living
• A chance to lead meaningful transformation and build organisational capability

About Colac Otway Shire Council

Located approximately two hours south‑west of Melbourne and one hour from Geelong, Colac Otway Shire offers the best of both worlds, a rewarding senior leadership role and an outstanding quality of life.

The region is renowned for its natural beauty, from the iconic Great Ocean Road and Otway rainforests to pristine beaches, lakes and vibrant regional townships. With a strong economy built on agriculture, tourism and community services, Colac Otway is an ideal place to live, work and grow your career.

About the role

Reporting to the General Manager Corporate Services, the Manager Property, Procurement and Contracts will provide strategic leadership across Council’s property portfolio, procurement function and contract management framework.

This is a broad senior leadership role, guiding governance, risk, capability and commercial outcomes across these portfolios. While the role spans property, procurement and contracts, it is not expected that candidates will be technical experts in all three.

We are seeking a leader who brings strong experience in either property or procurement, together with sound commercial judgement, an understanding of regulated environments, and a genuine willingness to build knowledge and capability across the broader portfolio with the support of subject matter experts.

Key responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of Council’s property, procurement and contract management functions
• Lead a contemporary, centre-led service model that builds organisational capability and delivers sustainable, value-for-money outcomes
• Strengthen commercial governance, probity and risk management frameworks
• Oversee key risks associated with procurement, property and contracts, ensuring appropriate controls and compliance are in place
• Leverage procurement and property decisions to support environmental sustainability, social value and regional economic outcomes
• Build and lead a high-performing, values-driven team, fostering collaboration, learning and continuous improvement

About you

You are a confident, people-focused leader who operates comfortably at both strategic and operational levels. You bring credibility, sound judgement and the ability to influence senior leaders, supported by strong commercial and governance capability.

Importantly, you do not need to be an expert across property, procurement and contracts. Instead, we are seeking candidates who offer:

• Strong experience in either procurement or property management, ideally within a regulated or public-sector environment
• A solid understanding of governance, compliance and probity requirements, or the ability to quickly develop this knowledge
• Demonstrated leadership experience, including the ability to lead specialist teams and guide complex portfolios
• Well-developed communication skills, with the ability to translate complex or technical matters for a broad audience
• A practical, solutions-focused mindset and a willingness to learn across complementary disciplines

Tertiary qualifications in business, procurement, property, governance, commerce or a related discipline (or equivalent experience) are highly regarded.

Why join Colac Otway Shire Council?

Guided by shared values and a clear strategic vision, Colac Otway Shire Council is committed to building capable, high‑performing teams that work with integrity, openness and initiative.

This is your opportunity to:

• Lead sustainable value-for-money outcomes for the community
• Influence meaningful regional economic outcomes
• Enjoy a senior leadership role while embracing an enviable regional lifestyle

For further information regarding the duties and the requirements of the role, please refer to the Position Description.

Applications close Tuesday 2 June 2026

For further information and to apply:

Applicants are encouraged to download and review the Position Description, which includes the key selection criteria for the role.

Information to be included with your application:

• Letter of application
• Current resume

Written responses to the key selection criteria are not required as part of the application process. The selection criteria outlined in the Position Description will be assessed during the interview process.

Please submit your application via the online portal.

Please note: Council reserves the right to conduct interviews with suitable candidates prior to the closing date.

Colac Otway Shire Council is a child safe organisation and is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.