Supporting you through life changes

Meet Kym, the latest employee in our spotlight feature, who has accumulated an impressive 16 years at Water Corporation. Currently, she holds the reigns as Manager Customer and Stakeholder in the Great Southern Region, but her role is about to take an exciting turn as she embraces motherhood come May!  

Kym manages a hefty portfolio of 56 key stakeholders across our state’s great southern. This is no small feat – the area spans 150,000 square kilometres, stretching from Walpole in the west to Esperance in the east, and up to Boddington in the north (only 150km south of Perth).  

“My role is to maintain a positive relationship with our stakeholders by addressing operational issues and future planning projects. This also means I do a lot of driving! On average I would drive 3,000km a month,” said Kym.  

“I am lucky that I get to travel across the region and even taste all the different country bakeries along the way. Mt Barker Bakery so far takes the cake!”  

With her love for audiobooks fuelling her adventures on the road, Kym’s recent listen was ‘American Dirt’, as she’s a fervent fan of true crime and thrillers.  

A day in the life of Kym 

While Kym has previously enjoyed an expat life in Paris, she has since said bonjour to enjoy a quieter life in Denmark where she lives with her partner and two dogs. Living and working in a small town, it’s integral that she and the team deliver on Water Corporation’s promises and uphold our organisational reputation.  

“It’s not easy to remove yourself from projects and decisions when you live in a town with a population of less than 3,000.” 

“A typical day would involve attending the morning review meeting to see what issues occurred in the last 12 hours, and then exploring how the team can best assist. In the afternoon, I usually meet with stakeholders to discuss any issues that range from standpipes to handing over assets that we no longer require.” 

But it’s the unexpected challenges that can keep Kym on her toes – a burst pipe impacting customers and businesses, media enquiries, or urgent requests from Ministers, to name a few. These situations all require swift action and quick thinking.  

A career rich in diversity

Throughout her years with us, Kym has charted her own career pathways across various roles in internal communications, media, ministerial communications, community engagement, and policy.  

“There are lots of opportunities for career progression and training which I have been lucky to have received.”  

The shark that induced a media frenzy 

Amidst her diverse roles, one moment stands out vividly. “When I was working in the media team, I took a call from a journalist claiming a shark was stuck in the Perth Desalination Plant. I did think this was far-fetched, but it turned out to be true and was quite the media frenzy.” 
Incredibly, a wobbegong shark swam into the plant during the construction phase (prior to the pipe screen being installed) and was later found in the seawater intake tank.  

Collaborative spirit

As she continues to play a pivotal role in connecting regional stakeholders with us, she is undoubtedly living our value as ‘working as one’.  

“Connecting Water Corporation to our stakeholders is a shared responsibility. We need to do what is best for our people, our communities, and our state. Sharing our knowledge across our networks is a privilege,” she said. 

On weekends, you’ll find Kym soaking up the sun on one of the many famous southwest beaches, trekking through the bush, or savouring meals at local restaurants with friends. As May approaches, she eagerly anticipates the arrival of her baby, ready to embark on the new chapter of maternity leave.