Project Manager

The Project Manager is responsible for leading and delivering complex Defence capability projects and work programs. The role provides leadership, direction, and oversight to ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope and budget, and in accordance with governance, risk and compliance requirements. The Project Manager works autonomously and exercises a high degree of judgement, managing competing priorities, engaging with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders. The role is accountable for project outcomes and benefits; effective governance and project controls; management of risks and issues; fostering strong stakeholder relationships and collaboration; and supporting MDD’s priorities, including delivery of strategic capabilities and services that contribute to Defence and warfighter outcomes. 

Key duties and responsibilities

• Defence project management, including the planning, coordination and delivery of complex and interdependent capability projects from initiation through to transition and sustainment.
• Product ownership practices, including defining product vision, managing and prioritising capability requirements, maintaining product backlogs and ensuring delivered outcomes meet user and business needs.
• Delivery management across multidisciplinary teams, including coordinating resources, managing dependencies and overseeing the delivery of products, services and capability outcomes within agreed scope, schedule and budget constraints.
• Application of Defence and Commonwealth governance frameworks, investment approvals, assurance activities and reporting requirements to support successful project delivery.
• Strategic stakeholder engagement and relationship management across ASD, Defence, Capability Managers, operational users, industry partners and senior executives.
• Management of project and product risks, issues, assumptions and dependencies, including assessment of impacts across related capability programs and projects.
• Agile and traditional project delivery methodologies, including release planning, prioritisation, delivery sequencing and continuous improvement practices.
• Development and presentation of high-quality briefs, business cases, reports, governance submissions and executive-level advice to support informed decision-making and investment outcomes.
• Financial and resource management, including project budgeting, forecasting, prioritisation of work effort and monitoring delivery performance against approved baselines.
• Analysis of capability requirements, operational needs and delivery performance information to ensure project.

Technical skills

Holds Certificate or Diploma in Project/Program Management, or related field. Experience working with project management software applications. Experience with Agile or other traditional project delivery methodologies.

About the organisation

The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) is a statutory agency in the Defence portfolio that defends Australia against global threats and advances our national interests through the provision of foreign signals intelligence, cyber security and offensive cyber operations as directed by the Australian Government.

Essential criteria

1.Project Leadership and Delivery: Demonstrated experience leading and delivering complex projects or programs within a government, Defence or similar complex environment.

2.Governance risk and assurance: Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective project governance arrangements and manage project risks and issues.

3.Stakeholder engagement and influence: Highly developed stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across diverse stakeholder groups.

4.Strategic Thinking and Problem Solving: Demonstrated ability to analyse complex information, make sound decisions, and develop practical solutions to achieve strategic objectives.

5.Defence capability and project management knowledge: Demonstrated understanding of Defence capability delivery, project management methodologies, and the broader Defence operating environment.

Between 7am and 7pm Monday to Friday. Not including public holidays or shutdown periods. The candidate MUST be an Australian Citizen. Candidates must be willing to undergo ASD’s Organisational Suitability Assessment (OSA) prior to engagement. Candidate MUST have an active TSPV clearance. ASD will not sponsor candidates to upgrade their security clearance in order to apply for the role.