Senior Project Manager

Application closing date: Friday, 28 February 2025 • 11:59pm, Canberra time

Estimated start date: Tuesday, 01 July 2025

Location of work: WA

Working arrangements: Working arrangements will be at the discretion of the assigned work area, subject to operational need. Due to the nature of ASD’s operations, not all work areas can accommodate work from home.

Length of contract: 12 months

Contract extensions: 2x 12 months

Security clearance: Must have a minimum of Negative Vetting 2 clearance

Rates: $140 - $170 per hour (inc. super)

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.

The ASD are seeking multiple EL2 level Senior Project Managers who will exercise a significant degree of independence and perform an important leadership role. They will be responsible for influencing and developing strategies, policies, priorities and operational practices in support of Australian Signals Directorate objectives based on high level decision making and judgement.

They will provide strategic advice to senior management and stakeholders as well as leading and assuming accountability for very complex work that have strategic, political or operational significance. They will have extensive knowledge relating to the methodology, systems and procedures within the ICT business change function and have the ability to translate this into strategy.

They will provide a strategic level of specialist, professional and technical expertise, potentially relating to the work of different function or discipline areas. They will initiate, establish and maintain strong relationships with a network of stakeholders internally and externally and will have the ability to recognise shared agendas and work toward mutually beneficial outcomes.

The Senior Project Managers will be required to:

• Accountable for providing leadership and direction to ICT project teams and generate reports to the program management office.
• Accountable for managing and leading a team, including providing clear and consistent communication, setting clear performance and behavioural standards, managing performance, delegating responsibility and guiding and developing people.
• Accountable for managing allocated resources, setting work area priorities, workflows, developing strategies and evaluating project outputs.
• Provide clear direction as to ensure that there is a business perspective on how the new technical capabilities will be delivered to the business including planning around key business cycles, selecting appropriate customers for migration.
• Accountable for the development of business implementation and change management plans that include all the activities the business needs to do in preparation for new technical components and technologies.
• Understand and use experience to navigate organisational context to deliver agreed project outputs.
• Maintain knowledge of ICT project management tools to prepare project plans including but not limited to, risk management, quality, financial, procurement, acquisition strategy, resourcing, project briefs, project management plans and post implementation reviews.
• Negotiate with stakeholders and team members using communication styles to suit different audiences and purposes.
• Build and sustain relationships with a network of key people internally and externally.
• Evaluate project and program performance to understand and anticipate critical factors for success and recommend changes where necessary.
• Prioritise competing deadlines and manage uncertainty to deliver on agreed ICT project outputs within timeframes and budget.

Technical skills required:

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in a project manager role or similar.
• Able to apply project management methodologies, e.g. PRINCE2
• Proficiency using project management tools.
• Desirable but not mandatory: Bachelor degree in Business (Management) or related field.

*ASD is seeking candidates who hold active NV2 or TSPV security clearances. Please clearly indicate the level held within your responses. A merit pool will be created for future positions that may arise. Suitable candidates will be required to complete ASD’s Organisational Suitability Assessment (OSA). This will be required either prior to commencing or within 12 months of commencement, as required by the assigned work area. ASD will allocate successful candidates to work areas based on operational needs.*

Essential Criteria (Each response is limited to 3000 characters)

1. PRMG 7 - Project management: Level 7 (SFIA) Sets organisational strategy governing the direction and conduct of project management, including selection and application of methodologies. Authorises the management of large-scale projects. Leads project planning, scheduling, controlling and reporting activities for strategic, high impact, high risk projects. Directs the risk management approach for projects and ensures that risks and issues are managed in line with policy.
2. REQM 6 - Requirements definition and management: Level 6 (SFIA) Champions the importance and value of requirements management principles and selecting effective requirements management life cycle models. Develops organisational policies, standards, and guidelines for requirements definition and management. Plans and leads scoping, requirements definition and priority setting for complex, strategic programmes. Drives adoption of, and adherence to, policies and standards. Develops new methods and organisational capabilities for requirements management.
3. RLMT 7 - Stakeholder relationship management: Level 7 (SFIA) Determines the strategic approach to understanding stakeholder objectives and requirements. Works with all interested parties to identify stakeholders and establish effective relationships. Establishes and promotes the overall vision for how stakeholder objectives are met and determines organisational roles and alignment. Actively manages relationships with the most senior stakeholders, and is the ultimate escalation point for issue resolution.
4. DATM 6 - Data management: Level 6 (SFIA) Derives an overall strategy of master data management that supports the development and secure operation of information and digital services. Develops organisational policies, standards, and guidelines for data management, aligned with ethical principles. Plans, establishes and manages processes for regular and consistent access to external information from multiple sources and for independent validation of that information.
5. FMIT 5 - Financial management: Level 5 (SFIA) Advises on financial planning, budgeting, costing, accounting and charging using recognised accounting practices and standards. Develops financial plans and forecasts. Monitors and manages expenditure and examines areas where budgets and expenditure exceed agreed tolerances. Contributes to the definition and operation of effective financial control and decision-making. Analyses actual expenditure, examines variances, and advises on options in the use of available budget.

Desirable Criteria

1. Our ideal candidates will bring the following attributes to an EL2 equivalent Senior Project Manager role:
   • Strong written and verbal communication skills;
   • Desire to be accountable for their actions;
   • Strong stakeholder management skills;
   • Demonstrate leadership behaviours;
   • Willing to challenge the traditional ways of doing business;
   • Thrive in dynamic environments and comfortable with ambiguity;
   • Outcome-focused mindset; and
   • Adaptability, resilience, flexibility and teamwork, including regionally dispersed teams, if applicable.
   **Please provide a brief explanation of your experience covering these attributes. (Guide – 300 to 400 words).

Salary : $140 - $170