APS6 - Senior Contract and Grant Program Officer, Connectivity Programs Branch

Australian Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

The Australian Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts – Melbourne VIC is seeking an APS6 Senior Contract and Grant Program Officer to lead and support the Mobile Programs Delivery Section. You will contribute to major telecommunications initiatives that improve mobile coverage and resilience for regional and peri-urban communities.

You will manage complex contract and grant activities, provide evidence-based guidance, and collaborate

Qualifications

• Experience in managing complex program delivery, procurement, grant and contract activities.
• Ability to interpret legislation, policies and funding agreements.
• Analytical skills to evaluate information from multiple sources for decision-making.
• Strong written and verbal communication with Ministers and senior executives.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the strategic delivery of major telecommunications programs, including the Mobile Black Spot Program, Peri-Urban Mobile Program and Mobile Network Hardening Program, while supporting continuous improvement across the section.
• Manage complex telecommunications program and contract activities (Telstra, Optus, TPG, Indara, Amplitel and Waveconn).
• Provide evidence-based advice on grant program delivery, risks and stakeholder issues.
• Assess and recommend milestone payments and project deliverables, exercising sound judgement to ensure compliance with funding agreements and program requirements.
• Analyse data and information to support decision-making and reporting.
• Build productive relationships with industry, government and community stakeholders.
• Prepare high-quality written material for Ministers, senior executives and stakeholders, including ministerial correspondence, briefs, submissions, responses to the Minister's Office, meeting records and public communications.

Skills

Contract management

Program management

Grant management

Data analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Policy/government liaison

Job description

APS6 - Senior Contract and Grant Program Officer, Connectivity Programs Branch

Australian Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts – Melbourne VIC

The Mobile Programs Delivery Section delivers high-profile telco programs that improve mobile coverage and strengthen network resilience for communities across Australia. As an APS6, you will play a key role in delivering nationally significant programs that make a real difference to regional, remote and peri-urban communities. You will work on complex and rewarding issues, contribute to advice for Ministers and senior executives, engage with telecommunications providers and stakeholders, and help manage contracts, program performance and data-driven insights.

The opportunity we have available

The Mobile Programs Delivery Section delivers high-profile telco programs that improve mobile coverage and strengthen network resilience for communities across Australia. As an APS6, you will play a key role in delivering nationally significant programs that make a real difference to regional, remote and peri-urban communities. You will work on complex and rewarding issues, contribute to advice for Ministers and senior executives, engage with telecommunications providers and stakeholders, and help manage contracts, program performance and data-driven insights.

The key duties of the position include

What you will do

• Contribute to the strategic delivery of major telecommunications programs, including the Mobile Black Spot Program, Peri-Urban Mobile Program and Mobile Network Hardening Program, while supporting continuous improvement across the section.
• Manage complex telecommunications program and contract activities (Telstra, Optus, TPG, Indara, Amplitel and Waveconn).
• Provide evidence-based advice on grant program delivery, risks and stakeholder issues.
• Assess and recommend milestone payments and project deliverables, exercising sound judgement to ensure compliance with funding agreements and program requirements.
• Analyse data and information to support decision-making and reporting.
• Build productive relationships with industry, government and community stakeholders.
• Prepare high-quality written material for Ministers, senior executives and stakeholders, including ministerial correspondence, briefs, submissions, responses to the Minister's Office, meeting records and public communications.

Inherent requirements for the role

The inherent requirements for this role include:

• The successful candidate for this position will be able to demonstrate their capability against the APS level 6 Work level standards.

To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate your ability to:

• Manage complex program delivery, procurement, grant and contract management activities, exercising initiative and sound judgement to achieve outcomes within competing priorities and timeframes.
• Analyse and evaluate information from multiple sources to identify risks, issues and opportunities, and provide evidence-based advice and recommendations to support decision-making.
• Interpret and apply legislation, policies, funding agreements and administrative frameworks to manage complex issues and ensure compliance with program requirements.
• Lead discrete projects and workstreams, taking responsibility for planning, delivery, risk management and the achievement of outcomes.
• Analyse and interpret program, financial and performance data to monitor delivery, evaluate results and inform strategic and operational decisions.
• Contribute to a positive and high-performing team culture by sharing knowledge, supporting colleagues and identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.

Desirable requirements

Qualifications or extensive practical experience in contract management, program management, grant management, financial/data analysis, infrastructure delivery is highly desirable but not mandatory.

Cultural capability requirement

The department believes every role contributes to cultural safety and that building staff cultural capability helps us deliver better policies, programs and services for First Nations people and the broader Australian community.Candidates will be required to demonstrate their willingness to develop their cultural capability as part of the assessment process. In making it a requirement across all roles in our department, we are taking a practical step in delivering our commitments under the Our Stories on Country Agreement and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategy 2025–28.

As an APS6 you will be expected to:

• Consider the cultural context and implications of work area outcomes.
• Engage respectfully with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander stakeholders, building trusted relationships.
• Communicate respectfully and seeks appropriate cultural input to inform decisions.

Eligibility

Eligibility requirements

Employment with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts is subject to conditions prescribed within the Public Service Act 1999 including:

• Citizenship: candidates must be an Australian citizen at the time of submitting your application.
• Health Assessment: The preferred candidate may be required to undergo a medical examination conducted by the department’s preferred medical provider.
• Security Clearance: The successful candidate must be able to obtain and/or maintain a security clearance at Baseline Clearance Level.You must be willing to disclose all relevant and required information.You must have lived in Australia, or have a checkable background, for at least the preceding five years for Baseline Vetting clearances.More information on the security clearance vetting process is available on the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) website.
• Police check: The successful candidate must complete an Australian Federal Police criminal history check.
• Integrity and Performance check: The successful candidate must satisfy the requirements in an Integrity and Performance check which is completed by your most recent employer.

Getting to know the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts

Our work connects and enriches every Australian community, underpins our economy and society, and empowers our regions. We provide policy advice and deliver programs, projects and services in the infrastructure, transport, communications, sport and arts sectors, supporting our regions, cities and territories.Our staff have the opportunity to work on high profile and diverse national projects that have a meaningful impact on the lives of all Australians. We seek people with a wide range of skills and competencies. Whether you write policy, deliver programs, projects or corporate services, or have experience in research, data or technology, we look for employees who are innovative, respectful and professional.We are an inclusive employer and promote, value and support diversity among our employees with the aim of ensuring our workforce reflects, respects and benefits from diverse communities including Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with cultural and linguistic diversity, people with disability and LGBTQI+ people. We are committed to achieving gender equality and, in particular, supporting women’s progression into senior leadership.