Contracting Officer

Department of Defence; Australian Capital Territory; On-site; AUD 95,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

BDCP eligibility

Job summary

The Department of Defence is seeking an APS 6 Contracting Officer to support the Australian Defence College in education, training and corporate functions. You will lead diverse procurement activities, provide trusted governance advice and ensure value for money while meeting Commonwealth requirements.

You will work in a collaborative team, develop procurement documentation, manage contractor engagement and monitor compliance across frameworks.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering procurement and contract management outcomes within government, commercial or other complex environments.
• Knowledge of procurement governance, compliance and risk management principles.
• Ability to interpret and apply policies, legislation and procedural requirements.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills.
• Well-developed written communication skills, including preparation of procurement documentation, briefs and reports.
• Sound judgement, initiative and problem-solving capability.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and consistently deliver quality outcomes.
• Commitment to continuous improvement, integrity and customer service.

Responsibilities

• Lead procurement and contract management activities across the Australian Defence College.
• Develop procurement documentation, contracts, briefs and reports.
• Manage contractor engagement and contract performance.
• Provide procurement, contracting and governance advice to stakeholders.
• Monitor compliance with Commonwealth and Defence procurement frameworks.
• Identify opportunities to improve procurement processes, practices and outcomes.

Skills

Procurement governance

Contract management

Stakeholder engagement

Written communication

Policy compliance

Problem solving

Ownership

Job description

As an APS 6 Contracting Officer, you will play an important role in delivering procurement and contract management outcomes that directly supports the Australian Defence College's education, training and corporate functions. Working within a small and collaborative team, you will manage a diverse range of procurement and contracting activities, ensuring business areas achieve organisational objectives.

You will provide trusted advice on procurement planning, contract management and governance, helping stakeholders achieve business outcomes while meeting legislative and policy requirements. The role involves managing procurement activities from planning through to contract establishment and ongoing administration, ensuring value for money outcomes and compliance with relevant obligations.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading procurement and contract management activities across the Australian Defence College.
• Developing procurement documentation, contracts, briefs and reports.
• Managing contractor engagement and contract performance.
• Providing procurement, contracting and governance advice to stakeholders.
• Monitoring compliance with Commonwealth and Defence procurement frameworks.
• Identifying opportunities to improve procurement processes, practices and outcomes.

This role offers the opportunity to influence organisational outcomes, lead complex procurement activities and develop your professional skills while contributing to meaningful outcomes that support Defence education and training.

This role is eligible for an additional remuneration benefit known in Defence as a Building Defence Capability Payment (BDCP). This enables Defence to provide a premium, in addition to the base salary otherwise payable under the Defence Enterprise Collective Agreement (DECA), for positions in occupational disciplines/classifications that are critical to Defence capability. For further information, please contact the contact officer.

About our Team

The team enables the Australian Defence College to deliver its education, training and corporate outcomes through the provision of professional procurement, contract management and commercial support services. Working closely with stakeholders across the College, the team helps establish and manage procurement arrangements that support a diverse range of organisational priorities.

As part of a collaborative and customer-focused team, you will partner with business areas to understand requirements, provide practical procurement advice and deliver procurement activities in accordance with Commonwealth and Defence policy. The team provides end-to-end procurement and contract management support across a broad portfolio of services and business activities.

The work is varied, fast-paced and highly visible, requiring strong stakeholder engagement skills, sound judgement and a commitment to delivering high-quality outcomes. Team members are encouraged to demonstrate initiative, contribute to continuous improvement and take ownership of their work while being supported by experienced and dedicated colleagues.

This is an excellent opportunity to broaden your procurement and contract management experience while contributing to outcomes that support Defence capability through education and training.

Our Ideal Candidate

You are a procurement and contracting professional who enjoys building productive relationships, solving problems and delivering practical outcomes. You can confidently manage competing priorities, provide advice to stakeholders and navigate complex requirements while maintaining strong governance and professional standards.

You are comfortable working in a dynamic environment where no two procurements are the same. You can analyse information, exercise sound judgement and identify practical solutions that balance business needs with policy and compliance requirements. You take ownership of your work, communicate effectively and contribute positively to a collaborative team culture.

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Demonstrated experience delivering procurement and contract management outcomes within government, commercial or other complex organisational environments.
• Knowledge of procurement governance, compliance and risk management principles.
• The ability to interpret and apply policies, legislation and procedural requirements.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills.
• Well-developed written communication skills, including the preparation of procurement documentation, briefs and reports.
• Sound judgement, initiative and problem-solving capability.
• The ability to manage competing priorities and consistently deliver quality outcomes.
• A commitment to continuous improvement, integrity and customer service.

Most importantly, you will be someone who takes ownership, works collaboratively and enjoys helping stakeholders achieve outcomes through effective procurement and contract management practices.

The key duties of the position include:

The Role

As an APS 6 Contracting Officer, you will play an important role in delivering procurement and contract management outcomes that directly support the Australian Defence College's education, training and corporate functions. Working within a small and collaborative team, you will manage a diverse range of procurement and contracting activities, ensuring business areas achieve organisational objectives.

You will provide trusted advice on procurement planning, contract management and governance, helping stakeholders achieve business outcomes while meeting legislative and policy requirements. The role involves managing procurement activities from planning through to contract establishment and ongoing administration, ensuring value for money outcomes and compliance with relevant obligations.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading procurement and contract management activities across the Australian Defence College.
• Developing procurement documentation, contracts, briefs and reports.
• Managing contractor engagement and contract performance.
• Providing procurement, contracting and governance advice to stakeholders.
• Monitoring compliance with Commonwealth and Defence procurement frameworks.
• Identifying opportunities to improve procurement processes, practices and outcomes.

This role offers the opportunity to influence organisational outcomes, lead complex procurement activities and develop your professional skills while contributing to meaningful outcomes that support Defence education and training.

This role is eligible for an additional remuneration benefit known in Defence as a Building Defence Capability Payment (BDCP). This enables Defence to provide a premium, in addition to the base salary otherwise payable under the Defence Enterprise Collective Agreement (DECA), for positions in occupational disciplines/classifications that are critical to Defence capability. For further information, please contact the contact officer.

About our Team

The team enables the Australian Defence College to deliver its education, training and corporate outcomes through the provision of professional procurement, contract management and commercial support services. Working closely with stakeholders across the College, the team helps establish and manage procurement arrangements that support a diverse range of organisational priorities.

As part of a collaborative and customer-focused team, you will partner with business areas to understand requirements, provide practical procurement advice and deliver procurement activities in accordance with Commonwealth and Defence policy. The team provides end-to-end procurement and contract management support across a broad portfolio of services and business activities.

The work is varied, fast-paced and highly visible, requiring strong stakeholder engagement skills, sound judgement and a commitment to delivering high-quality outcomes. Team members are encouraged to demonstrate initiative, contribute to continuous improvement and take ownership of their work while being supported by experienced and dedicated colleagues.

This is an excellent opportunity to broaden your procurement and contract management experience while contributing to outcomes that support Defence capability through education and training.

Our Ideal Candidate

You are a procurement and contracting professional who enjoys building productive relationships, solving problems and delivering practical outcomes. You can confidently manage competing priorities, provide advice to stakeholders and navigate complex requirements while maintaining strong governance and professional standards.

You are comfortable working in a dynamic environment where no two procurements are the same. You can analyse information, exercise sound judgement and identify practical solutions that balance business needs with policy and compliance requirements. You take ownership of your work, communicate effectively and contribute positively to a collaborative team culture.

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Demonstrated experience delivering procurement and contract management outcomes within government, commercial or other complex organisational environments.
• Knowledge of procurement governance, compliance and risk management principles.
• The ability to interpret and apply policies, legislation and procedural requirements.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills.
• Well-developed written communication skills, including the preparation of procurement documentation, briefs and reports.
• Sound judgement, initiative and problem-solving capability.
• The ability to manage competing priorities and consistently deliver quality outcomes.
• A commitment to continuous improvement, integrity and customer service.

Most importantly, you will be someone who takes ownership, works collaboratively and enjoys helping stakeholders achieve outcomes through effective procurement and contract management practices.

Eligibility

Security Clearance:

Applicants must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance at Negative Vetting Level 1.

Getting to know the Department of Defence

The Department of Defence employs around 18,000 Australian Public Service (APS) employees. Defence APS employees work in a wide variety of critical roles, Australia wide, enabling our three services Navy, Army and Air Force, to do their job. Defence has a range of Australian Public Service (APS) career opportunities that offer interesting, challenging, and unique work. Our workforce includes administrative support, accountants, intelligence analysts, engineers, policy advisors, graphic designers, lawyers, social workers, IT specialists and contract managers to name a few. We offer a rewarding career that includes professional development, work-life balance, recognition, a flexible and supportive work environment and a diverse workforce. To find out more about a career with Defence please visit https://www.defence.gov.au/jobs-careers