Principal Project Officer (Remote Program Delivery)

Department of Housing & Public Works QLD; Cairns Regional; Remote; AUD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Department of Housing & Public Works QLD in Cairns is seeking a seasoned program manager to lead and deliver capital land and infrastructure development initiatives for social housing. You will oversee budgets, reporting, and governance while coordinating with Indigenous communities and government partners.

Join a team focused on delivering housing outcomes through robust program design, strategic advice, and cross‑sector collaboration to achieve departmental objectives.

Qualifications

• Critically analyse business processes and design improvements to meet customer needs.
• Ability to prioritise tasks to meet deadlines and identify project opportunities.
• Strong written and interpersonal communication with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Apply structured program management approaches to implement housing land and infrastructure development projects.
• Provide high level financial monitoring and reporting for budgets and variations.
• Develop and review procedures to maximise capital program performance and delivery.
• Conduct data analysis to identify and monitor land and infrastructure programs for Indigenous communities.
• Provide timely, consolidated program status reports with dependencies, issues and risks.
• Provide program leadership and direction for capital land and infrastructure activities.
• Design and monitor housing programs focusing on land and infrastructure identification and development.
• Offer strategic, senior management advised recommendations on complex capital program issues.
• Ensure best practice frameworks are delivered through high-level stakeholder consultation and influence.
• Formulate proposals and briefing papers for senior management on program development and management.
• Foster relationships across Local, State and Federal Governments and with Indigenous councils and housing providers.

Skills

Program management

Financial management

Data analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic advice

Leadership

Communication

Negotiation

Job description

Department of Housing & Public Works QLD – Cairns QLD

What you will be doing:

• Apply structured program management approaches to effectively implement and manage a range of housing related land and infrastructure development to increase the supply of serviced allotments to support social housing investment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
• Provide high level financial monitoring and management of program and project budgets, including budget reviews and adjustments, management of financial variations and high-level financial reporting.
• Develop, manage and review the implementation of procedures to maximise capital program and project performance and delivery to meet the department's strategic objectives.
• Undertake data analysis and applying program design methodologies to identify, develop, implement and monitor land and infrastructure development programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
• Provide high-level timely, accurate and consolidated program reporting that provides visibility of the land and Infrastructure development program's status, dependencies, issues and risks.
• Provide visible and consistent program and project management leadership and direction of programs and projects for capital land and infrastructure development activities.
• Design, develop, implement and monitor housing programs, in particular, land and infrastructure identification and development, to ensure agreed program outcomes are achieved.
• Provide professional, authoritative and timely strategic advice to senior management on capital land and infrastructure development program and project issues of a complex nature.
• Ensure best practice frameworks and processes are delivered within the department through high-level consultation with and influencing of internal and external stakeholders.
• Formulate and prepare proposals, recommendations, submissions and briefing papers of a complex nature and negotiate recommendations at senior management level as they relate to capital program development and program management.
• Develop strong professional relationships and networks at a strategic level across the Local, State and Federal Governments.
• Manage and promote an effective interface between all relevant areas within the department and with its key external stakeholders, including Indigenous councils and housing providers.
• Maintaining knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander protocols and issues to effectively and sensitively consult, negotiate and communicate with partners, stakeholders and customers.

What we are looking for

We are looking to find the person best suited for the role and will be considering your knowledge, skills, experience, potential for development and future contribution to the department as well as your personal qualities and how they contribute to our department's equity and diversity objectives which aim to build a workforce that reflects the Queensland community.

It is recognised that everyone is a leader regardless of classification level. Refer to the Individual Contributor stream of the Leadership competencies for Queensland framework to understand the expectations for this role.

The skills you will need include being able to:

• Critically analyse and evaluate business processes, identify alternative solutions and business trends and make improvement recommendations which meet customer needs.
• Demonstrate your ability prioritise tasks to meet required deadlines and ability to identify opportunities and improvement that will contribute to the success of projects.
• Collaborate and negotiate with influence as well as used your high-level written and interpersonal communication.

Applications to remain current for 12 months.

Job Ad Reference: QLD/701588/26 Closing Date: Friday, 2 October 2026