Program Manager

Thales Group; Australia; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

Bonus and medical insurance

Defence sector rewards

Veterans leave

Fitness Passport

Job summary

Thales Group in Australia seeks an experienced Program Manager to lead the Explosive Ordnance Services (EOS) portfolio, ensuring safe, compliant, and effective ordnance storage, distribution and maintenance across the country. You will own end-to-end program accountability, manage subcontractors, governance, and risk, and engage senior Defence stakeholders to drive growth opportunities.

A strong leadership mindset, experience in high-risk environments, and tertiary qualifications in

Qualifications

• Demonstrated program manage experience underpinned by contract management experience.
• Experience within a logistics, defence or complex and high-risk services environment.
• Must have experience in upscaling logistics operations in high-risk environments.
• Proven ability to manage high-stakes stakeholder relationships.
• A leadership mindset that inspires performance and collaboration.
• Strong commercial acumen and data-driven decision-making.
• Tertiary qualifications in HSE, Engineering, Science or related discipline essential.
• Postgraduate qualifications and professional certifications are highly regarded.

Responsibilities

• Own the strategic partnership with Defence and lead senior stakeholder engagement and serve as the trusted interface in Joint Logistics Command and the EO enterprise.
• Lead end-to-end program accountability ensuring contractual compliance, governance integrity and delivery performance across all subcontracting arrangements.
• Safeguard commercial performance and champion risk and assurance frameworks.
• Drive a continuous improvement culture that enhance safety, efficiency and operational excellence.
• Shape and support capture and growth opportunities.
• Oversee asset stewardship across our nationwide network.
• Lead and develop a high-performing team enabling great leadership, succession and engagement.

Skills

Program management

Stakeholder management

Logistics

High-risk environment

Leadership

Commercial acumen

Data-driven decisions

Education

Tertiary qualifications in HSE/Engineering/Science

Postgraduate qualifications

Job description

In fast changing markets, customers worldwide rely on Thales. Thales is a business where brilliant people from all over the world come together to share ideas and inspire each other. In aerospace, transportation, defence, security and space, our architects design innovative solutions that make our tomorrow's possible. At Thales Group, we deliver more than capability, we deliver trust, precision and strategic influence across national security priorities.

As an operator and partner to the Australian Defence Force, our Explosive Ordnance Services (EOS) team plays a critical role in the storage, distribution, maintenance and movement of ordnance across Australia, supporting military readiness and sovereign capability. We’re seeking an experienced Program Manager to lead the EOS business, ensuring we continue to deliver world‑class ordnance support solutions with technical excellence, commercial rigor and strong customer advocacy and enable growth oppertunities. As the Program Manager, you will be accountable for the full lifecycle of business, contract, and program performance, including commercial governance, contractual compliance and risk management across all sub‑contracting arrangements.

You will be a strategic leader who collaborates internally and externally to shape growth opportunities, build stakeholder influence and elevate EOS as a trusted defence partner. Working at our Orchard Hills site, on Darug land, your role purpose is to Own the strategic partnership with Defence and lead senior stakeholder engagement and serve as the trusted interface in Joint Logistics Command and the EO enterprise. Lead end‑to‑end program accountability ensuring contractual compliance, governance integrity and delivery performance across all subcontracting arrangements. Safeguard commercial performance and champion risk and assurance frameworks Drive a continuous improvement culture that enhance safety, efficiency and operational excellence. Shape and support capture and growth opportunities. Oversee asset stewardship across our nationwide network. Lead and develop a high‑performing team enabling great leadership, succession and engagement.

Key Skills, Experience and Behaviours

• Demonstrated program manage experience underpinned by contract management experience.
• Experience within a logistics, defence or complex and high-risk services environment.
• Must have experience in upscaling logistics operations in high-risk environments.
• Proven ability to manage high-stakes stakeholder relationships.
• A leadership mindset that inspires performance and collaboration.
• Strong commercial acumen and data-driven decision-making.
• Tertiary qualifications in HSE, Engineering, Science or related discipline essential.
• Postgraduate qualifications and professional certifications are highly regarded.

Benefits

• Competitive remuneration + Super + Bonus + Medical Insurance.
• ThalesFlex – Hybrid work environment.
• Recognised leader in reservist employee support.
• Veterans Leave.
• Fitness Passport Discount – Access to a network of Gyms across AUS.
• Employee discounts with a number of affiliates (Travel, Car hire, Tech, Medical Insurance).
• Modernised Paid Parental Leave.
• Novated Lease options.
• Family support through our partnership with Parents at Work.
• Personal & professional training development opportunities.
• Sonder – Wellbeing & Support Partner.
• Access to a network of the best people (A Nobel Prize winner on our staff list!).
• And much more!

Good to Know Prior to being offered employment, you will need to complete pre-employment police and (role dependent) medical checks.

A NV1 Defence security clearance is required for this role; applicants must be Australian citizens and eligible to obtain and maintain an appropriate clearance.

Additional information with regards to clearances is available from the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency website http://www.defence.gov.au/AGSVA/.

In some cases, individuals who hold a current clearance from a foreign government may be eligible to have this clearance recognised by the Australian Government and be eligible for this role.

The Australian Defence Trade Controls Act (DTCA) is applicable and as such, your nationality may be a factor in determining your suitability for this role.

The U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or Export Administration Regulations (EAR) are applicable and as such, your nationality may be a factor in determining your suitability for this role.

At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working.