Project and Portfolio Support Coordinator

CSIRO; Geelong; Hybrid; AUD 118,000 - 127,000; Full time

Job summary

CSIRO is seeking two Project & Portfolio Support Coordinators to provide strategic, operational and project management support across three research programs. You’ll help plan, coordinate and deliver complex projects and portfolios while strengthening governance, reporting and ways of working.

This role offers flexible working arrangements and will support multiple programs across Geelong sites. Working with Research Directors and Project Leaders, you’ll monitor progress, risks and milestones,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in medical, science or research discipline or demonstrated project management experience.
• Experience working within research environments.
• Ability to plan, coordinate and track activities through to completion with project teams.
• Proven ability to navigate ambiguity and adapt as priorities change.
• Demonstrated ability to build effective professional relationships with multiple Project Leaders.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate project management activities across multiple research projects, supporting delivery to agreed scope, timelines and budgets.
• Support Project Leaders with project planning, monitoring, execution, reporting and closure.
• Monitor project progress, risks, dependencies, actions, milestones and deliverables, escalating issues when required.
• Coordinate project support requirements including contracts, procurement, equipment, technical support and stakeholder engagement.
• Connect Project Leaders with enterprise services including Finance, Business Development, Communications, Legal, Procurement and Digital Services.
• Contribute to portfolio planning, prioritisation, governance and reporting, providing quality financial and operational information to support decision-making.
• Build productive relationships with researchers, collaborators, clients and internal service teams.
• Identify opportunities to improve project and portfolio systems and contribute to business improvement.

Skills

Strong organisational skills

Stakeholder management

Autonomy and self-direction

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent in medical/science/research or project management experience

Tools

MS Office Project

Project management software

Database management software

Job description

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Project and Portfolio Support Coordinator

CSIRO acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land, sea and waters, of the area that we live and work on across Australia. We acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture and pay our respects to their Elders past and present. View our vision towards reconciliation .

Role highlights

• Support high-impact research across key national biosecurity programs
• Coordinate diverse research projects, portfolios, governance and reporting
• Two positions available | Flexible working arrangements

About CSIRO

As Australia's national science agency, CSIRO is solving the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. Many of our iconic innovations were once considered impossible until someone, just like you, joined us and took on the challenge.

Join Australia’s national science agency and play an important role in enabling research that helps protect Australia’s people, animals, agriculture and environment.

We are seeking two Project & Portfolio Support Coordinators to provide strategic, operational and project management support across three research programs. These positions will help our research teams successfully plan, coordinate and deliver complex projects and portfolios, while strengthening governance, reporting and ways of working.

The two opportunities will support:

• Agricultural and Environmental Biosecurity Program, located across multiple sites
• Human and Animal Biosecurity Program and Disease Diagnostics and Surveillance Program, located at the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) in Geelong and multiple sites.

Working closely with Research Directors, Group Leaders, Project Leaders and enterprise service teams, you’ll help coordinate projects from planning through to delivery and closure. You’ll monitor progress, risks, milestones and dependencies, provide reporting and operational insights, and connect research teams with the expertise and services they need to deliver effectively.

This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys bringing structure to complex environments, building strong relationships and helping diverse teams turn plans into outcomes. You’ll work across multidisciplinary and geographically dispersed teams, contributing to the effective delivery of nationally important science and helping strengthen project and portfolio management practices across CSIRO.

Your high-level duties will include:

• Coordinate project management activities across multiple research projects, supporting delivery to agreed scope, timelines and budgets.
• Support Project Leaders with project planning, monitoring, execution, reporting and closure.
• Monitor project progress, risks, dependencies, actions, milestones and deliverables, escalating issues when required.
• Coordinate project support requirements including contracts, procurement, equipment, technical support and stakeholder engagement.
• Connect Project Leaders with enterprise services including Finance, Business Development, Communications, Legal, Procurement and Digital Services.
• Contribute to portfolio planning, prioritisation, governance and reporting, providing quality financial and operational information to support decision-making.
• Build productive relationships with researchers, collaborators, clients and internal service teams.
• Identify opportunities to improve project and portfolio systems, processes and ways of working, and contribute to business improvement, change and capability initiatives.
• Share successful approaches and lessons learned across teams and work effectively within multidisciplinary and geographically dispersed environments.

Location and office arrangements: Any CSIRO site considered.

Salary: AU$118k - AU$127k per annum (pro rata for part-time), plus 15.4% superannuation

Reference: 104465

As the successful candidate, you will bring:

• A relevant bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in a medical, science or research discipline, or demonstrated project management experience.
• An aptitude for understanding research science concepts and experience working within research environments.
• Strong organisational skills and demonstrated ability to plan, coordinate and track activities through to completion with project teams.
• Proven ability to investigate and solve complex problems, navigate ambiguity and adapt effectively as priorities and circumstances change.
• Demonstrated ability to build effective professional relationships with multiple Project Leaders and work collaboratively across project teams.
• The ability to work autonomously while providing timely, relevant information to Project Leaders and stakeholders to support effective decision-making.
• Highly developed time management and organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines and escalating issues appropriately.
• Demonstrated ability to proactively develop internal and external stakeholder relationships and provide sound advice and feedback.
• MS Office Project, project management software, database management software.
• Ability to manage and lead change and be outcome focused.

While it is CSIRO policy that the successful candidate must meet all the essential criteria, there are many ways to demonstrate this. Don’t let the list discourage you. If you are unsure about applying, please reach out to the contact person in the Position Description.

Setting you up for success

We are committed to providing a recruitment process that is fair, equitable and accessible to everyone. We recognise that it may be helpful for us to adjust our process to make it equitable for your individual situation. Please let us know how we can support you.

Life at CSIRO and flexible work arrangements

Solving Australia's greatest challenges takes a diversity of minds and lived experiences. We know diverse teams are more effective and deliver more innovative outcomes. As an equal employment opportunity organisation, we are committed to creating diverse and inclusive teams where people feel they belong. We recognise true diversity encompasses all ages, abilities, cultures, faiths, levels of education, genders, sexualities, diversity of thought and much more. We focus on hiring people who share our values of People First, Further Together, Making it Real and Trusted.

CSIRO holds Gold Status for the Australian Workplace Equality Index for LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and a Science in Australia Gender Equity Bronze Award.

Applications for this position are open to Australian citizens, and Australian Permanent residents.

Appointment to this role is subject to provision of a national police check and may be subject to other security/medical/character clearance requirements.

Child safety

CSIRO is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people involved in our activities and programs. View our Child Safe Policy .