Project Director, Australian Government Consulting

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet NZ; Canberra; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Australian Government Consulting (AGC), located in Canberra, invites applicants for a Project Director with strong management consulting experience in strategy, policy and organisational performance. This role sits within the Australian Government's in‑house consulting function.

Join multidisciplinary teams, work on government projects, and help shape public value through evidence-based advice and practical recommendations.

Qualifications

• Experience in operating model design and organisational design.
• Experience in evaluation and impact analysis.
• Strategy consulting background with strong problem-solving.

Responsibilities

• Help government organisations turn strategy into effective ways of working.
• Translate purpose and strategy into clear operating models with governance.
• Engage with stakeholders to deliver evidence-based recommendations.

Skills

Operating model

Organisational design

Strategy consulting

Tools

Excel

Job description

Project Director, Australian Government Consulting

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet NZ – Canberra ACT

Australian Government Consulting (AGC), situated within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, is the Australian Government's in‑house consulting function.

We partner with Australian Public Service agencies to solve complex problems, strengthen government capability and deliver better outcomes for Australians. We combine rigorous consulting methods with a deep understanding of government to provide practical, evidence‑based advice that creates public value.

We are recruiting Consultants, Senior Consultants, Managers and Project Directors with strong management consulting experience (or APS equivalent) in strategy, policy and/or organisational performance.

AGC offers opportunities to solve complex and high‑profile problems, work in small multidisciplinary teams, learn from experienced consultants and senior public servants, and help shape the future of the Australian Government's in-house consulting capability. Successful candidates will have the opportunity to work across a diverse mix of projects and portfolios.

Shape government from within

Australian Government Consulting (AGC), situated within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, is the Australian Government's in‑house consulting function.

We partner with Australian Public Service agencies to solve complex problems, strengthen government capability and deliver better outcomes for Australians. We combine rigorous consulting methods with a deep understanding of government to provide practical, evidence‑based advice that creates public value.

We are recruiting Consultants, Senior Consultants, Managers and Project Directors with strong management consulting experience (or APS equivalent) in strategy, policy and/or organisational performance.

AGC offers opportunities to solve complex and high‑profile problems, work in small multidisciplinary teams, learn from experienced consultants and senior public servants, and help shape the future of the Australian Government's in‑house consulting capability. Successful candidates will have the opportunity to work across a diverse mix of projects and portfolios.

The key duties of the position include:

Operating Model and Organisational Design

Help government organisations turn strategy into effective ways of working

We are seeking people with experience or strong capability in operating model design, organisational design and delivery optimisation.

AGC helps government organisations translate their purpose and strategy into clear and effective ways of working. Our organisational performance projects span design and optimisation of organisational structures, functions, accountabilities, governance, processes, capabilities and enabling systems.

The work may involve responding to machinery of government changes, implementing a new strategy, conducting functional reviews, designing future operating models, driving efficiencies and prioritisation of resources, or helping organisations clarify how responsibilities and decisions should be organised.

We are particularly interested in people with experience in:

• operating model review or design
• organisational design
• functional analysis and efficiency reviews
• organisational strategy and performance
• machinery of government or structural reform
• workforce strategy and capability planning
• program, service and delivery optimisation
• consulting, central agency, taskforce or strategic policy environments.

Applicants do not need experience across every area. We welcome people who bring strong consulting and problem‑solving capability together with relevant organisational design and operating model experience.

Note: We are not looking for specific expertise in technology consulting, project, program and portfolio management, or business analysis and process reengineering.

Evaluation and Impact Analysis

Help government understand what works and use evidence to make better decisions

We are seeking people with experience or strong capability in evaluation, impact analysis, program review and benefits realisation.

This cluster helps government organisations understand whether policies and programs are working, what impact they are having and how evidence should inform future decisions. Projects may include evaluation strategies, program and statutory reviews, impact analysis and benefits realisation.

We are particularly interested in people with experience in:

• program and policy evaluations of both formative and outcomes nature
• evaluation strategy and framework design through to the completion of evaluations themselves
• impact analysis for regulatory or policy proposals (including cost benefit analysis and multicriteria analysis)
• qualitative, quantitative or mixed‑method research
• economic, statistical or data analysis to inform evaluations and impact analysis.

Your experience may be in consulting, research, audit and evaluation, academia, taskforces or policy environments.

Applicants do not need to be specialists in every evaluation method. We welcome candidates who combine analytical rigour with strong problem‑solving, stakeholder engagement and communication skills.

Strategy

Help government solve complex strategic challenges and shape better outcomes for Australians

We are looking for structured problem‑solvers and strategy consultants that can break down complex challenges into clear, evidence‑based insights. You will be able to apply structured thinking, rigorous analysis and data‑driven problem solving to identify root causes, evaluate options, engage senior stakeholders, and develop evidence‑based recommendations that translate strategy into practical action for government decision‑makers.

Relevant backgrounds may include: management consulting, strategy, economics, organisational transformation, workforce strategy