Project Management - Practice Manager

Victoria Police; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Victoria Police's newly established Enterprise Project Management Office is seeking a senior PMO leader to build and mature project delivery capabilities across the organisation. The role provides enterprise‑wide leadership, governance, and assurance to support delivery of the strategic investment portfolio.

You will lead frameworks, standards, and assurance activities, mentor emerging project managers, and partner with senior leaders to prioritise investments and optimise delivery outcomes.

Qualifications

• Experience establishing enterprise‑wide PMO frameworks and governance.
• Significant leadership in project, program, portfolio or PMO roles.
• Experience with project assurance activities and independent reviews.
• Experience in portfolio prioritisation and investment planning.
• Experience in vendor management and procurement.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and strategic advice to executives.
• Mentoring emerging project managers.

Responsibilities

• Establish and continuously improve enterprise‑wide PM frameworks and templates.
• Lead development and maturity of the project management practice.
• Monitor performance and identify delivery risks.
• Provide independent reporting on at‑risk projects.
• Develop prioritisation frameworks to support decision‑making.
• Build relationships with senior leaders to drive adoption of standards.
• Lead project assurance activities to strengthen delivery.
• Champion continuous improvement of delivery capability.
• Provide leadership and mentoring to project managers.
• Participate in interview panels for future PM appointments.

Skills

PMO leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Risk management

Portfolio prioritisation

Vendor management

Financial acumen

Strategic advisory

Mentoring

Communication skills

Governance & assurance

Education

PMI/PRINCE2/SAFe certifications

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to join the newly established Enterprise Project Management Office (EPMO) within Victoria Police and play a key leadership role in shaping and maturing project delivery capability across the organisation.

The EPMO provides enterprise-wide leadership, governance, assurance, and delivery oversight to support the successful execution of Victoria Police's strategic investment portfolio. As part of the establishment of several strategic practice management functions, the Project Management – Practice Manager (VPS6) will be responsible for building, governing, and continuously improving the organisation's project management practice.

The role leads frameworks, standards and assurance activities, providing oversight of project performance, risks and interdependencies, and working closely with senior leaders, practice managers and project teams to support alignment to organisational priorities and delivery outcomes. It provides enterprise-wide leadership and assurance while maintaining an independent perspective on project performance, quality, governance, and delivery maturity.

The role also builds organisational capability by advising, guiding and mentoring emerging and developing project managers and contributing subject‑matter expertise to recruitment and selection processes for future project management appointments.

This position is ideally suited to an experienced project, program, portfolio, or PMO leader who brings a strategic mindset, strong stakeholder engagement capability, and a passion for improving organisational delivery performance through better project management practices.

Victoria Police encourage applications from people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ communities, recognising that diverse perspectives strengthen outcomes for the community.

Your duties will include:

• Establish, govern and continuously improve enterprise‑wide project management frameworks, standards, methodologies, tools and templates.
• Lead the development and maturity of the project management practice, ensuring consistent application of delivery approaches across projects and programs.
• Monitor project and program performance and identify delivery, governance and capability risks that may impact strategic outcomes.
• Provide enterprise-wide insights regarding portfolio health, delivery capacity, interdependencies, sequencing impacts and organisational constraints.
• Provide independent assessment and reporting on projects and programs at risk, escalating emerging issues and recommendations to enterprise governance bodies.
• Partner with executive and enterprise leaders to develop, implement and continuously refine project and program prioritisation frameworks that support strategic decision‑making and investment planning.
• Build strong relationships with senior leaders, project managers and delivery teams to influence adoption of project management standards and reporting and governance requirements.
• Lead project assurance activities, including health checks, quality reviews and stage gate assessments, to strengthen delivery confidence and outcomes.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives that enhance project delivery capability, consistency and organisational maturity.
• Provide leadership, coaching and guidance to emerging and developing project managers across the organisation, and lead the establishment and development of a high‑performing project management community of practice.
• Participate as a project management subject‑matter expert on interview and selection panels for the engagement and appointment of future project managers.

About You:

The successful candidate will ideally have the following skills and experience:

• Demonstrated experience establishing, implementing and embedding enterprise‑wide project management frameworks, standards, governance practices and delivery methodologies within large and complex organisations.
• Significant experience in project, program, portfolio or PMO leadership roles, with a proven ability to improve organisational project delivery capability and maturity.
• Demonstrated experience leading project and program assurance activities, including health checks, gateway reviews, governance assessments and independent reviews, and providing practical recommendations to improve delivery outcomes.
• Experience developing, implementing or advising on portfolio prioritisation, investment planning or strategic decision‑making frameworks to support organisational objectives and optimise organisational investment outcomes.
• Proven experience contributing to critical project delivery functions, including vendor management, procurement and sourcing activities, and contract management.
• Demonstrated experience identifying, assessing and reporting project and program risks, issues and performance concerns to senior executives and governance forums, including providing independent recommendations to support informed decision‑making.
• Highly developed stakeholder engagement, communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships and provide strategic advice to executives, sponsors, governance bodies and delivery leaders.
• Demonstrated ability to provide advice, guidance and mentoring to emerging and developing project managers across the organisation, and to contribute project management expertise as a member of interview and selection panels for future project management appointments.
• Demonstrated financial acumen, including the ability to critically assess business cases, investment proposals, funding submissions and benefits realisation plans, and provide independent, evidence‑based strategic recommendations.
• Proven ability to lead and facilitate large‑scale planning activities, including "big room" planning sessions, project and portfolio planning workshops, and risk identification and mitigation activities involving diverse stakeholder groups.
• Demonstrated commitment to professional standards and lifelong learning, with relevant project, program, portfolio or agile certifications (e.g. PMI, PRINCE2®, Scaled Agile or equivalent) complemented by ongoing professional development and a proven dedication to continuous improvement and capability growth.

Further Information:

• This position is located at Victoria Police Centre, 311 Spencer Street, Docklands.
• Applicants must be an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or hold a valid work permit or visa.
• The successful candidate will be required to undergo pre‑employment checks which may include fingerprint checks and misconduct screening.
• We expect our people to foster a safe and inclusive environment where their behaviour and attitude reflects, builds upon and promotes a positive and collaborative workplace that respects the culture and values of Victoria Police.

For further information, please contact: Allison Binder on 0417 955 *** or **************@police.vic.gov.au.

We welcome applications from people with disability and aim to support an inclusive recruitment experience. If you require a copy of this advertisement and attached documentation in an accessible format or would like to discuss an access requirement/reasonable adjustment for the recruitment process (including an alternate method of submission of the application), please contact VPS Recruitment via email **************@police.vic.gov.au or on (03) 8335 6***.

About Us:

Victoria Police has a dedicated workforce of more than 22,000 employees consisting of police, protective services officers, police custody officers, and public service staff. Each employee plays a vital role in providing the 24/7, 365 days a year emergency response and public safety capability the organisation delivers to its community. As a Victoria Police employee, you have a dedication and commitment to community safety.

Victoria Police is committed to creating a workplace that is safe and inclusive of all our people. We empower and expect our people, at all levels, to develop interpersonal connections and collaborate, use sound judgement, and create and innovate.

In alignment with the principle of self‑determination, Victoria Police is dedicated to enhancing our collaboration with the Aboriginal community in Victoria as we build a culturally safe and inclusive workplace for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees. We continue to engage and build relationships with local Aboriginal communities and work closely with them to enhance opportunities and services aimed at empowerment, equality, and equal participation across all areas of the organisation.

We value the diversity and differences of our employees, including their age, gender, culture, religion, sexual orientation, abilities, and life experience. We celebrate these diverse experiences and perspectives as each person brings an informed and contemporary approach to our work which enhances the wellbeing of all. We aim to provide a safe place that is reflective of the community it serves, allowing everyone to bring their whole selves to work.”

Find out what it is like working as a Victorian Public Servant for Victoria Police: https://www.police.vic.gov.au/vps

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