Project Managers - Defence Maritime

Coras; Canberra; Hybrid; AUD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Well defined advancement pathway

SME coaching to support development

Paid parental leave provisions

Consulting skills program & training

5 days PD leave per year

Annual company conference

Collaborative, growth‑oriented culture

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Coras is seeking an experienced Defence Project Manager (Manager level) to join our Canberra team within the Maritime Capability segment. Lead end‑to‑end delivery of complex Defence maritime programs, partnering with Navy, NSSG, CASG and industry collaborators to achieve capability goals.

You will bring governance discipline, senior stakeholder engagement skills and a collaborative approach to drive outcomes in a regulated, high‑stakes environment.

Qualifications

• Experience leading Defence maritime programs or similar regulated environments.
• Ability to navigate governance, stakeholder engagement and disciplined delivery.
• Proven track record delivering complex programs end‑to‑end with senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery of complex Defence maritime projects from planning through execution.
• Provide PM advice to Defence stakeholders and senior decision-makers.
• Manage governance, reporting, schedules, risks, issues and dependencies.
• Build relationships across Defence, industry partners and internal delivery teams.
• Guide project teams and contribute to continuous improvement of delivery practices.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Defence experience

Delivery leadership

Risk management

Communications

Job description

At Coras, we fuse expertise with humanity, rigor with creativity and innovation with curiosity. At the core of our business is the belief that a diversity of perspectives is the key to new thinking. That’s why our team brings together deep industry experience with some of the brightest young minds in Australia. Our values are more than just words on an email signature; we’re driven by an ethos that inspires and governs everything we do.

The Role:

We are looking for an experienced Project Manager at the Manager level to join our growing Defence consulting team in Canberra.

This role sits within our Maritime Capability segment and will see you leading project delivery activities that support Navy capability development, acquisition and sustainment. You will work alongside Defence stakeholders, industry partners and technical specialists to deliver complex programs and projects that contribute to Australia’s maritime capability. This is an opportunity for a proven Defence project professional who enjoys operating in complex environments, bringing structure to ambiguity, and working with senior stakeholders to achieve meaningful outcomes.

You will be responsible for:

• Leading the delivery of complex Defence maritime projects and workstreams from planning through to execution
• Providing trusted project management advice to Defence stakeholders and senior decision-makers
• Managing project governance, reporting, schedules, risks, issues and dependencies
• Building strong relationships across Defence, industry partners and internal delivery teams
• Guiding project teams and contributing to continuous improvement of delivery practices

Our Ideal Candidate:

You are an experienced Defence Project Manager who understands how to navigate complex acquisition, sustainment and capability development environments. You may have come from Defence, Navy, APS, a Defence prime, or a consulting organisation supporting Defence programs. You understand the importance of governance, stakeholder engagement, disciplined delivery and producing high-quality outcomes in a highly regulated environment.

You will ideally have experience supporting Defence maritime programs, including working with Navy, the Naval Shipbuilding and Sustainment Group (NSSG) or the Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG) , or other Defence stakeholders.

You will bring:

• Experience working in Above the Line (ATL) consulting environments
• Working understanding of the Defence Capability System (DCS) and how projects progress through capability definition, acquisition and sustainment.
• Significant project management experience delivering complex projects within Defence or a comparably regulated, high-stakes environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading Defence maritime / Navy projects and workstreams end-to-end (planning, delivery and governance), including managing schedules, risks, issues and dependencies.
• Strong working knowledge of Defence project management methodologies and governance processes, applied with limited direction.
• Proven ability to produce project management plans, executive-level reporting and decision-support material for senior Defence stakeholders.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills — able to influence senior decision-makers and translate complexity into clear, actionable outcomes.
• A collaborative, proactive approach with strong emotional intelligence.

Desirable (highly regarded):

• A recognised project management qualification (such as PRINCE2 Practitioner, PMP, AIPM certification or equivalent) would be highly regarded.
• Engineering qualifications or experience, maritime domain knowledge, or exposure to systems engineering environments would also be valuable.

As we are a Defence consultancy, you must also have the ability to obtain and maintain an AGSVA security clearance, ideally at the NV1 level or higher.

Coras prides itself on being a management consultancy with a difference. Underpinned by our core values, we are trailblazers for innovative consulting models and strategic solutions. As a result, we have built a culture that has our people’s aspirations, development and wellbeing front and centre.

Some of our employee benefits include:

• Well defined pathway for advancement
• Access to SME coaches to support your development
• Paid parental leave provisions
• Access to external and internal training, including a consulting skills program
• An additional 5 days per year of professional development leave
• Whole of company annual conference
• The opportunity to work with like-minded people on exciting projects
• Access to our Employee Assistance Provider

We believe great work happens when people from all walks of life are in the room. We welcome applications from everyone, and we support flexible and hybrid working arrangements where we can.