Project Officers, SA State Office

Aurion; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is seeking a Project Officer for the SA State Office to support corporate governance, planning and election-readiness functions. You will contribute to section planning for short-term priorities and assist with longer-term initiatives across the State Office.

In this role you will provide project administration, monitor timelines and budgets, prepare reports, and help deliver project outcomes within agreed timeframes.

Qualifications

• Ability to apply judgement to legislation, policies and procedures.
• Experience in contract management and tender processes.
• Strong planning and organisational skills with ability to manage priorities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement across levels.

Responsibilities

• Provide project administration support and monitor timelines.
• Assist with budgets and reporting for electoral events.
• Support delivery of project outcomes within agreed timeframes.
• Operate under limited direction while applying professional judgement.

Skills

Judgement & decision-making

Stakeholder engagement

Planning & coordination

Communication

Autonomy & teamwork

Resilience under pressure

Job description

Position:

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Synopsis

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is an independent statutory authority established by the Australian Government to maintain an impartial and independent electoral system for eligible voters through active electoral roll management, efficient delivery of polling services, and targeted education and public awareness programs.

Agency Purpose

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is an independent statutory authority established by the Australian Government to maintain an impartial and independent electoral system for eligible voters through active electoral roll management, efficient delivery of polling services, and targeted education and public awareness programs.

The AEC’s values and commitments

The AEC values and commitments are an essential component of our operating environment and frame how AEC staff work. The AEC's focus is on electoral integrity through the values of quality, agility and professionalism.

About the Team

The SA State Office team plays a key role in delivering operational excellence through assurance, governance, compliance and planning functions for SA's state-wide business-as-usual operations, event preparation and readiness, and end-to-end event delivery.

The team is responsible for managing a range of functions during our business-as-usual period, including finance, procurement, human resources, logistics, facilities management, monitoring and reporting, risk management, and roll management support. To deliver outcomes that support the integrity, effectiveness and continuous improvement of Australia's electoral system, the SA State Office team acts as the primary conduit between national and state operational networks, while linking organisational strategic objectives to operational deliverables.

The Opportunities

This is an exciting opportunity to join the AEC and contribute to work that has a direct impact on Australia's democratic processes.

As a Project Officer in the SA State Office team, you will play an important role in delivering high-quality outcomes for the AEC by contributing to the effective administration and delivery of the State Office’s corporate, governance, and election readiness functions. This includes supporting section planning activities for short-term priorities and contributing to work area planning for longer-term strategic initiatives.

The role also provides project support for electoral events, including assisting with project administration, monitoring timelines and budgets, preparing reports, and supporting the delivery of project outcomes within agreed timeframes.

Operating under limited direction, the Project Officer undertakes moderately complex to complex work and applies specialised knowledge, analytical skills, and professional judgement to support the delivery of corporate, compliance, governance, electoral, and project objectives.

This position requires flexibility and adaptability, and your work will contribute to nationally significant outcomes. During the election cycle, the role will contribute to a variety of projects across the State Office in response to evolving agency priorities and operational requirements, as directed by management. You will be joining a collaborative and high-performing team, where you will be supported by experienced colleagues.

To excel you’ll have:

We are seeking a motivated and capable professional who can demonstrate the skills, knowledge and experience required to perform successfully in this role, including:

• Ability to apply judgement when interpreting and applying legislation, policies, procedures and operational guidance to achieve quality outcomes.
• Experience in contract management, including developing scopes, supporting tender processes and monitoring contract performance.
• Ability to liaise effectively with internal and external stakeholders on project and operational matters.
• Sound planning, organisational and project coordination skills, including the ability to manage competing priorities and deliver quality outcomes within established timeframes.
• Well-developed communication skills, with the ability to collaborate, negotiate and engage effectively with colleagues, business areas and external stakeholders at all levels.
• Demonstrated ability to work autonomously, alongside a strong commitment to working collaboratively within a team to achieve shared objectives.
• Demonstrated resilience and adaptability, including the ability to remain effective under pressure, respond positively to changing priorities and manage periods of increased operational demand.

Desirable

• Experience in planning and organising major logistical events, including managing time effectively and identifying and organising resources to achieve results.
• Knowledge of Australian electoral law and practice, or the ability to quickly acquire and apply that knowledge.
• Knowledge of the Commonwealth Resource Framework, or the ability to quickly acquire and apply that knowledge.

Eligibility

• AEC employees must be Australian citizens.
• Any person who is, and seen to be active in political affairs, and intends to publicly carry on this activity, may compromise the strict neutrality of the AEC and cannot be considered.
• Applicants are required to consent to, undergo, obtain and maintain a character clearance.
• Applicants are required to consent to, undergo, obtain and maintain the security clearance required for this role.