Senior Commercial Officer

seek.com.au; Canberra; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Senior Commercial Officer role based in Cairns, Queensland, within a highly regulated Defence environment. You will lead contract governance, compliance, risk management and commercial activities, coordinating across stakeholders, Commonwealth representatives, suppliers, and project teams to ensure obligations are met and risks are mitigated.

You will support negotiations, manage variations, and drive continuous improvement while maintaining governance and reporting standards.

Qualifications

• Experience in ASDEFCON contract management in a complex environment.
• Knowledge of contract management principles, governance, compliance and procurement processes.
• Experience reviewing and interpreting contractual documentation and managing contractual obligations.
• Ability to identify, assess and manage contractual, commercial and operational risks.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including contractual correspondence & reporting.
• Ability to work autonomously and manage competing priorities.
• Commitment to safety, quality, governance and compliance.
• Australian Citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain an Australian Government Security Clearance.
• Qualifications in Business, Commerce, Law, Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Project Management.
• Defence or similarly regulated contracting experience is preferred.
• Knowledge of Australian Government procurement frameworks.
• Experience managing complex contracts, subcontracts and supplier performance.
• Experience supporting negotiations, variations, claims management or dispute resolution.
• Experience with Defence or enterprise document and records management systems.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate contract management activities across the contract lifecycle.
• Review and maintain contractual documentation, correspondence, reports and subcontract agreements.
• Monitor contractual obligations, deliverables, milestones and compliance.
• Identify, assess and manage contractual, commercial and operational risks.
• Support contract negotiations, variations, claims and supplier management.
• Monitor supplier and subcontractor performance against requirements.
• Maintain contract registers, records and reporting systems for governance and audits.
• Provide contract and commercial advice to stakeholders and prepare reports.
• Contribute to procurement, governance, compliance and continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

ASDEFCON

Contract management

Governance

Compliance

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Risk management

Autonomous working

Defence knowledge

Education

Business

Commerce

Law

Procurement

Supply Chain

Project Management

Tools

Document management systems

Job description

An exciting opportunity exists for an experienced and commercially minded Senior Commercial Officer to join a well-established organisation based in Cairns, QLD.

Working within a dynamic and highly regulated Defence environment, you will play a lead role in contract governance, compliance, risk management and commercial. Working closely with internal stakeholders, Commonwealth representatives, suppliers and project teams, you will help ensure contractual obligations are met, commercial risks are effectively managed and successful contract outcomes are achieved.

What You Will Do

• Coordinate contract management activities across the contract lifecycle, including contract establishment, variations, extensions, performance monitoring and close-out.
• Review and maintain contractual documentation, correspondence, reports and subcontract agreements.
• Monitor contractual obligations, deliverables, milestones and compliance requirements.
• Identify, assess and manage contractual, commercial and operational risks and support appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Contribute to contract negotiations, variations, claims, supplier management and issue resolution activities.
• Monitor supplier and subcontractor performance against contractual requirements and agreed deliverables.
• Maintain contract registers, records and reporting systems to meet governance, compliance and audit requirements.
• Provide contract and commercial advice to stakeholders and prepare reports and recommendations to support management decision-making.
• Contribute to procurement, governance, compliance and continuous improvement initiatives.

What You Will Bring

• Demonstrated experience in ASDEFCON contract management, contract administration or commercial management within a complex environment.
• Sound knowledge of contract management principles, commercial practices, governance, compliance and procurement processes.
• Experience reviewing and interpreting contractual documentation and managing contractual obligations.
• Ability to identify, assess and manage contractual, commercial and operational risks.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including contractual correspondence and reporting.
• Ability to work autonomously, manage competing priorities and deliver outcomes within agreed timeframes.
• Demonstrated commitment to safety, quality, governance and compliance.
• Australian Citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain an Australian Government Security Clearance.
• Qualifications in Business, Commerce, Law, Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Project Management or a related discipline.
• Previous experience in a Defence, Commonwealth Government, maritime or similarly regulated contracting environment.
• Knowledge of Australian Government procurement and contracting frameworks.
• Experience managing or supporting complex contracts, subcontracts and supplier performance.
• Experience supporting contract negotiations, variations, claims management or dispute resolution.
• Experience with Defence or enterprise document and records management systems.

As an equal opportunity employer, we believe different perspectives and strengths enriches our work environment and contributes to our success. We actively encourage applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds, as we are committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in our workplace. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and candidates from diverse backgrounds.

We recognise the unique contributions that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples bring to our organisation, and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment that honours and celebrates their cultures, histories, and knowledge.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further consideration.