Senior Commercial Strategy & Partnerships Specialist

VicTrack; Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

VicTrack is seeking a Senior Commercial Strategy & Partnerships Specialist to shape the land and asset portfolio, identifying opportunities that deliver sustainable revenue and public value across VicTrack's land, assets and partnerships.

You will lead complex transactions, advise across development, leasing, grants and land use, coordinate with government stakeholders and internal teams, and help drive risk-adjusted value while maintaining probity and public outcomes.

Qualifications

• Mandatory: 10+ years in commercial land transactions or asset-based partnerships.
• Experience negotiating long-term leases, ground leases, concessions or joint ventures.
• Ability to operate in public-sector governance and probity environments.
• Strong financial modelling, valuation and whole-life cost assessment.

Responsibilities

• Lead opportunity origination and qualification across VicTrack's land and assets.
• Maintain a single, risk-adjusted view of sales, leasing and development pipelines.
• Test market demand, costs, returns and risks; advise on proceeding or stopping.
• Design commercial models: sale, lease, licence, revenue share, JV, etc.
• Lead complex transactions and negotiations with internal and external partners.
• Build partnerships with government, operators, tenants and investors; ensure governance.

Skills

Senior stakeholder management

Negotiation expertise

Public sector governance

Strategic business insight

Education

Bachelor-level degree in property/commerce/finance/economics/business

Job description

As the owner of Victoria's rail transport land, assets and infrastructure, we play a vital role in supporting the state's transport network and future development. Our work spans property, telecommunications and infrastructure, influencing projects and initiatives that help create a more sustainable and prosperous state.

When you join VicTrack, you’ll work alongside talented and diverse professionals, bringing different perspectives and expertise together to solve complex challenges and deliver meaningful outcomes for Victorian communities.

We empower our people to contribute ideas, challenge thinking and continuously improve the way we work, in an organisation where purpose and opportunity come together.

Whether you’re early in your career or bringing extensive experience, you'll find opportunities to grow, make a difference and be part of an organisation committed to delivering better transport outcomes for a more connected Victoria.

What you’ll love about working here

• Meaningful work that benefits Victorian communities.
• Flexibility that supports the way you work, including hybrid working arrangements and flexible public holidays.
• More time to recharge, with annual leave loading, an extra day off (EDO) per month and other generous leave provisions.
• Comprehensive wellbeing support, including health and wellness programs, reproductive health and wellbeing leave, and 16 weeks paid parental leave.
• Opportunities to grow and develop your career across a diverse organisation.
• Free travel across Victoria’s public transport network and access to onsite facilities including a gym and modern end of trip facilities.
• Opportunities that come with working for a Victorian Government state-owned enterprise.

The opportunity

The Senior Commercial Strategy & Partnerships Specialist has the opportunity to shape how one of Victoria’s most strategically important land portfolios creates recurrent revenues, stronger partnerships and enduring public value.

As a Senior Commercial Strategy & Partnerships Specialist, this role is responsible for identifying, assessing and delivering commercial property and land opportunities that generate sustainable revenue and community value for VicTrack. Working across VicTrack, transport agencies and government stakeholders, the role develops a robust risk-adjusted pipeline of opportunities and ensures initiatives are commercially viable, strategically aligned and deliverable.

As an advisor and delivery partner to the Group Manager, Commercial and Land Strategy, the position provides commercial leadership across development, sales, leasing, grants, land assessment, strategic land use and emerging market opportunities. The role leads selected complex and high value transactions, provides commercial guidance to the Executive, and coordinates cross-functional input to manage risks, costs, constraints and public value outcomes.

The role contributes to VicTrack’s mission by improving the quality and performance of its commercial opportunity pipelines, maximising asset value and generating sustainable returns for reinvestment in transport services for Victorians.

Key accountabilities/functions:

• Lead opportunity origination and qualification: Support senior managers and/or lead proactive identification and qualification of new commercial and revenue opportunities across VicTrack's land and asset portfolio using market intelligence, portfolio analysis, customer insight and targeted engagement with potential investors, operators, occupiers and delivery partners.
• Lead the integrated commercial pipeline: Recommend and maintain a single, risk-adjusted view across sales, development, commercial leasing, community leasing, land assessment, strategic precincts and new markets, with clear stages, entry and exit criteria, accountable owners, dependencies, confidence levels and forecast outcomes.
• Provide commercial challenge and deal assurance: Test market demand, valuation, capital and operating costs, whole-of-life returns, delivery capability, risk allocation and alignment with transport and public-value objectives; provide clear recommendations to the Group Manager to proceed, restructure, hold or stop before further resources are committed.
• Design the right commercial model: Assist the Group Manager in the design and structure options including sale, lease, licence, ground lease, concession, revenue share, build-to-hold, joint venture, partnership and interim activation, recommending the pathway that provides the best risk-adjusted outcome for VicTrack.
• Lead complex transactions and negotiations: Lead market sounding, transaction strategy, procurement inputs, commercial negotiations and for selected complex, high-value or first-of kind opportunities, working with the relevant Group Manager, Legal, Finance, Procurement and technical specialists to protect VicTrack's interests.
• Build commercial partnerships and connect delivery functions: Develop credible relationships within VicTrack teams, government, transport operators, tenants, community partners, investors, developers, infrastructure providers and advisers, and bring the right internal expertise together early to convert viable opportunities into executable deals.
• Provide leadership and coordination across partnership-focused activities: Support the effective delivery of community leasing, grants, and other partnership programs, ensuring strong governance, stakeholder relationships, clear priorities and alignment with VicTrack’s broader commercial and community objectives.
• Strengthen performance, reporting and capability: Improve portfolio prioritisation, forecast accuracy, benefits tracking and executive and Board reporting; capture lessons from completed and discontinued opportunities; and coach the broader team members to lift commercial judgement, negotiation and deal-management capability.
• Perform other appropriate duties: In line with section 31A of the Public Administration Act 2004 (Vic), undertake other duties consistent with the position's classification, skills and capabilities.

Key selection criteria:

• Demonstrated senior experience originating, evaluating, structuring, negotiating and executing complex property, infrastructure or land asset-based commercial transactions and partnerships from concept through to contractual close.
• Advanced commercial and financial acumen, including business-case assessment, valuation, feasibility, cash-flow analysis, NPV and IRR, sensitivity testing, whole-of-life cost assessment and risk-adjusted investment recommendations.
• Proven ability to prioritise a multi-stream opportunity pipeline, establish evidence-based stage gates, improve forecast confidence and make clear recommendations to progress, reshape, defer or stop proposals.
• Highly developed negotiation, influence and stakeholder-management capability, with the ability to align market participants, government, executives and multidisciplinary technical teams while preserving probity and commercial tension.
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively within a complex government or highly governed environment, balancing commercial outcomes with statutory obligations, government policy, governance, probity and public-value requirements, while maintaining momentum and progressing matters to decision and delivery

Qualifications and experience:

• Mandatory: A relevant tertiary qualification in property, commerce, finance, economics, business or a related discipline.
• Mandatory: Significant senior-level experience, typically 10 or more years, in commercial land transactions, infrastructure or property investment, asset commercialisation and partnerships.
• Demonstrated experience negotiating long-term or complex commercial arrangements such as major leases, complex or structured land sales, ground leases, concessions, revenue-sharing arrangements, partnerships or joint ventures relating to land transactions.
• Experience operating for or within public-sector governance, probity and delegated approval environments is highly desirable.
• Experience within transport, a major landowner or another asset-intensive organisation is desirable

Diversity, inclusion and accessibility

VicTrack is committed to building a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences and identities and encourage open conversations about any support or workplace adjustments you may require throughout any stage of the recruitment process.

If you require an adjustment to participate in any stage of the recruitment process, or have a preferred method of communication (telephone or email), please advise our People & Culture team at any stage.

We are proud to be recognised by WORK180 as an Employer of Choice for Women – you can explore the WORK180 website to learn about our benefits and policies here. We understand that many talented candidates may not apply unless they meet every requirement - if you're excited about this opportunity and believe you can contribute, we encourage you to apply.

VicTrack employment offers are strictly subject to successful background (pre-employment screening), qualification and criminal history checks.

VicTrack is an equal opportunity and human rights employer.