Senior Defence Contracts & Commercial Lead

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

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.