Senior Program Advisor

Department of Education; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Education in Victoria seeks a seasoned Project Delivery professional to lead a portfolio of school infrastructure initiatives. You will drive delivery performance, manage budgets and risks, and sustain strong stakeholder relationships across diverse teams and external partners.

Reporting to senior leadership, you will coordinate feasibility through to completion, ensuring governance, transparency, and value for money across one of the state’s largest capital programs.

Qualifications

• Essential: Qualification in Project Management, Construction, Architecture, Engineering or Quantity Surveying.
• Demonstrated experience delivering complex capital infrastructure projects, ideally within government or other large, multi stakeholder environments.
• Experience administering construction contracts, management consultants and contractors, monitoring program, budget, risk, resolving project issues throughout the project lifecycle.
• Experience working with governance, procurement and assurance frameworks.
• Experience using project controls, performance reporting and data to proactively manage project delivery outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to identify emerging risks and issues early and implement practical solutions to maintain delivery outcomes

Responsibilities

• Working with consultants, contractors, schools and internal stakeholders, you will ensure projects are delivered safely, on time, within budget and to the quality expected by Victorian communities.
• Assisting in the coordination of all aspects of project execution across the project lifecycle from feasibility through to project close to ensure expectations are understood and agreed, the program is maintained, key milestones are met, and that delivery, performance and financial targets are achieved.
• Working with a Project Delivery Director/Manager, to collaborate with internal and external teams and resources on a range of matters, such as planning, design, legal and communications.
• Assisting in the establishment and maintenance of effective relationships with diverse stakeholders in order to manage risks and resolve issues impacting project delivery.
• Assisting a Project Delivery Director/Manager by providing clear advice and reporting on project planning, project delivery status, benefits, and outcomes for a range of stakeholders, including Ministers, the Secretary, senior officers and project teams.
• Manage and monitor project budgets, forecasts and expenditure, ensuring alignment with approved funding, departmental policies and governance requirements.
• Provide high-quality advice on financial performance, budget risks and resourcing to support informed decision‑making and effective project delivery.
• Apply Victorian Government value for money and probity principles in procurement, contract management and project implementation.
• Contribute to strong governance by maintaining accurate financial records, preparing reports and escalating budget issues and risks as required.
• Assisting in preparing project feasibility information and connecting insights from analysis

Skills

Project management

Budget management

Risk management

Stakeholder management

Governance

Education

Construction/Architecture/Engineering/Quantity Surveying

Job description

Fixed term full time role until 20-OCT-2029

About The Department

The department provides a wide range of learning and development support and services. The department provides policy leadership, plans for the future of education in Victoria and leads key cross-sector collaboration. The department plays an important system steward role by providing support, guidance, oversight and assurance across early childhood and school education systems, as well as directly providing school education and 50 new early learning centres.

About The Victorian School Building Authority

The Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) is part of the Department of Education. Established in 2016, it oversees Victoria's largest school building program since the state introduced free public education in the 1870s. The VSBA upgrades and expands existing schools and plans, designs and builds new schools to meet enrolment demand. We also support schools to maintain their buildings and grounds by offering expert advice and coordinating maintenance programs and grants. With Victoria recently introducing two years of funded kindergarten, the VSBA is also working with the early childhood sector on a massive kindergarten construction program.

About The Division

The Project Delivery Division is responsible for delivering one of Victoria's largest school infrastructure programs, creating great learning environments that support better outcomes for students, teachers and communities. Our teams deliver upgraded schools, early childhood infrastructure and a range of capital improvement programs across the State. Working in partnerships with schools, contractors, consultants and government stakeholders, we manage projects through every stage of the project life-cycle - from planning and design through to construction and completion. We are committed to delivering projects safely, efficiently and transparently while continually improving the way we work. Our focus is on proactive project management, strong governance, great communication and collaborative relationships that built confidence with our stakeholders. As part of our team you will contribute to a division that values accountability, continuous improvement, team work and delivering outcomes that make a lasting difference for Victorian communities.

About The Role

This is an exciting opportunity to help deliver infrastructure that enables better learning environments for Victorian students while contributing to one of the State's largest infrastructure programs. Reporting To a Manager In The Project Delivery Division, The Position Will Be Accountable For Delivering a Portfolio Of School Infrastructure Projects, Proactively Managing Delivery Performance, Risk And Stakeholder Relationships To Achieve Successful Outcomes For Schools And By

• Working with consultants, contractors, schools and internal stakeholders, you will ensure projects are delivered safely, on time, within budget and to the quality expected by Victorian communities.
• Assisting in the coordination of all aspects of project execution across the project lifecycle from feasibility through to project close to ensure expectations are understood and agreed, the program is maintained, key milestones are met, and that delivery, performance and financial targets are achieved.
• Working with a Project Delivery Director/Manager, to collaborate with internal and external teams and resources on a range of matters, such as planning, design, legal and communications.
• Assisting in the establishment and maintenance of effective relationships with diverse stakeholders in order to manage risks and resolve issues impacting project delivery. This is likely to include managing sensitive negotiations with stakeholders with competing priorities.
• Assisting a Project Delivery Director/Manager by providing clear advice and reporting on project planning, project delivery status, benefits, and outcomes for a range of stakeholders, including Ministers, the Secretary, senior officers and project teams.
• Manage and monitor project budgets, forecasts and expenditure, ensuring alignment with approved funding, departmental policies and governance requirements.
• Provide high-quality advice on financial performance, budget risks and resourcing to support informed decision‑making and effective project delivery.
• Apply Victorian Government value for money and probity principles in procurement, contract management and project implementation.
• Contribute to strong governance by maintaining accurate financial records, preparing reports and escalating budget issues and risks as required.
• Assisting in preparing project feasibility information and connecting insights from analysis

The ideal candidate will have sound judgement, commercial awareness and the ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments while balancing competing priorities.

Working within a collaborative project delivery team, you will contribute to consistent delivery practices, continuous improvement and a culture of accountability. You will use project information and performance data to inform decisions, elevate emerging issues and help deliver reliable outcomes across the broader capital program.

Your proven project management skills, together with your qualifications in a relevant discipline will be highly regarded in securing this opportunity. Knowledge of public sector infrastructure funding and delivery systems will also be looked upon favourably.

All VSBA staff have a shared responsibility to meet the same service standards outlined in the VSBA Customer Service Charter.

Qualifications And Experience

• Essential: Qualification in Project Management, Construction, Architecture, Engineering or Quantity Surveying.
• Demonstrated experience delivering complex capital infrastructure projects, ideally within government or other large, multi stakeholder environments
• Experience administering construction contracts, management consultants and contractors, monitoring program, budget, risk, resolving project issues throughout the project lifecycle.
• Experience working with governance, procurement and assurance frameworks
• Experience using project controls, performance reporting and data to proactively manage project delivery outcomes,
• Demonstrated ability to identify emerging risks and issues early and implement practical solutions to maintain delivery outcomes

Further Information

For more details regarding this position please see attached position description for the capabilities to address in application.

The department values diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. For more information about our work, working for the Department, diversity and inclusion, and our employment conditions visit the Department website and our Diversity and Inclusion page

Applicants requiring adjustments can contact the nominated contact person.

Information about the Department of Education's operations and employment conditions can be located at www.education.vic.gov.au.

Preferred applicants may be required to complete a police check and may be subject to other pre-employment checks. Information provided to the Department of Education will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Maintaining a valid employee-type Working with Children Check is a continuous condition of employment.

Please let us know via phone or email if you require any adjustments to ensure your full participation in the recruitment process or if you need the ad or any attachments in an accessible format (e.g large print) due to any viewing difficulties or other accessibility requirements.

Applications close 11:59pm on 03 Sep 2026.