Senior Program Manager

NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development; New South Wales; On-site; AUD 154,000 - 178,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

35-hour week

Flexible hours

Flex time

Leave entitlements

Recreation leave

Job summary

NSW Public Works is seeking a Senior Program Manager with specialist building surveying expertise and unrestricted registration to lead and deliver building and fire compliance programs for government clients across NSW. You will blend project management, procurement and contract oversight with technical advisory and certification capabilities.

You will report to the Director, collaborate with program and project managers, and act as a senior member of the management team, driving compliance

Qualifications

• Current registration as a Building Surveyor – Unrestricted.
• Tertiary qualification in building surveying or equivalent for registration in NSW.
• Experience certifying buildings across NCC classes, including large/complex projects.
• Knowledge of the NCC, EP&A Act, the EP&A (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021 and the relevant Australian Standards.
• Willingness to travel to regional and remote locations, including overnight stays.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning and delivery of compliance projects and programs within scope, budgets, timeframes, resources and risks.
• Provide procurement and contract management leadership, working with delivery teams, consultants and contractors to progress assessments and rectification works.
• Carry out statutory certification work within your registration and applicable independence requirements, including construction, complying development and occupation certificates and critical stage inspections.
• Advise clients and project teams on the NCC, the EP&A Act and Regulations, and Australian Standards, including design reviews and performance solutions.
• Support clients and the team in fire safety matters such as fire safety schedules, fire safety certificates, annual fire safety statements, and upgrades to existing buildings.
• Audit buildings across government property portfolios and write clear, practical reports.
• Mentor the team, peer review complex findings, and support staff working towards accreditation.
• Build strong client relationships, contribute to business and resource planning, and help grow our services.

Skills

Registration as Building Surveyor (Unf

Education

Tertiary qualification in building surveying

Job description

• Ongoing, Full-time
• Location: All of NSW
• Our employees work principally in the workplace, with travel to regional areas
• Clerk Grade 11/12, salary from $154,231 to $178,369 plus superannuation and leave loading

Diversity and inclusion are core DPIRD values. Everyone has the right to contribute and participate to their full potential. We are committed to supporting a diverse and inclusive culture that is respectful, welcoming and flexible – a workplace where our people feel supported, valued, and part of our collective success.

This role offers flexible, people-first working conditions

• 35‑hour base working week
• Flexible start and finish times between 6am and 7pm, with core hours of 10am–3pm
• Flex time, allowing additional hours worked to be accrued and taken back as flex leave
• Generous leave arrangements, including carers’, parental and adoption leave
• Four weeks recreation leave as standard.

About the role

NSW Public Works is looking for a Senior Program Manager with specialist building surveying expertise and registration as a Building Surveyor (Unrestricted) to join our Fire Safety & Compliance team.

You’ll lead and manage building and fire compliance projects and programs for government clients, combining project management, procurement and contract management responsibilities with specialist technical advice and certification capability.

You’ll report to the Director, work alongside our program managers, project managers and fire safety specialists, and be part of the senior management team. You will:

• lead the planning and delivery of compliance projects and programs, managing scope, budgets, timeframes, resources and risks
• provide procurement and contract management leadership, working with delivery teams, consultants and contractors to progress assessments and rectification works
• carry out statutory certification work within your registration and applicable independence requirements, including construction, complying development and occupation certificates and critical stage inspections
• advise clients and project teams on the NCC, the EP&A Act and Regulations, and Australian Standards, including design reviews and performance solutions
• support clients and the team in fire safety matters such as fire safety schedules, fire safety certificates, annual fire safety statements, and upgrades to existing buildings
• audit buildings across government property portfolios and write clear, practical reports
• mentor the team, peer review complex findings, and support staff working towards accreditation
• build strong client relationships, contribute to business and resource planning, and help grow our services.

About you

You bring strong project or program management experience alongside specialist building surveying expertise across buildings of all classes, levels of complexity and ages. You have experience coordinating teams, managing client relationships, and overseeing procurement and contracts.

You can explain technical issues in plain language, make sound independent decisions, and help clients turn assessment findings into practical plans for addressing compliance issues. You enjoy helping others build their skills and delivering projects that meet agreed quality, budget and timing requirements.

Essential requirements:

• current registration as a Building Surveyor - Unrestricted under the Building and Development Certifiers Act 2018 (NSW)
• a tertiary qualification in building surveying, or an equivalent qualification recognised for registration in NSW
• demonstrated experience certifying buildings across all NCC building classes, including large and complex projects
• experience assessing older and existing buildings, including those built under earlier codes, heritage-listed buildings, and buildings with incomplete approval history
• working knowledge of the NCC, the EP&A Act, the EP&A (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021 and the relevant Australian Standards
• a current NSW driver licence and a willingness to travel to regional and remote locations, including overnight stay

Fire safety assessment or fire safety engineering experience will be well regarded.

About us

NSW Public Works is part of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and supports local and state government agencies to deliver critical infrastructure initiatives by providing expert advisory, planning, design, project and construction management and associated support services.

Our work is in hospitals, dams, water treatment plants and high schools, the real foundations of prosperous communities.

Every day we help shape the ambitious projects that bring progress to more people in NSW. From forging a more sustainable relationship with the land around us, to engineering the big ideas of the future. In every challenge we see the chance to build stronger and more connected communities.

Together, we are DPIRD

The New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) protects, supports and develops primary industries and regional economies.

Collectively we support strong and sustainable agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining industries, and regional economies. We actively manage our natural assets: our lands and soils, minerals, waterways and oceans, vegetation and forests.

The department brings together Local Land Services, NSW Resources, Agriculture and Biosecurity, Fisheries and Forestry, Regional Development and Delivery.

Learn more about the benefits of joining our diverse and talented DPIRD team.

Closing Date: Thursday, 26 November 2026 at 11:55pm.

Additional Information

A recruitment pool may be created for ongoing and temporary roles of the same role or role type that may become available for filling over the next 18 months.