Senior Project Adviser

Department of Education; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Education in Victoria is seeking a Senior Project Adviser to lead and deliver capital works infrastructure projects within the Major Projects division. You will coordinate across feasibility, tendering, and delivery, engaging internal and external teams to ensure milestones, value for money, and stakeholder satisfaction.

Strong project management, communication and stakeholder engagement skills are essential, with qualifications in engineering, architecture, or project

Qualifications

• Proven experience across the full development project lifecycle.
• Ability to coordinate consultants, contractors and external stakeholders.
• Qualifications in engineering, architecture, or project management are desirable.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate all aspects of project lifecycle from feasibility to close to meet milestones and targets.
• Collaborate with directors, internal and external teams on planning, design, legal and communications.
• Develop and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders to manage risks and resolve delivery issues.
• Provide timely reporting on project status, benefits and outcomes for ministers, the Secretary and project teams.
• Translate analysis into strategy development and investment prioritisation.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Contract coordination

Education

Engineering/Architecture/PM degree

Job description

Senior Project Adviser

About the department

The Department of Education 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 Major Projects & Property division is responsible for delivering educational infrastructure projects and programs, including the acquisition and management of land as well as delivery of capital infrastructure projects.

The Major Projects branches are responsible for the management and delivery of major infrastructure projects including new schools, upgrade and modernization initiatives, kinder on school sites and learning centres. Projects are normally high value and high risk (typically more than $25 million). Complexities range across design, procurement and construction, including vertical schools. Types of projects include ‘stand-alone' schools and ‘bundles of schools' for growth areas. Programs for delivery are time critical, based on enrolments and the school year. We consider successful project delivery to include strong stakeholder relationship management, effective risk and issues management, quality communications strategy and implementation and excellent customer service to all stakeholders.

About the role

Reporting to a manager within the Major Projects branches, this position will lead and deliver several capital works infrastructure projects by:

• Co-ordinating all aspects of execution across the project lifecycle from feasibility, through to tendering, 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 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 to manage risks and resolve issues impacting project delivery. This is likely to include extensive customer service and stakeholder management to resolve sensitive negotiations with stakeholders with competing priorities.
• Assisting a director/manager by providing clear and timely 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.
• Connecting insights from analysis into strategy development, investment advice and investment prioritisation processes.

All VSBA staff have a shared responsibility to meet the same service standards outlined in the VSBA Customer Service Charter. Our goal is to make every interaction with the VSBA a positive one for our customers, colleagues and key partners regardless of our individual role or team.

About you

The ideal candidate must have strong communication skills (written and verbal) and ability to work collaboratively in a complex and fast-paced environment.

A background across the full development project lifecycle, including coordinating and directing consultants, contractors and external stakeholders is also essential.

Proven project management skills, together with your qualifications in a relevant discipline will be highly regarded.
Knowledge of public sector infrastructure funding and delivery systems, including Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) is desirable.

Relevant tertiary qualification in engineering, architecture, project management or other project delivery related field.

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.

For further information pertaining to the role, please contact Dimitar Petreski, Director, Major Projects at ***************@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.

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 12 October 2026