Project Manager at CYOS Solutions

Application closing date: Friday, 21 February 2025 • 11:59pm, Canberra time

Estimated start date: Tuesday, 01 July 2025

Location of work: QLD

Working arrangements: Working arrangements will be at the discretion of the assigned work area, subject to operational need. Due to the nature of ASD’s operations, not all work areas can accommodate work from home.

Length of contract: 12 months

Contract extensions: 2x 12 months

Security clearance: Must have a minimum of Negative Vetting 1 clearance

Rates: $120 - $150 per hour (inc. super)

The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) is a statutory agency in the Defence portfolio that defends Australia against global threats and advances our national interests through the provision of foreign signals intelligence, cyber security and offensive cyber operations as directed by the Australian Government.

The ASD are seeking Project Managers who will be accountable under broad direction to perform and achieve complex to very complex project management work within an integrated workforce. They require an in-depth knowledge of and comply with legislative frameworks, government decision-making and the Australian Signals Directorate’s (ASD) mission and policy requirements.

The Project Managers will be required to:

• Exercise a considerable degree of independence and perform a leadership role.
• Will exercise sound decision-making and judgement to provide expert policy advice.
• Will have in-depth knowledge of the project management function and are responsible for the development, implementation, compliance and review of policies and procedures relevant to their work within that function.
• Will engage in complex to very complex problem solving and issues management and may coordinate and perform detailed or sensitive projects that impact on strategic, political or operational outcomes for the Australian Signals Directorate.
• Will be responsible for actively managing key stakeholder relationships and will be required to identify relevant stakeholders’ expectations and concerns to develop and communicate methodologies and practices to achieve outcomes.
• Will be accountable to contribute towards ongoing improvement and professional development of their work area.

Key duties and responsibilities:

• Provide leadership and management of a multi-disciplined project team and coordinate project activities including support to strategic planning, governance functions and human resource management.
• Accountable for managing and leading a team, including providing clear and consistent communication, setting clear performance and behavioural standards, managing performance, delegating responsibility and guiding and developing people.
• Responsible for the management of schedule, risk, budget and resources, preparation of briefings, submissions, reports and returns relating to the project progress and issues in accordance with organisational requirements.
• Apply established technical, operational, professional and administrative activities, procedures, practices and project management methodologies.
• Identify risks and opportunities and take account of these in planning, decision making and priority setting.
• Build and sustain stakeholder engagement, including the ability to communicate with influence and negotiate effectively.
• Influence and motivate team members and actively lead group activities.
• Analyse and interpret project performance against agreed plans and develop and evaluate strategies to achieve project outcomes.
• Takes the initiative to resolve issues by identifying and developing ideas through analysis of alternative courses of action and their implications.
• Accountable to manage a range of project activities and coordinate project inputs in accordance with organisational practices, methods and standards appropriate to the complexity of the project.
• Prepare correspondence, briefs and reports as required including submissions and documents for higher delegate and committee consideration.
• Interpret and ensure compliance with legislative, policy and regulatory frameworks.
• Conduct other project-related tasks within the scope of the stated APS level, as required by the assigned work area.

Technical skills required:

• Holds certification in project management, or other relevant qualifications.
• Minimum 4 years’ experience in a project manager role or similar.
• Able to apply project management methodologies, e.g. PRINCE2
• Proficiency using project management tools.

*ASD is seeking candidates who hold active NV1, NV2 or TSPV security clearances. Please clearly indicate the level held within your responses. A merit pool will be created for future positions that may arise. Suitable candidates will be required to complete ASD’s Organisational Suitability Assessment (OSA). This will be required either prior to commencing or within 12 months of commencement, as required by the assigned work area. ASD will allocate successful candidates to work areas based on operational needs.*

Essential Criteria (Each response is limited to 3000 characters)

1. PRMG 5 - Project management: Level 5 (SFIA) Takes full responsibility for the definition, approach, facilitation and satisfactory completion of medium-scale projects. Provides effective leadership to the project team. Adopts appropriate project management methods and tools. Manages the change control process and assesses and manages risks. Ensures that realistic project plans are maintained and delivers regular and accurate communication to stakeholders. Ensures project and product quality reviews occur on schedule and according to procedure. Ensures that project deliverables are completed within agreed cost, timescale and resource budgets, and are formally accepted, by appropriate stakeholders. Monitors costs, times, quality and resources used and takes action where performance deviates from agreed tolerances.
2. REQM 5 - Requirements definition and management: Level 5 (SFIA) Plans and drives scoping, requirements definition and prioritisation activities for large, complex initiatives. Selects, adopts and adapts appropriate requirements definition and management methods, tools and techniques. Contributes to the development of organisational methods and standards for requirements management. Obtains input from, and agreement to requirements from a diverse range of stakeholders. Negotiates with stakeholders to manage competing priorities and conflicts. Establishes requirements baselines. Ensures changes to requirements are investigated and managed.
3. RLMT 6 - Stakeholder relationship management: Level 6 (SFIA) Leads the development of comprehensive stakeholder management strategies and plans. Builds long-term, strategic relationships with senior stakeholders (internal and external). Facilitates the engagement of stakeholders in support of the delivery of services and change projects. Acts as a single point of contact for senior stakeholders, facilitating relationships between them. Negotiates to ensure that stakeholders understand and agree on what will meet their needs, and that appropriate agreements are defined. Oversees monitoring of relationships including lessons learned and appropriate feedback. Leads actions to improve relations and open communications with and between stakeholders.

Desirable Criteria (Guide – 300 to 400 words)

1. Our ideal candidates will bring the following attributes to an EL1 equivalent Project Manager role:
   • Strong written and verbal communication skills;
   • Desire to be accountable for their actions;
   • Strong stakeholder management skills;
   • Demonstrate leadership behaviours;
   • Willing to challenge the traditional ways of doing business;
   • Thrive in dynamic environments and comfortable with ambiguity;
   • Outcome-focused mindset;
   • Adaptability, resilience, flexibility and teamwork, including regionally dispersed teams, if applicable. Please provide a brief explanation of your experience covering these attributes.