Project Officer

**About the Department**

The role of the Department of Education is to support Victorians to build prosperous, socially engaged, happy and healthy lives. It does this by supporting lifelong learning and healthy development, strengthening families and helping to equip people with the skills and knowledge for a 21st century economy and society.

**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**

**Asset Management Division**

The Asset Management Division is responsible for setting VSBA's strategic asset direction, developing and implementing programs that address accessibility, inclusion and accommodation initiatives, and building school capability and capacity to manage assets.

**The Maintenance Delivery Branch** oversees maintenance projects, encompassing planned maintenance, as well as the upkeep of hydraulic fire safety systems and shelter-in-place facilities and other programs. Additionally, it ensures that secondary school campuses are equipped with suitable facilities to accommodate mental health practitioners, aligning with the government's commitment for this program.

**About the Role**

The role sits within the Maintenance Delivery Branch. This branch is responsible for the oversight and delivery of projects within the planned maintenance program (PMP) including hydraulic fire services system (HFSS) upgrades, DDA ramp upgrades, shelter in place projects, planned asbestos removal and other asset management functions.

A Project Officer supports the project delivery function and will be engaged on multiple projects within large-scale programs. The role provides development opportunities in project management and in an integral support function with the maintenance delivery team.

The key responsibilities of this role are to:

- coordinating the execution of maintenance delivery projects, over all aspects of the project lifecycle including feasibility, procurement and tendering, through to final completion, whilst maintaining progress to program milestones and budget
- coordination of Consultants and Contractors engaged in the delivery process of maintenance works and compliance-based projects in schools around the state of Victoria
- negotiating with, and influencing, stakeholders involved in the project delivery process including the implementation of timely and appropriate communications with school principals and other key school stakeholders
- monitoring and driving project outcomes, including time, cost, quality and compliance for construction projects with accurate reporting based on credible, authoritative and well-evidenced advice that support successful project outcomes
- establishing and maintaining effective relationships with diverse industry professionals such as engineers and surveyors to manage risks and resolve issues that may impact successful project and program delivery

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.

**Attributes**
- managing projects through all stages, including feasibility, procurement, execution, and completion, with a strong ability to adhere to timelines and budgets
- Ability to effectively coordinate with consultants, contractors, and other stakeholders to ensure smooth delivery of maintenance and compliance projects
- Strong skills in negotiating with and influencing stakeholders, including the ability to communicate clearly and appropriately with school principals and other key figures
- Competence in monitoring project performance with respect to time, cost, quality, and compliance, and providing well-evidenced, authoritative reports to support successful project outcomes
- Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with diverse industry professionals, such as engineers and surveyors, to manage risks and resolve issues

**Desirable**Qualifications and Experience**

Essential: a relevant advanced degree in fields such as Project Management, Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field.
- Proven experience managing maintenance and construction projects, ideally in a similar sector such as education or public infrastructure