Project Manager

Application closing date: Friday, 20 June 2025
• 11:59pm, Canberra time

Estimated start date: Monday, 14 July 2025

Location of work: ACT

Working arrangements: The primary work location is the National Archives site in Mitchell ACT. Flexible working arrangements are available depending on project requirements and the role provides capacity to work from home up to 2 days per week.

Length of contract: Until 30 June 2026

Contract extensions: Up to an additional 12 months to 30 June 2027

Security clearance: Must be able to obtain Baseline

Rates: $110 - $140 per hour (inc. super)

The Digital Experience Project is a transformative initiative at the National Archives, focused on enhancing how users, both internal and external, interact with our digital platforms and services. Central to our mission of modernising access to Australia's historical records, this project aims to deliver a more intuitive, efficient, and engaging experience for all users. It involves the development of a comprehensive service for searching and discovering the collection, supported by a centralised content management system that enables omnichannel publishing with personalised user experiences. A secure environment will allow external users to access services with ease. The project also introduces a unified payment system to streamline financial transactions, including donations, and memberships. Internally, it will consolidate and simplify systems and processes to improve operational efficiency and service delivery. The outcome will be a modern, user-friendly digital environment that supports streamlined services, robust search capabilities, and a consistent, high-quality digital experience.

The Project Team structure is –
• 1 x Project Manager (this role)
• 1 x Project Support Officer
• 1 x Business Analyst
• 1 x Change Manager
• 1 x Experience Designer The project also has input from a range of Subject Matter Experts within National Archives (more than 5).

The Digital Experience project aims to enhance the digital experience of users interacting with National Archives by uplifting external and internal platforms. The National Archives is seeking an EL1 Project Manager to join the Project Delivery Team to support the planning and delivery of this strategic initiative.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the end-to-end delivery of a medium-to-large scale digital transformation project.
• Coordinating cross-functional teams and managing interdependencies across business units.
• Driving agile project management practices and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Managing stakeholder engagement, including internal teams, executive leadership, and external partners.
• Ensuring project outcomes align with strategic objectives and deliver measurable benefits.

The role requires an individual with:

• Previous experience in large-scale digital transformation impacting multiple teams and external user groups.
• Ability to influence without authority and build consensus across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Strong understanding of agile and iterative project delivery methodologies.
• Demonstrated ability to manage project scope, risk, budget, and timelines effectively.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a focus on stakeholder engagement and change management.
• Proven experience in vendor and contract management within a government or regulated environment.
• Strategic thinking and the ability to translate vision into actionable project plans.

Key duties and responsibilities:

This role will be responsible for, but not limited to:

Our ideal candidates will have proven experience in project management, demonstrate interpersonal skills to foster and promote National Archives values, a highly developed written and oral communication skills, mentoring support to junior staff, ability to negotiate and problem solve.

Under broad direction, the main duties of the role are to:

• Implement and lead project management practices to support iterative/agile working.
• Conceiving, maintaining and communicating a vision of the project's outcomes and associated benefits
• Provide strategic advice to senior management and stakeholders as well as leading and assuming accountability for projects that have strategic or operational significance
• Building and maintaining strong collaborative relationships with a broad range of stakeholders including partnering on design and requirements gathering
• Leading project delivery, including but not limited to:
• • Agreeing business requirements, and translation of requirements into project plans
  • Monitoring and reviewing project scope, costs, budgets, schedule and expected benefits
  • Scheduling project resources, inter-dependencies and project risk
  • Undertaking procurement, contract and vendor management responsibilities
  • Supporting a framework for implementing business initiatives, or change
  • Ensure compliance with quality standards and best practices in project management and governance
  • Building and maintaining strong collaborative relationships with a broad range of stakeholders including partnering on design and requirements gathering
• Building and maintaining strong collaborative relationships with a broad range of stakeholders including partnering on design and requirements gathering
• Apply the principles of APS Values, Code of Conduct, workplace diversity principles, work health and safety and participative management within a work and team environment.
• Promote and apply the National Archives' Vision, Mission and Commitments as expressed in Strategy : Evolving National Archives ) and Our Values ).

Essential skills and experience:

• Demonstrated delivery of a complex Digital Experience technology project.
• Demonstrated understanding of digital service delivery in government.
• Experience managing cross-functional teams and delivering outcomes in a matrixed environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a focus on delivery and outcomes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including reporting to executive stakeholders.

Desirable skills and experience:

• Experience in archives or other cultural sector organisations.
• Experience with Altus by Sensei project management software.
• Familiarity with user-centred design and digital accessibility standards.
• Experience working in a hybrid agile/waterfall project environment.

Essential Criteria

• Project Leadership and Accountability Demonstrates the ability to take full responsibility for the definition, approach, facilitation, and successful completion of medium-scale projects. Provides effective leadership to project teams and ensures project objectives are met.
• Application of Project Management Methodologies Adopts and applies appropriate project management methods and tools to ensure structured and efficient project execution, including change control and risk management processes.
• Planning and Performance Monitoring Maintains realistic and achievable project plans. Monitors costs, timelines, quality, and resource usage, taking corrective action when performance deviates from agreed tolerances.
• Stakeholder Communication and Engagement Identifies stakeholder communication and relationship needs. Translates engagement strategies into actionable activities and deliverables, facilitating open communication and informed decision-making.
• Quality Assurance and Deliverable Management Ensures that project and product quality reviews are conducted on schedule and according to procedure. Manages deliverables to be completed within agreed cost, time, and resource constraints, and ensures formal acceptance by stakeholders.
• Information Management and Decision Support Captures and disseminates technical and business information effectively. Facilitates business decision-making processes and provides informed feedback to promote understanding across stakeholder groups.

HOW TO APPLY

Please provide an updated CV (a maximum of 3-5 pages) to reflect your suitablility to the role based on the job description. You will also need to complete a summary no more than 5000 characters in total, responding to the Essential Criteria which should describe how your skills, knowledge, and experience/qualifications would enable you to perform the duties of the role.