Industry Engagement Manager

Industry Engagement Manager

About Pacific Labour Mobility Support Program

The Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme is a signature initiative for the Australian Government that enables workers from 9 Pacific Island Countries (PICs) and Timor- Leste to work in priority sectors in Australia. The Pacific Labour Mobility Support Program's (PLMSP) role is to provide the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and governments in 9 PICs and Timor-Leste with support to enable workers to access PALM scheme in inclusive ways that maximise the benefits for the workers and national economies while minimising risks from labour mobility participation. Palladium is contracted to deliver PLMSP on behalf of DFAT.

This Opportunity

PLMSP will play a key role in supporting the Australian Government's expansion of the PALM scheme into new sectors, occupations and worker skill sets. It will also have a role in supporting sending countries to increase demand from Approved Employers (AEs) and industry for PALM workers; aligned with their national economic and social policy priorities. The Industry Engagement Manager will contribute to the development and implementation for the PLMSP strategy for increasing awareness of and demand for Pacific labour amongst Australian employers, as well as supporting the engagement of Australian employers in the PLMSPs broader activities including reintegration and skills development.

This is a fixed term opportunity required to September 2028 and based in either our Brisbane or Canberra office.

The Industry Engagement Manager will be responsible for:

• Contributing to refining the Industry Engagement Strategy by working with sending countries, industry, DFAT, DEWR and other partners to increase PALM scheme uptake and demand for workers.

• Aligning industry demand with Pacific worker supply by engaging with sending country governments and internal teams to address constraints and priority sectors.

• Organising and supporting forums, roadshows, recruitment visits and expos to connect employers with Pacific and Timorese workers, and managing promotional activities to raise awareness of the PALM scheme.

• Delivering marketing partnerships and outreach activities with the communications team, and share market analysis with Pacific governments to improve recruitment and mobilisation processes.

• Undertake data and strategic analysis to inform policy recommendations, industry expansion pilots and innovative approaches using technology and AI.

• Collaborating with GEDSI initiatives to create employment opportunities for women, people with disabilities and remote communities.

• Building and maintaining strong relationships with industry and government stakeholders, providing market intelligence on risks, opportunities and sentiment.

• Managing the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management, mentoring and career development, while fostering diversity, collaboration and innovation.

We are seeking an individual who has:

• Tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline or; an equivalent combination of relevant experience and/or education.

• Minimum 5 years work experience in similar project management roles.

• Well-established networks with the Australian business community and a proven capacity to 'talk business to business'.

• Strong analytical capabilities, with demonstrated ability to turn data into strategy and strategy into action.

• A broad understanding of the workforce/labour needs across multiple Australian industry sectors.

• Relationships with industry associations, business sectors and peak bodies and individual employers in a variety of industries.

• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills including the ability to develop trust and rapport with key internal and external stakeholders.

• Management experience and capabilities with strong interpersonal and communication skills with experience leading diverse teams.

We are committed to building a diverse, geographically dispersed workforce to maximize our support. We encourage applications from candidates from Pacific Island countries, Timor-Leste, and across Australia. You must have valid Australian or country specific work rights to be considered for this position - visa sponsorship is not available.

We strongly encourage people with disability to apply. Disclosing about your disability will not negatively affect your application. Please tell us as much as you feel comfortable for us to work with you about the appropriate adjustments that you might need. If you would like further information or assistance with this, please contact

How to Apply

To apply visit

Please submit your application online, including your CV and brief cover letter, outlining your suitability in line with the requirements of the position.

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About Palladium

Palladium is a global leader in the design, development, and delivery of Positive Impact – the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We work with governments, businesses, and investors to solve the world's most pressing challenges. With a team of more than 4,000 employees operating in 90-plus countries and a global network of over 35,000 experts, we help improve economies, societies, and, most importantly, people's lives.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.

Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or for any other circumstance, please email our team at and we will be in touch to discuss.

Safeguarding - We define Safeguarding as "the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm". We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.