Release Manager

Australian citizenship required. No PR or Work Visa holders. Must be able to obtain Baseline security clearance.
What to submit?

• A tailored resume in docx format (strictly 3 pages max)
• A one page (5000 character) summary response to the selection criteria below.

RFQ Details

• RFQ ID: LH-04356
• Closing Date: Tuesday, 09 September :59pm (Canberra time)
• Estimated Start Date: Tuesday, 30 September 2025
• Initial Contract Duration: ASAP to 30 June 2026
• Extension Term: 12 months
• Number of Extensions: 1
• Experience Level: EL1, EL2 equivalent
• Security Clearance: Must be able to obtain Baseline

Client Details

• Agency: Australian Electoral Commission
• Location of Work: ACT
• Working Arrangements: Hybrid Applicants will perform the role in Canberra. Hybrid arrangements (onsite + remote) considered at the discretion of the Hiring Manager.
• Maximum Hours: 40 hours per week

Job Details
The AEC is seeking a Release Manager for the
IT Portfolio Management Office (ITPMO)
to govern enterprise-wide release management activities. This includes uplifting processes, documentation maturity, and strategic governance across major ICT programs.

The Release Manager ensures releases across large-scale digital initiatives are delivered in a controlled, repeatable, and risk-aware manner. The role requires coordination with cross-functional delivery teams, oversight of interdependent release plans, and embedding governance practices to support successful project transition into production.

Key Duties And Responsibilities
Release Governance & Coordination

• Govern the integrated release calendar for enterprise systems and program deployments
• Coordinate release activities across business units, technical teams, and project delivery groups
• Lead release planning forums, go/no-go decisions, and deployment readiness assessments

Process and Documentation Uplift

• Review and uplift release and deployment processes, aligned to ITIL/change/transition frameworks
• Develop and maintain release documentation (procedures, templates, runbooks, decision logs)
• Champion automated, auditable release practices

Strategic Program Governance

• Provide oversight for releases within large ICT programs
• Ensure alignment with enterprise architecture, security, and readiness requirements
• Work with senior program/project managers to identify dependencies, risks, and impacts
• Lead governance forums to enforce release policies

Stakeholder Engagement & Leadership

• Advise senior stakeholders on release risks, impacts, and mitigations
• Communicate complex technical/scheduling matters to business leaders
• Coach project teams on release management expectations and best practices

Selection Criteria
Max 5000 characters total in one-page pitch (individual responses not required)
Essential Criteria

• Demonstrated experience leading enterprise-level release management in complex ICT environments
• Proven track record uplifting release frameworks, tools, and documentation practices
• Strong understanding of program governance, ICT delivery models (Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid), and enterprise change processes
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with experience engaging executives and multidisciplinary teams
• Analytical and structured thinking with focus on risk, assurance, and performance metrics
• Ability to lead cross-program alignment in environments with interdependent delivery streams

Desirable Criteria

• Experience working in or alongside PMO/governance bodies for major programs
• Understanding of public sector ICT accountability and assurance frameworks
• Familiarity with government security and operational readiness requirements
• Experience with enterprise deployment across cloud and hybrid platforms