Principal Project Manager

Work type: Full time

Salary: $138,631 - $185,518

Grade: VPSG6

Occupation: Projects

Location: Negotiable

Reference: VG/100867A

The Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions is focused on growing Victoria's prosperity, building the productive capacity of our economy and increasing participation – by creating more opportunities for people through skills and jobs; helping businesses and industries to thrive; and building vibrant communities and regions. For more information, see the DJSIR Strategic Plan

Established on 1 January 2023, our work spans numerous portfolios, supporting departmental ministers and operating across metropolitan, regional and international offices. We oversee various public entities, including public corporations, regulatory authorities and specialist boards.

The Department strongly encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and offers reasonable adjustments for applicants with disabilities.

Our values are accountability, integrity and respect, and underpin everything we do.

Principal Project Manager

• Salary: $138,631 - $185,518 (Plus Superannuation)
• Fixed term role to 30 June 2027
• Usual hours of work: Full time (flexibility may be available)
• Usual work location: Regional based - Negotiable (flexibility may be available)

The Role

As a Principal Project Manager, you will be responsible for leading a team of dynamic specialists in the delivery of some of the most iconic projects delivered across regional Victoria. Focusing on complex high value high risk social infrastructure, the team's key deliverables include the Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre, the Twelve Apostle Precinct Redevelopment, Bendigo Art Gallery and Bendigo Regional Employment Precinct.

Key accountabilities include:

• Manage the implementation and delivery of High Value High Risk (HVHR) projects, complex contractual arrangements including Public Private Partnership's and dynamic partner and stakeholder relations, ensuring key deliverables (scope, budget and project/program governance and manage expectations) are met.
• Drive a partnership approach to delivery with agencies such as Development Victoria and other key partners across Local, State and Federal Government, and Traditional Owner Corporations, to support a culture of collaboration, integrity and continuous improvement.
• Develop, and maintain productive working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders and demonstrate a creative and partnership-based approach to infrastructure project development and delivery, particularly with a commercial focus.
• Provide authoritative advice to senior management and to the Regional Development Delivery Board (RDDB) on complex project issues and solutions and prepare and present detailed reports, business cases, Cabinet submissions, Ministerial briefings, and discussion papers, on time, and that demonstrate an understanding of the policy, political and legal context.

The Team

The position of Principal Project Manager will work across Regional Economic Growth and Investment, Priority Projects branch, which sits within Regional Development Victoria group.

Regional Development Victoria group works with businesses, communities and across government to deliver economic growth, create jobs, build resilience, and support economic recovery in our regions. We have a strong role in activating networks; building partnerships; realising outcomes that boost local economic and community resilience; and bringing the lived experience of communities into government decision making. In delivering our portfolio priorities, we work closely with parts of government given the many synergies and linkages with other priorities across government.

About You

To be successful in this role you will have the following skills and experience:

• Specialist Expertise: Experience in delivering complex major infrastructure projects within Regional Victoria, including planning, governance, stakeholder engagement and communications, procurement, financial and risk management. Demonstrated experience in successfully delivering HVHR projects in addition to negotiating and managing a PPP will be highly desirable.
• Project management: Demonstrated ability to consult, liaise with and influence key stakeholders; produce detailed project plans so that objectives are clearly defined and action steps for achieving them are clearly specified; monitor performance against objectives and manage project risks and issues, budget forecasting and payment reconciliation.
• Commercial Acumen: strong commercial and financial acumen across a broad range of infrastructure areas with a comprehensive understanding of the Government operating context as it relates to the infrastructure industry.
• Stakeholder management: Experience working with and advising senior stakeholders to build mutually beneficial partnerships; and find innovative solutions to resolve issues. Initiates and manages negotiations with peers (internal and external to work unit) to gain commitment to the project, and delivery of activities to meet timelines. Confidently represents the agency with external peers and negotiate within parameters agreed with immediate manager.

Further Information

For a confidential discussion, please contact Jim Rodgers, Director, Priority Projects on

The department is committed to creating and maintaining a child safe organisation. We have zero tolerance of child abuse and are committed to taking the necessary steps to protect children from harm by adopting a preventative, proactive and participatory approach to child safety in accordance with the Child Safe Standards.

Successful candidates will be required to undergo a National Police Records Check prior to commencing employment with the Department. For further information on the position, please refer to the attached position description.

Please note: We are accredited as a Disability Confident Recruitment (DCR) organisation and committed to inclusive recruitment. If you require an adjustment to participate in any stage of the recruitment process or have a particular requirement to be communicated with by either telephone or email only, please notify the DJSIR Recruitment Team on , or via email at [email protected] with the position number in the subject line. For additional contact details for our team please review the attached Position Description, located under Job Attachments in the right hand menu.

How to Apply

Please click the 'Apply Now' button. As part of the application process, you will need to provide a copy of your cover letter, resume and respond to the key selection criteria outlined in the position description.

Applications close at 23:59pm on Wednesday, 18 June 2025.

Applications close Wednesday 18 June 2025 at 11.59PM