Senior Program Manager

Join us to make a difference for all students in NSW

Position details

• Chief Education Officer Grade 1
• Full-time, 6 months temporary (potential for extension)
• Close to Wynyard station & hybrid work arrangements available

About the role

The Senior Program Manager leads and manages project teams to develop, deliver, monitor and evaluate a portfolio of technology related projects for school assessment programs and online exams, to achieve project outcomes, and support achievement of organisational objectives.

On a day-to-day basis you will be responsible for:

• Managing all aspects of program and project development, implementation and delivery across a portfolio of online exam projects.
• Acting as the primary liaison between the technology reform ICT and program team.
• Develop roadmaps and timelines, partnering with business owners.
• Provide expert advice and information to stakeholders on emerging project issues

Our ideal candidate will have:

• Expertise in managing technology related projects for the school education sector and/or school assessment programs.
• Extensive experience managing high-visibility programs of work with varied levels of expectations from internal and external stakeholders.
• Proven examples of previous achievements of multiple project objectives to the required standards, given limited resources and tight deadlines.
• Managing complex and sensitive consultations and negotiations with diverse stakeholders

Essential Requirements:

• Appropriate tertiary qualifications or demonstrated, relevant, equivalent professional experience.
• Willingness to work outside of normal business hours and at other Sydney locations during peak periods.
• 3 days per week from office. Successful candidate is required to work from office full-time during peak periods.
• A current NSW Working with Children Check (WWCC) clearance for paid employment. (not required at the application stage, but is required prior to commencement in the role and the cost is borne by the applicant)

Download the role description.

About us

At the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) we work with the NSW community to drive improvements in student achievement.

We achieve this by supporting all school sectors with high-quality syllabuses, assessment (including managing the HSC and NAPLAN), teaching standards (e.g., accrediting teachers) and school environments (including setting and monitoring school standards).

To find out more about the important work we do for NSW visit ourwebsite.

Ready to join us?

Select apply and attach an up-to-date résumé (maximum 5 pages) and a cover letter (maximum 2 pages). Also address the 2 targeted questions below in your online application:

Targeted Question 1: Describe a time when you were required to manage a project with complex stakeholder relationships. What made it complex? What was your approach, and what insights did you gain for future engagements? (max 300 word)

Targeted Question 2: Describe a time when you delivered a major process improvement within a program or project. Describe how you developed the approach to meet the desired outcomes, evaluated progress, engaged stakeholders, and identified resource requirements. (max 300 word)

Advice on applying for NSW Public Sector roles

If you need reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process and workplace, please reach out to the contact person above.

Close date: Thursday 18th September 2025 at 11.59pm AEST

Thank you for your interest, we look forward to receiving your application.

Important information

We particularly welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with a disability, people of all ages, genders, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans and refugees.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. For ongoing roles, you must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or an Australian Permanent Resident. Australian Temporary Residents may be considered for a fixed term contract for the length of their visa, depending on the requirements of the hiring area and the position.

A Talent Pool (valid for 18 months) may be created for future ongoing and temporary roles.