Program Manager

Our client is a large federal government department responsible for delivering Australia's international development and humanitarian assistance program across the Pacific and Timor-Leste.

Australia's international development policy commits to helping partner governments and communities in the region strengthen resilience to climate-related disasters, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

It's an area of growing investment: every dollar spent on disaster risk reduction is estimated to save up to eight dollars in post-disaster recovery costs.

The Opportunity
This role sits within a regional disaster resilience program, a Commonwealth initiative working with partner governments and communities in the Pacific and Timor-Leste to strengthen anticipatory and early action systems ahead of climate-related disasters.

As a Program Manager, managing day-to-day delivery alongside the department's Disaster Risk Reduction and Preparedness team.

You’ll have the opportunity to:

• Take carriage of a well-funded, high-profile regional program with real influence over its direction, rather than a narrow delivery remit
• Build a broad stakeholder network, from Commonwealth agencies and Pacific partner governments to UN agencies, NGOs and international financial institutions
• Contribute to the ongoing development of program governance frameworks across MEL, climate, GEDSI and communications, rather than administering ones already fixed
• Specialise in a growing area of Australia's international development effort: disaster risk financing and anticipatory action

The Role
As Program Manager, you'll take day-to-day carriage of the program's delivery, governance and stakeholder relationships.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading day-to-day program management alongside the department's Disaster Risk Reduction and Preparedness team, keeping delivery on time, on budget and aligned to agreed objectives
• Coordinating governance meetings, annual work planning, budgeting, risk management and performance reporting
• Managing implementing partners, technical advisers and service providers, including scopes of work, deliverables, timelines and contract performance
• Developing and applying program governance frameworks across monitoring and evaluation, climate, GEDSI and communications, and mobilising technical support panels and mechanisms
• Engaging regional mechanisms, international finance institutions, disaster risk financing actors and insurers to strengthen pre-arranged financing for anticipatory action
• Representing the program in governance, coordination and regional policy forums, and identifying communications and public diplomacy opportunities
• Embedding GEDSI, First Nations perspectives, locally led development, safeguarding and climate integration across delivery, monitoring and reporting

The Ideal Person
You're likely to have led complex, multi-stakeholder programs before, and you're comfortable managing governance, budgets, risk and reporting while keeping a wide network of partners pulling in the same direction.
 
You will bring the following skills and experience:

• Demonstrated experience managing and coordinating complex, multi-stakeholder programs, including work planning, budgeting, contract management, risk management, monitoring and reporting
• The ability to build and maintain relationships with government, multilateral, NGO, private sector, research and regional partners across complex, cross-cultural environments
• Sound knowledge of international development and humanitarian programming principles
• An understanding of disaster risk reduction, anticipatory and early action systems, and disaster risk financing, ideally with exposure to the Pacific or Timor-Leste
• The ability to translate strategy into practical
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including preparing advice and reports for senior and external audiences
• Strong interpersonal skills and sound judgement, with the ability to work independently and manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment

Australian Citizenship and an NV1 Security Clearance, or the ability to obtain one, are required.

Salary / Rate

• $90/hr - $110/hr + Super
• Labour hire October 2026 to June 2028, with an opportunity for a 2.5-year extension
• Full-time role with part-time arrangements for the right candidate

How to Apply
To apply online, please click on the appropriate link.
 
For a confidential discussion about the role, please contact Irena Simunec on [02 6108 4878](tel:02 6108 4878) quoting ref no. 21850.
 
HorizonOne is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce and we encourage applications from people of all cultures, capabilities and backgrounds.