Senior Project Manager

Shape your future. Serve your community. Belong to something bigger.

Want to be part of a significant project that will bring about positive change for an entire community? Lismore City Council’s ‘Flood Restoration Portfolio’ (FRP) can make that possible. The bold initiative represents the single largest public infrastructure restoration project ever undertaken by local government in NSW. 

Created in response to the devastating 2022 natural disaster, the FRP’s remit encompasses the restoration of the city’s public assets – roads, bridges, theatres, galleries, and sporting facilities, alongside the repair and enhancement of essential wastewater, waste management, and flood resilience infrastructure.

The FRP is assembling a local and global talent team to deliver a stronger, more resilient Lismore. We welcome individuals who bring fresh perspectives that will help enable our vision for a vibrant community.

Lismore’s Northern Rivers location fosters an ideal work-life balance. It offers lush farmland, beautiful parks, a World Heritage-listed rainforest to explore, great restaurants, a diverse arts and cultural scene, and more—all just a stone’s throw from the Gold Coast, Ballina, and Byron Bay. Today, Lismore is flourishing, and it's the perfect time to embrace and celebrate everything that makes the regional city so unique, while also being directly involved in shaping its future. 

The Opportunity 

The FRP is an established project management division delivering a broad mix of property and infrastructure projects across the Lismore local area—our approach centres on strong client partnerships, high-quality delivery standards and a commitment to continuous improvement.

We are seeking a Senior Project Manager. You'll be part of a growing team that values strategic thinking, proactive problem-solving and technical excellence. The environment encourages innovation, professional development and meaningful contribution at every stage of the project lifecycle.

The Roads, Planning & Delivery team is responsible for delivering critical planning, design, and infrastructure works programs that enable FRP and Lismore City Council to achieve its strategic objectives. As a Senior Project Manager, you will develop, lead, and oversee a range of technically challenging and complex projects, managing the entire lifecycle from initiation to handover and commissioning.

Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, you will be responsible for overseeing our contractors and/or council teams, managing resources, budgets, and schedules to meet project goals, while ensuring full compliance with industry standards, client requirements, and environmental regulations.

You’ll be responsible for all aspects of financial and program management, leading small teams and programs of work, and demonstrating exceptional stakeholder management.

Responsibilities include:

• Be influential in leading our team and overseeing the strategic execution of our large-scale landslip and pavement projects. The role demands a professional adept at navigating the complexities of large-scale, multifaceted infrastructure projects from inception to completion.

• Provide advisory support and strategic input when required.

• Engage and manage internal and external stakeholders, ensuring project requirements are captured and delivered.

• Establish close working relationships with all contractors to foster a culture of cooperation in delivering the project on time and within budget.

• Ensure critical milestones are met in the program/s or prompt reporting of program slippages with recommended corrective actions to ensure successful project or contract outcomes.

• Coordinate design, tendering for and managing contractors, providing technical direction and ensuring projects are delivered within pre-determined limits of time, cost and quality.

• Collaborate and manage client and project needs using practical interpersonal and communication skills.

• Prepare contractor packages.

• Demonstrate a strong track record of coordinating all aspects of projects to achieve project success, including time, cost, quality, and stakeholder satisfaction.

• Manage budgets, forecasting, utilisation and project financial performance, ensuring adherence to internal processes, governance and quality systems.

• Monitor works to ensure compliance with regulatory, WHS, security, and environmental requirements.

• Drive continuous improvement and innovation in project delivery.

• Report on project progress, budget, risk, and program, ensuring robust close-out procedures.

• Stay engaged with industry developments and maintain strong networks.

 What you'll need to be successful

• Degree qualifications in Civil Engineering and Project Management

• 10+ years of experience in project management, ideally on large-scale ground engineering projects

• Demonstrated leadership and ability to manage, motivate, and assess contractors, consultants, and project teams

• Committed to safety, continuous improvement, and outstanding service delivery

• Proven ability to lead and manage multidisciplinary teams and provide high-level technical and strategic advice.

• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships across government, industry and community. 

• Excellent knowledge of legislation, regulations, design standards, and codes of practice relevant to infrastructure construction and management

• In-depth knowledge of construction, design, procurement and maintenance practices, and relevant legislation and standards

Please review the position description and use your resume and application responses in the application form below to demonstrate your ability to fulfil the position's responsibilities.

Additional details

• Term Contract: contracted hours of work 35 hours a week/70 hours a fortnight up to 31 December 2027.

• Closing date: Applications will be accepted until a suitable candidate pool is established.  

• Location: The position will be primarily at our Flood Portfolio Office in Lismore. Flexible work options are available, working within operational requirements. 

• Contact: If you would like to learn more about this opportunity, please don't hesitate to contact Jennifer McEwen, HR Business Partner, at 0428 522 907.

• Conditions of Employment: Conditions of employment are in the Local Government (State) Award and relevant Council policy, procedures, and agreements.

•  Pre-employment Screening: Before employment, there may be a series of pre-employment checks that may include health assessments, validation of the right to work in Australia, validation of qualifications and licences, criminal history checks, psychometric assessments, and referee checks.

• Future Opportunities: This recruitment exercise may be utilised for vacancies and the possible establishment of a merit list for future opportunities within six months.

Lismore City Council is a proud employer of a diverse workforce, welcoming applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including those with disabilities. We are committed to fostering a diverse, flexible, and inclusive workplace that reflects the community we serve. We also welcome discussions about how our roles can be undertaken flexibly. Adjustments can be made throughout the application and selection process to support disabled applicants. If you would like to discuss adjustments, don't hesitate to get in touch with the People and Culture team on 02 6625 0500 or email people@lismore.nsw.gov.au