Manager, Construction Procurement in Sydney

The NSW Department of Education is the largest provider of public education in Australia with responsibility for delivering high-quality public education to two-thirds of the NSW student population. For more information about the NSW Department of Education, please visit here.

Ongoing salary starting from $154,231 to $178,369 + flex leaves + super.

About the role:

Are you ready to drive excellence in procurement and help deliver major infrastructure projects for NSW schools? The NSW Department of Education is seeking an experienced and strategic Manager, Construction Procurement to join our growing team.

As Manager, Construction Procurement, you will lead end-to-end procurement services for complex infrastructure projects across the NSW Department of Education to achieve value for money, support business priorities and ensure adherence to legislative requirements, NSW Government procurement policies, and probity obligations.

You will collaborate closely with stakeholders to deliver procurement solutions, develop and implement effective procurement strategies, establish robust supply arrangements and lead complex, high-value negotiations that meet business needs and government requirements. Providing strategic advice and specialist support, you will negotiate confidently on key issues with senior stakeholders. Championing stakeholder engagement is essential to this role, as you work to understand priorities and requirements and foster collaboration to meet these effectively.

As a key leader, you will develop and implement procurement policies, procedures, systems and performance frameworks that promote best practice, accountability and continuous improvement. Through your expertise, you will drive innovative procurement practices, strengthen supplier relationships and ensure procurement activities deliver optimal commercial, operational and project outcomes.

Another key focus of this role is leading, developing, and motivating a high-performing team. You will set clear individual accountabilities, proactively remove roadblocks, and provide hands-on support to guide your team in delivering excellent outcomes.

About you:

• You are an experienced procurement professional skilled in managing complex procurement processes for infrastructure projects, including drafting documentation, facilitating evaluations, and ensuring compliance.
• You bring strong commercial acumen and strategic thinking, translating business needs into effective procurement strategies that deliver value for money.
• You have proven expertise in developing procurement plans, managing end-to-end sourcing, negotiating high-value contracts, and overseeing supplier performance and risks.
• You understand the importance of governance and compliance, adept at navigating legislative, regulatory, and government policy requirements while balancing commercial and project delivery goals.
• As a confident and influential leader, you build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, project teams, suppliers, and cross-functional partners.
• You excel in stakeholder management within politically and commercially sensitive environments, challenging norms constructively to influence decisions and drive innovative procurement improvements.
• You demonstrate strong leadership by motivating procurement teams, managing priorities, and driving continuous improvement in systems and processes.
• Your sound judgement, negotiation skills, and collaborative approach help address competing stakeholder needs, mitigate risks, and ensure successful outcomes in dynamic construction and infrastructure settings.
• You possess good knowledge of construction, engineering, and related industries, with transferable skills welcomed for those capable of quickly gaining industry expertise.
• You have an in-depth understanding of the NSW Government Procurement Framework, including compliance with probity, legislation, policies, systems, and procedures.

Essential requirements of the role:

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in procurement, contract management or in a related discipline and/or relevant equivalent work experience.
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to the value of public education.

Flexible working arrangements, competitive salary sacrificing, employer's contribution to superannuation and annual leave loading, flex leave entitlements, generous holidays & leave conditions, opportunities for advancement and mobility across the Department to support your career growth.

Note: the selection process will include a range of assessment techniques to assist in determining your suitability for the role. Successful candidates will be required to undertake pre-employment screening for this role which includes a National Criminal History Check.

As a condition of employment, successful candidates not currently employed by the Department must provide a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC) clearance number. Renewal is not required after the WWCC expires, as long as you remain in a non-child-related role. Employer obligations only apply while the WWCC is valid.

Candidates must have Australian work rights (citizens, permanent residents, New Zealand citizens or a valid work visa). Ongoing (permanent) roles are open to Australian citizens and permanent residents and New Zealand citizens, while temporary roles welcome applicants with a visa.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including but not limited to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, people of any age or gender, people from culturally and linguistically diverse groups and/or from the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, refugees, people with disability, people with sensory differences, and neurodiverse people. If we can make some adjustments to our recruitment/interview process to better help you shine, please reach out to the contact person for this recruitment.

A recruitment pool may be created through this recruitment process. A recruitment pool is a group of applicants who have been assessed and identified as suitable for this role, and who may be considered for a range of similar roles, including temporary, term or ongoing roles, over the next 18 months.