SM1 Manager, Program Management Office

Office for Early Childhood Development
Job reference: 855036
Location: 5000 - ADELAIDE
Job status: Long Term Contract
Eligibility: Open to Everyone

Why work with us: 

The Office for Early Childhood Development was created to champion change and to help build a system that gives all South Australian children a flying start to life.

Guided by the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care, the Office for Early Childhood Development is the steward of the early childhood development system in South Australia.

The Office is tasked with a significant responsibility: bringing together a holistic, connected system for early childhood development across South Australia, with the goal of reducing the rate of children entering school developmentally vulnerable. Critical to this is the roll-out of universal 3-year-old preschool from 2026, giving every child access to 2 years of teacher-led, play-based early learning before school by 2032.

About this role: 

Reporting to the Director, Enterprise Services, the Manager, Program Management Office will provide strategic and tactical oversight of the Program Management Office (PMO), including its direction, governance and performance expectations.

The PMO team is responsible for managing the whole of reform portfolio for the Office for Early Childhood Development, including identifying interdependencies across the work program, establishing program benefits and KPIs and monitoring the implementation of the work program to maximise strategic impact.

Your Key Responsibilities: 

• Lead enterprise portfolio management across the reform agenda to optimise delivery outcomes.
• Design, lead and oversee program governance for the reform ensuring a high-level of quality assurance and assessment of risk.
• Oversee program reporting for the reform agenda, providing executive dashboards, strategic insights and evidence-based reporting to the Minister, Chief Executive and Executive Leadership Team (ELT).
• Manage and motivate a high performing team within a complex reform environment, providing guidance to staff to encourage professional learning.

About you:

You will bring extensive experience in applying contemporary project and risk management frameworks, methodologies and government policy, supported by strong communication skills that foster relationships across the agency, including with senior leaders and Executives. 

To be successful in this role, we are looking for someone who brings:

• Extensive experience in delivering and applying strategic and creative thinking to lead, manage and motivate a high-performing team to deliver critical priorities.
• Demonstrated capability to oversee complex reform portfolios, providing strategic prioritisation, portfolio health oversight, critical path management and capacity planning to maximise organisational outcomes.
• Extensive knowledge of program governance, reporting and evaluation methodologies, including detailed knowledge of relevant government policies and procedures.
• Highly developed interpersonal and relationship management skills with the proven ability to build and sustain effective partnerships across senior internal and external stakeholders.

Role Benefits: 

• A role with real influence and impact in government reform.
• Opportunities for professional development and career growth within the public sector
• Work with senior officials across government and early childhood sectors.
• Be part of an agency with a clear mission to improve the lives of South Australia’s children and families.
• Access to valuable salary sacrifice benefits like car leases, portable electronic devices, mobile phones, airline lounge memberships, self-education expenses, and more. Ask us about how you can make your salary go further working at the OECD.
• Access to flexible working arrangements to get that work life balance.

  

Application Instructions and Information:

Applications should be made through the IWorkForSA website.

Applicants must submit a CV, Pre-employment Declaration, and a cover letter outlining their suitability against key competencies within the attached position description.

Remuneration:

SM1 - $144,421 (1.0 FTE) per annum, plus superannuation.

Additional Note:

This is a full-time 2-year long term contract role (1.0 FTE) with potential to be made ongoing.

Enquiries:

Enquiries can be directed to **********@sa.gov.au

Special Conditions:

For all other special conditions please refer to the attached position description.

Applications close: 06/09/2026 11:45 PM

Attachments:
- Position Description - SM1 Manager, Program Management Office.pdf
- Pre-employment Declaration.pdf

Flexibility Statement
The South Australian public sector promotes diversity and flexible ways of working including part-time. Applicants are encouraged to discuss the flexible working arrangements for this role.