Senior Project Officer

About this role

At the NSW Department of Education, we educate and inspire lifelong learners – from early childhood, through schooling to vocational education and training. * Ongoing/Permanent * Location: Parramatta with flexible working arrangements * Starting from $133,348 - $ 146,945 + Super + flex leave About the role The Senior Project Officer plays a pivotal role in leading NSW’s termly data release program, ensuring high‐quality, timely, and compliant publication of open data across government. Operating with a high level of autonomy, the role manages end‐to‐end coordination between data owners, the Department of Customer Service (DCS), Executive stakeholders, and ministerial offices. You will oversee the data release process, including briefing cycles, governance requirements, and cross‐agency collaboration. This includes preparing Executive packs, meeting papers, speaking notes, and correspondence for senior leaders and Ministerial offices. A key part of the role involves maintaining and improving operational systems such as Power BI dashboards, Power Automate flows, CKAN and REST API integrations. You will also manage the team’s triage process, ensuring timely escalation, analytics tracking and high‐quality customer service. You will work to tight, immovable deadlines dictated by Executive priorities, particularly during the data release cycle. The role carries high visibility across the Executive, DCS and the public, requiring exceptional attention to detail, strong judgement and a deep understanding of data governance and the machinery of government. For further information please click here to view the role description About you - * You are a confident, proactive operator who thrives in complex, high‐stakes environments. You bring strong experience in stakeholder management, particularly with senior executives and ministerial offices, and you are comfortable navigating competing priorities with professionalism and discretion. * You have demonstrated capability in data operations and understanding interdependencies across large programs of work. You can translate technical information into clear, concise briefings and correspondence for non‐technical audiences. * You have experience with CKAN, Python, REST APIs and the Microsoft Power Suite or you bring adjacent technical experience and a strong willingness to learn. You are analytical, organised and solutions‐focused, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines without compromising quality. * Above all, you bring sound judgement, a collaborative mindset and a commitment to delivering high‐quality, transparent and trusted public data. * Knowledge of and commitment to implementing the Department’s Aboriginal Education Policy and upholding the Department’s Partnership Agreement with the NSW AECG and to ensure quality outcomes for Aboriginal people. Essential requirements of the role * Current and valid Working with Children Check (WWCC) Clearance for paid employment. * Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to the value of public education. Benefits * Flexible working arrangements * 35 hour working week * 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 How to apply Attach a resume (maximum 5 pages), a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) outlining how you meet the requirements and capabilities of this role and your response to the targeted question (maximum 1 page). Targeted question Describe a project where you were accountable upward to executives for outcomes, but operationally dependent on staff or systems you didn't directly control. How did you manage that accountability gap? Applicants are encouraged to prepare their application materials independently. The selection panel values authentic and personally written responses that reflect your own experience, insights and alignment with the Department’s values and priorities. Please refer to the Applicant’s Guide to Applying to assist you with your application. If you are an existing Education Support Staff (corporate staff) with the NSW Department of Education, click here for instructions on how to submit your application. All other applicants please submit your application by clicking ‘Apply Now’. 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. This is a child-related role. As a condition of employment, you will be required to provide a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC) Clearance number (for paid employment). Visit the website for more information. 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. Closing date: Tuesday 4 August 2026 at 11:59pm. For role enquiries please contact Kieren Sainsbury at (02) 7814 2332 or kieren.sainsbury4@det.nsw.edu.au and for recruitment process enquiries please contact Rajalakshmi Subramanian at Rajalakshmi.Subramanian2@det.nsw.edu.au 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, details listed above. For more information, visit the NSW Department of Education’s Diversity, equity and inclusion webpage. 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.