Operations and People Lead - PLMSP

Operations and People Lead - PLMSP

• Full-time through to September 2028, with the possibility of extension subject to project requirements and funding.
• Location: Brisbane
• This opportunity is open to suitably qualified applicants with valid work rights in Australia

This is a rare opportunity to influence the success of a large, multi-country DFAT-funded program. Lead operations, people, risk and governance functions while helping deliver lasting economic and social impact across the region!
Pacific Labour Mobility Support Program (PLMSP)
The Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme is a signature initiative for the Australian Government that enables workers from 9 Pacific Island Countries (PICs) and Timor-Leste to work in priority sectors in Australia. The Pacific Labour Mobility Support Program’s (PLMSP) role is to provide the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and governments in 9 PICs and Timor-Leste with support to enable workers to access the PALM scheme in inclusive ways that maximise the benefits for workers and national economies while minimising risks from labour mobility participation. Palladium is contracted to deliver PLMSP on behalf of DFAT.
About the Role
As a key member of the PLMSP Senior Leadership Team, the Operations and People Lead provides strategic leadership of the program’s Operations and People portfolio, ensuring effective governance, compliance, risk management, and continuous improvement across all program functions. The role oversees finance, procurement, contracting, human resources, safeguards, safety and security, ensuring these services enable successful program delivery across multiple countries.
Working closely with the Deputy Team Leader, Program Enablement, the Operations and People Lead translates strategic priorities into effective systems, processes and operational plans, while providing high-quality advice and assurance to support program decision-making. The role also provides strategic direction and performance oversight to senior managers responsible for operations, human resources, and safety and security.
Primary Responsibilities

• Act as the senior functional adviser to the Deputy Team Leader, Team Leader, Senior Leadership Team, and DFAT on matters within the Operations and People portfolio. Lead routine and technical engagement relating to the portfolio and support the Deputy Team Leader and Team Leader on strategic, sensitive, or cross-program matters.
• Provide strategic and operational leadership in a complex, multi-region program ensuring agile, adaptive management is prioritised.
• Accountable for operations functions including program finance management, annual activity budget, high-volume and high-value procurement, contracting and grants management and office operations across six locations.
• Accountable for program expenditure management and reporting, ensuring that program finances are managed in compliance with policies and procedures. Hold accountability for the accuracy, integrity and timely delivery of program budgeting and forecasting to support informed decision-making.
• Provide strategic leadership and assurance for program risk management, maintaining an integrated view of strategic, operational, financial, people and delivery risks and ensuring risks are identified, owned, mitigated, and escalated in a timely manner. Ensure effective safeguards governance across fraud, anti-corruption and child protection risk management, reporting, and capability development.
• Provide clear, concise, timely and audience-appropriate reporting and communication to the Deputy Team Leader, Team Leader, Senior Leadership Team and DFAT, ensuring material issues, risks, trends, options, and recommended actions are clearly identified and escalated.
• Develop, improve and maintain operational systems and processes (procurement, risk, HR, finance) that drive efficiencies and ensure compliance with DFAT and Palladium policies and the Operations Manual.
• Lead operational excellence that supports continuous improvement to systems and processes using evidence, collaboration and cross stream input, that enables PLMSP workstreams to strengthen delivery of annual plan activities.
• Set the leadership direction and performance culture for the Operations, Safety and Security and People and Culture functions, enabling managers to lead with clear delegated authority and accountability while fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing workforce across geographically dispersed teams.
• Demonstrate reflective and adaptive leadership, actively seeking and applying feedback, demonstrating effective judgement and cultural intelligence. Maintain the professional capability required to lead effectively through ambiguity, complexity, and organisational change.
  

Please refer to the Terms of Reference to learn more about the role: ToR Operations and People Lead.pdf
About You    

• Tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline such as business administration, organisational leadership, change management, public policy, international development, program management or a related field.
• Minimum 10 years' experience in senior leadership roles within complex programs, organisations or business functions.
• Demonstrated experience leading organisational change, business improvement, governance reform, strategic risk management or organisational transformation initiatives.
• Experience operating in complex, politically sensitive or rapidly evolving environments, with the ability to adapt to changing priorities and stakeholder expectations while maintaining delivery outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through ambiguity, exercise sound judgement and make effective decisions in uncertain environments.
• Strong experience engaging and influencing senior stakeholders, including government, client or executive-level audiences.
• Experience working with DFAT or comparable government stakeholders is highly desirable.
• Proven people leadership capability, including mentoring senior staff, leading through change and fostering collaborative, high-performing and values-driven cultures.
• Strong interpersonal, communication and cross-cultural engagement skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships across diverse teams and stakeholder groups.
• Flexibility to undertake domestic and international travel as required.
  

How we work here
At PLMSP, our PROUD ways of working guide how we work with each other, our partners and the communities we support. We value Positivity, Respect, Openness, Unwavering Integrity, and Diversity and Inclusion. We look for people who work collaboratively, communicate respectfully across cultures, follow through on commitments, act with integrity, and contribute to an environment where everyone feels safe, valued and able to contribute.
How to apply and what happens next
Please apply online through the Palladium careers website with:

• your CV; and 
• a Cover Letter outlining responses to the application questions below, with each response no more than 300 words. Applications that do not meet this requirement will not be considered.
  

Application questions: (Please limit each response to a maximum of 300 words)

• What interests you about the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme and DFAT's investment through the Pacific Labour Mobility Support Program (PLMSP)? How do you see the program contributing to labour mobility, regional partnerships, and broader economic and development outcomes across Australia, the Pacific and Timor-Leste?
•  Describe a significant operational improvement, transformation, or governance initiative you have led in a complex organisation or program. What challenges did you address, what actions did you take, and what outcomes were achieved?
•  Describe your experience leading senior or multidisciplinary teams in a complex environment. How have you driven performance, managed change, and ensured alignment with organisational priorities and objectives?

Please refer to the Applicant Information to learn more about what we are looking for in our Operations and People Lead: Applicant_Information.pdf
Shortlisted candidates may be asked to complete a short work sample, scenario, technical exercise or structured interview. We will explain the process and available adjustments before each stage.
We are committed to building a diverse, geographically dispersed workforce to maximise our support. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, including First Nations peoples, people of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and people with disabilities - disclosure will not affect your application, and we will work with you to provide appropriate adjustments.
To be considered for this position, you must have valid work rights in Australia. Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this role.
While this role does not involve direct work with children, the successful candidate will still be required to complete a police check and relevant due diligence checks as part of Palladium’s commitment to being a child-safe organisation
How to Apply
Click the "Apply Now" button
Closing date: Monday 5th October 2026 11:59 pm AEST
If this opportunity interests you, we encourage you to apply promptly. Please note that only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
About Palladium
Palladium is a global development and consulting firm, part of the GISI Consulting Group, working alongside some of the world’s leading project management and engineering organisations. We partner with governments, businesses, investors and communities to design and deliver complex programs that create lasting impact. With a presence across more than 90 countries, Palladium offers the opportunity to work on meaningful challenges, alongside talented colleagues, in environments where your work can truly make a difference.
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.
Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or for any other circumstance, please email our team at [email protected] and we will be in touch to discuss.
Safeguarding - We define Safeguarding as all the actions taken by Palladium to protect our people, communities where we work and our clients from harm, including Sexual Exploitation, Abuse or Sexual Harassment; Child Abuse in any form; Trafficking for sexual exploitation of adults or children and any form of Trafficking of children. We have zero tolerance for all forms of child abuse as well as sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment and zero-tolerance for inaction to prevent, protect against, respond to and report harm. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process. Our Code of Conduct and Child Safeguarding and Protection against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment Guidelines have additional details.