Program Manager: Large-Scale National Research Program

As part of the UQ community, you’ll have the opportunity to work alongside the brightest minds, who have joined us from all over the world.

Everyone here has a role to play. As a member of our professional staff cohort, you will be actively involved in working towards our vision of a better world. By supporting the academic endeavour across teaching, research, and the student life, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute to activities that have a lasting impact on our community.

Join a community where excellence is at the core of our culture, contributions are valued and a range of benefits and rewards are available, such as:

• 26 weeks paid parental leave or 14 weeks paid primary caregiver leave

• 17% superannuation contributions

• 17.5% annual leave loading

• Access to flexible working arrangements including hybrid working options, flexible start/finish times and purchased leave

• Health and wellness discounts – fitness passport access, free yearly flu vaccinations, discounted health insurance, and access to our Employee Assistance Program for staff and their immediate family

• On campus childcare options

• Cheap parking (from just $5.75 a day)

• Salary packaging options

We are seeking a highly motivated, experienced and multi-talented Program Manager, locally known as Principal Project Officer, to coordinate the delivery of the NHMRC funded DISCERN (Disciplinary Integration to Solve the Enigma of Chronic Pain) Synergy Grant. The vision of the grant is to reduce the burden of chronic pain by revolutionising how treatments are matched to patients. This program of research aims to develop and evaluate personalised care for chronic pain and its impact with innovative clinical trials and research in neurobiology, psychology and society. The DISCERN team includes 10 chief investigators, 10 associate investigators and their teams from across Australia and internationally. The team includes five chief investigators from The University of Queensland, which includes the Director, Professor Paul Hodges.

Working with the Investigator team, you will lead the Synergy's administrative operations and be responsible for strategic, operational and performance planning. You will oversee a range of activities across the relevant phase of project delivery, including coordinating operational plans, implementing project monitoring and evaluation mechanisms; ensuring project outcomes are delivered on time and within budget; engaging with key internal and external stakeholders and supervising the management of the project budget.

Key responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

• Under broad direction, coordinating aspects of the project life-cycle, including planning, monitoring, and evaluation activities as relevant to the project phase/s.

• Developing and implementing strategic, operational and communications plans, including collating documents and records of relevant issues.

• Coordinating reporting requirements as required by internal stakeholders and/or external regulatory bodies.

• Managing a range of project-relevant secretariat and administrative services, including committee meetings, project steering groups and stakeholder/client engagement activities.

• Developing project-relevant communication and education products, including communication plans and media content.

• Building effective relationships with project clients and stakeholders. ​

• Supervising the management of the program budget.

This is a full-time, fixed-term position for 3 years at HEW level 7.

At HEW level 7, the full-time equivalent base salary will be in the range $96,649 – $105,244, plus a generous super allowance of up to 17%. The total FTE package will be up to $113,080 - $123,136 annually. As this role is covered by an Enterprise Agreement, you will also receive regular remuneration increases – at least once a year.

The successful applicant will have experience managing large projects, working with diverse project teams, and high-level stakeholder engagement and management skills. You will be someone who values diversity and inclusion, and works to create a culture for all team members that evokes a strong feeling of belonging.

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant discipline with at least 4 years subsequent relevant experience or an equivalent combination of extensive relevant experience and/or training.

• Demonstrated experience in a project management role of similar scale and scope.

• Current knowledge of best practice/leading project management methodologies and frameworks.

• Experience in operations and resource management, finance and budget administration within a diverse and complex organisation.

• An ability to develop and implement strategy, contribute to planning, set priorities and coordinate complex programs, along with the ability to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines.

• Demonstrated problem solving skills using judgement and reasoning in interpreting situations and providing accurate and consistent advice.

• High-level interpersonal skills that enable effective working relationships with internal and external clients and stakeholders of varying levels of seniority, including consumer and community representatives, government and peak bodies.

• Advanced written and oral communication skills.

• Proficient use of the Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook) and a proven ability to quickly adapt to new technologies.

• Subject matter expertise in the area of healthcare would be advantageous, but not essential.

In addition, the following mandatory requirements apply:

• Work Rights: You must have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this appointment to apply. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment. 

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Professor Paul Hodges, NHMRC Leadership Fellow and DISCERN Director, at ********@uq.edu.au.

For application queries, and to request the position description of this role, please contact ******@uq.edu.au stating the job reference number (below) in the subject line. 
 

All applicants must upload the following documents in order for your application to be considered:

• Resume 

• Cover letter addressing the ‘About You’ section  

At UQ we know that our greatest strengths come from our diverse mix of colleagues, this is reflected in our ongoing commitment to creating an environment focused on equity, diversity and inclusion.  We ensure that we are always attracting, retaining and promoting colleagues who are representative of the diversity in the broader community, whether that be gender identity, LGBTQIA+, cultural and/or linguistic, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, or people with a disability. Accessibility requirements and/or adjustments can be directed to ******@uq.edu.au 

If you are a current employee (including casual staff and HDR scholars) or hold an unpaid/affiliate appointment, please login to your staff Workday account and visit the internal careers board to apply for this opportunity. Please do NOT apply via the external job board.

Applications close Monday 1 April 2024 at 11.00pm AEST (Job Reference Number: R-35539).