Project Manager, Australia Host Country Infrastructure

At the SKAO we are coordinating a global effort to deliver one of the largest science facilities on the planet. The SKAO telescopes will be next-generation instruments that will help to answer key questions in astrophysics, drive technological innovation and support human capital development. 

More than a dozen partner countries and over a thousand scientists and engineers around the world are already on board, making the SKA project an international collaboration like no other, and one of the most ambitious science and engineering endeavours of the 21st century.

Headquartered in the UK, with telescope sites in Australia and South Africa, the SKAO will be one observatory operating two telescopes, an endeavour spanning three continents. Multinational by design, in early 2021 the SKAO became an intergovernmental organisation, one of only a select handful of science infrastructures to do so worldwide.

Construction activities for the SKAO's telescopes in Australia and South Africa started in 2021, along with a ramping up of SKAO staff in both countries. It is expected that the transition from the Construction Phase to the Operations Phase will happen around 2028.

SKAO Operations in South Africa will be conducted in partnership with the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO). SKAO Operations in Australia will be conducted in partnership with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). The Observatory will also partner closely with a global network of SKA Regional Centres through which astronomers will access science data products and a suite of tools and resources to further analyse the SKA telescopes' data.

For more information on the SKA project visit https://www.skao.int/

The SKA Observatory offers a competitive salary and a generous pension and benefits package. As an employee of an intergovernmental organisation, an appointee who is not a national of the country in which the role is based may be subject to personal Privileges and Immunities.

An exciting opportunity for a Project Manager with experience in infrastructure delivery to join an international, multicultural organisation and support the development of the largest radio telescope on the planet.

Job Location Perth, Australia

The SKAO Project Management Group holds the project management and control expertise within the Observatory. During construction, the Project Managers procure and deliver their assigned parts of the SKA-Low Telescope facilities by managing a portfolio of contracts and work packages. The Project Managers form the primary managerial link between SKAO as the client and the selected contractors and are responsible for delivery of their scope within the agreed budget and schedule, managing change, risks and issues, and performing regular reporting and variance analysis.

The Project Manager - Australia Host Country Infrastructure will manage and support the procurement and delivery of the following facilities for the SKA-Low Telescope:

• Boolardy Accommodation Facility: the BAF is permanent accommodation at the Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, CSIRO’s Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory site where the SKA-Low telescope is being constructed
• Engineering Operations Centre (Geraldton): the EOC provides workshops, offices and technical facilities for the construction and maintenance of the SKA-Low telescope
• Science Processing Centre (Perth): the SPC will be procured as space within a commercial data centre building, which will be populated with the various high performance computing platforms required to process SKA-Low telescope data.

And serve as a key management link between SKAO and the CSIRO team delivering the following asset:

• Science Operations Centre (Perth): the SOC provides office and telescope operations space for key scientific, administrative and supporting staff.

The Project Manager - Australia Host Country Infrastructure will lead and co-ordinate efforts across the matrix organisation to drive, advise and support the contractors and partners engaged in the delivery of their assigned contracts. They will ensure that the deliverables from these contracts and the work of the internal team are integrated into the project level tools and systems. They will work closely with other project managers, the project control team, engineers, procurement specialists, assurance and operations staff.

This role will be reporting to the Head of Project Management.

This role will be a 3-year fixed term appointment and will be based in Perth, Australia with frequent travel required to suppliers and SKAO sites within Western Australia and occasional travel to SKAO HQ in the UK.

SKAO is committed to providing an inclusive and flexible working environment, meeting the requests of our Colleagues whilst also fulfilling the needs and objectives of the Observatory. 

There may be occasions where this role requires the post holder to work across different time zones and, in line with SKAO policy, flexible working hours will be supported in agreement with the line manager.

Key Responsibilities, Accountabilities and Duties

• Manage the delivery of assigned construction workpackages for the SKA-Low Telescope, complying with relevant legislation, policies and frameworks.
• Support the SKA-Low Operations Director in their role as key liaison with CSIRO and other collaborating entities in Australia to ensure the timeliness and quality of host country infrastructure deliveries.
• Lead and manage a medium sized team within the SKA matrix framework, with a number of activities overseen and integrated.
• Provide specialist advice to senior management or senior programme/project leaders to support change through understanding and insight in order to have an impact on overall project performance.  
• Assess safety, environmental, reputational and financial risks associated with programmes / projects / portfolios, recommend corrective actions and report to senior management in order to ensure risks are understood and appropriate action is taken.
• Manage whole contracts and workpackages through to successful completion, forming a link between SKAO and the contractors. This may include active steps to looking ahead to proactively manage progress against schedule, budget and earned value, where applicable, influencing others' approach to deliver better outcomes.
• Conduct rigorous tender, evaluation and selection processes, complying with organisational policies to select suppliers which best meet the resource requirements of the project and organisation.
• Manage an effective governance and control environment to ensure the direction of travel in the contract portfolio is aligned to the business case and corrective actions are implemented as appropriate.
• Manage project quality reviews in order to identify, assess and take action to mitigate risks to project success.
• Review and interpret programme and project management related functional policies or processes, develop and recommend changes and provide advice to colleagues to ensure their effective implementation.  
• Build relationships with internal and external stakeholders to gain buy in and to deliver assigned part of programmes/projects and support effective collaboration.

Mandatory Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• University degree in project management, engineering or the built environment, or equivalent experience, supported by a relevant professional project or programme management qualification.
• Experience of commissioning and managing high tech projects to deliver measurable and visible outcomes for the client.
• Experience in contract management and associated procedures and processes, with the ability to agree and shape standards to a particular project environment.
• Knowledge of the technical specialisms being managed.  
• Experience of monitoring, planning and managing to an agreed budget within a defined area, producing reports and analysis.
• Able to develop and review the implementation of large or complex project plans taking account of business requirements and reconciling competing demands.
• Experience working with international teams.
• Good communication skills with the ability to influence behaviours of internal and external stakeholders at all seniority levels.
• Flexible team player who is adaptable to change.

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Knowledge or experience of NEC type of contracts.
• Experience of system engineering processes.
• Experience in large-scale infrastructure projects.
• Experience in managing delivery in multi-disciplinary, multi-national projects.
• Experience in using CEMAR and/or other contract management tools as well as configuration management. 
• Industry experience and/or a track record in successful collaboration with industry.

Equality Diversity and Inclusion Statement

SKA Observatory recognises that our diversity is a strength. We aim to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone feels they belong, and diverse perspectives and ideas thrive. As such, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion are at the core of SKA Observatory’s agenda.

Our aim is to recruit and retain the most talented individuals, regardless of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, nationality or background.

Women have traditionally been under-represented in the fields of science and engineering; SKA Observatory welcomes and encourages female applicants. 

Where applicants with a disability need facilities or adjustments to enable them to participate in the recruitment process, these will be provided.

SKA Observatory welcome all candidates, especially those from member countries.

The “How to Apply” information contained within the SKA Observatory recruitment portal provides more detail regarding our application and selection approach.

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