Job Description

We currently have an opportunity for a Contract Manager – Victoria Schools to join our Health & Education team and play a key role in leading safe, high‑quality and commercially sustainable service delivery across a complex education portfolio. Reporting to the GM Health & Education, you’ll help deliver high‑quality outcomes that support our essential services and the communities they serve

What You’ll Do

This role offers a broad scope, with key responsibilities including:

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across a large, complex education portfolio, ensuring safe, compliant and high‑quality delivery of facilities, asset and maintenance services.

• Lead contractual and commercial performance, balancing service excellence, risk management and financial outcomes within a performance‑based PPP environment.

• Build and sustain strong, trusted relationships with government clients, stakeholders, service partners and unions, enabling collaborative and transparent outcomes.

• Champion a culture of Zero Harm, quality and continuous improvement, role‑modelling safety leadership and accountability across teams.

• Develop, mentor and inspire high‑performing teams, strengthening capability, engagement and long‑term sustainability of the workforce
  

What You’ll Bring

• Proven experience leading complex contracts within facilities management, asset management or integrated services environments.

• Strong commercial acumen, contract interpretation & compliance with demonstrated capability in financial management, risk mitigation and KPI delivery.

• A collaborative and engaging leadership style, with the ability to connect, influence and bring people along the journey.

• Well‑developed communication and stakeholder management skills, including experience working with government and regulated environments.

• A growth mindset, resilience and a genuine commitment to service excellence, safety and inclusion.

More than anything, you’ll bring a strong work ethic, a positive attitude, and a commitment to delivering high-quality outcomes for our clients.

Why Downer?

At Downer, we plan, create, and sustain essential public services across Australia and New Zealand. From hospitals to data centres and defence partnerships, we manage critical infrastructure that keeps communities thriving.

What It Means to Belong at Downer

We’re proud of our high-performance culture and commitment to diversity, offering:

• Training and development to support and diversify your career.

• With 30% of vacancies filled internally you’ll find real opportunities to advance your career.

• Perks@Downer: healthcare discounts, great savings on retail purchases, car purchases and much more.

• Employee Assistance Program: professional support for you and your family when you need it most.

You want your work to matter and so do we. With over 26,000 people across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, our team is made up of individuals with unique perspectives, backgrounds, and ideas.

We know that diversity makes us stronger and we actively celebrate it through our commitment to inclusion and belonging.

We’re committed to building a team that reflects the diverse communities we serve and we welcome people of all ages, genders, sexual orientations, cultures, abilities, and lived experiences. We especially encourage applications from those whose voices have traditionally been underrepresented in our industry, including women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Māori and Pasifika Peoples, veterans, people with disability, and neurodivergent individuals. Even if your experience doesn’t align perfectly with this role, we’d still like to hear from you. If it feels like the right fit, apply - potential counts, and so do you.

As a WORK180 Endorsed Employer, we support flexibility that works for your life, inclusive leadership that values your voice, and equitable access to opportunity so you can do your best work and bring your whole self to it.

If you need support or adjustments through the recruitment process, just let us know, we’re here to help you put your best foot forward.