Commercial Manager

Location
Melbourne City Centre VIC
 
Full job description
About the Department

The department provides a wide range of learning and development support and services.

The department provides policy leadership, plans for the future of education in Victoria and leads key cross-sector collaboration. The department plays an important system steward role by providing support, guidance, oversight and assurance across early childhood and school education systems, as well as directly providing school education and 50 new early learning centres.

About the Victorian School Building Authority

The Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) is part of the Department of Education. Established in 2016, it oversees Victoria's largest school building program since the state introduced free public education in the 1870s.

The VSBA upgrades and expands existing schools and plans, designs and builds new schools to meet enrolment demand. We also support schools to maintain their buildings and grounds by offering expert advice and coordinating maintenance programs and grants.

With Victoria recently introducing two years of funded kindergarten, the VSBA is also working with the early childhood sector on a massive kindergarten construction program.

About the Division

The Asset Management Division helps schools maintain and manage their buildings and grounds and ensures they are more energy efficient. The Division trains school leaders as facilities managers and supports them to develop school maintenance plans. They coordinate programs, assessments, and systems to ensure schools are routinely maintained and cleaned.

The Division includes the Asset Management Branch, School Asset Management Support Branch, Facilities Branch, Maintenance Delivery Branch and the Programs Branch.

About the Role

The Administration Manager / Commercial Manager is a key leadership role within the VSBA's School Cleaning Unit (SCU), responsible for the strategic oversight and efficient management of administrative and commercial operations. As a newly established role under the updated SCU organisational structure, and reporting to the Senior Manager School Cleaning Unit, the position plays a critical part in aligning operational activities with the broader strategic vision of the department.

This role provides leadership and direction to the SCU's administrative and project teams (9 FTE), ensuring the delivery of high-quality services, effective resource management, and sound governance practices. The incumbent will also drive continuous improvement initiatives, oversee commercial operations, and support the delivery of key projects and stakeholder communications.

Key Responsibilities:

Provide strategic oversight and leadership to administrative teams, ensuring smooth and efficient daily operations.
Drive the ongoing implementation and continuous improvement of the team's Ways of Working.
Manage and enhance performance data systems, reporting frameworks, and governance processes.
Lead the development, review, and maintenance of policies to support evolving business requirements.
Oversee end-to-end process development and optimisation to improve team efficiency.
Manage the creation and coordination of key communications collateral, including back-pocket briefs, PAEC responses, PPQs, INF Requests, and official correspondence.
Lead the unit's commercial operations, including financial processes such as invoice payments, Oracle system management, purchase order creation, accruals, and financial forecasting.
Oversee the School Cleaning Consultative Committee (SCCC), including the development of supporting materials and stakeholder engagement.
Coordinate and manage team interactions with systems such as AIMS, Cleanable Area Reports, and SAMS.
Provide operational support to the SCU's Operations Team as required.
Lead and manage a team of Senior Project Officers and Project Officers, fostering a collaborative and high-performing team culture.
All VSBA staff have a shared responsibility to meet the same service standards outlined in the VSBA Customer Service Charter. Our goal is to make every interaction with the VSBA a positive one for our customers, colleagues and key partners regardless of our individual role or team.

Attributes

The ideal candidate will have a solid understanding of dashboard reporting, data analysis and management practices along with strong communication skills. Experience in people management is essential - the VSBA requires a minimum of 3 days of in-office attendance.

Desirable Qualifications and Experience

Essential: Demonstrated strong understanding and experience of the processes and levers that apply to government

Essential: Strong administrative skills with a high level of knowledge and experience across the MS Office suite of products

Essential: A process-driven professional with experience working in a large team and fast-paced environment.

Essential: More than 7 years of progressive experience in public policy, business administration, project management, governance, strategic planning, reform projects, framework development, or in advisory roles where interpretation of policy and strategic alignment were key responsibilities

Essential: A relevant tertiary qualification in fields such as commerce, project management, finance, business administration, or public administration

Desirable: Post graduate qualifications in a relevant field.

Further Information

For more details regarding this position please see attached position description for the capabilities to address in application.

The department values diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. For more information about our work, working for the Department, diversity and inclusion, and our employment conditions visit the Department website and our Diversity and Inclusion page

Applicants requiring adjustments can contact the nominated contact person.

Information about the Department of Education's operations and employment conditions can be located at www.education.vic.gov.au.

For further information pertaining to the role, please contact Shanaka Perera - Manager via 0409 346 924 or Shanaka.perera@education.vic.gov.au

Preferred applicants may be required to complete a police check and may be subject to other pre-employment checks. Information provided to the Department of Education will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Please let us know via phone or email if you require any adjustments to ensure your full participation in the recruitment process or if you need the ad or any attachments in an accessible format (e.g large print) due to any viewing difficulties or other accessibility requirements.

This role is Fixed Term till 30/06/2028

Applications close 11:59pm on Monday, 11 August 2025

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