Senior Program Director

Agency Department of Corporate and Digital Development Work unit Finance and Employment Services

Job title Senior Program Director Designation Senior Administrative Officer 2

Job type Full time Duration Fixed for 2 years

Salary $152,751 - $166,487 Location Darwin

Position number 68260218 RTF 350722 Closing 21/07/2026

Contact officer Andrew Thomson on 0488 769 299 or ***email_hidden***

About the agency https://dcdd.nt.gov.au/

Apply online https://jobs.nt.gov.au/Home/JobDetails?rtfId=350722

APPLICATIONS MUST INCLUDE A ONE-PAGE SUMMARY ABOUT YOU, A DETAILED RESUME AND COPIES OF YOUR TERTIARY

QUALIFICATIONS.

Information for applicants – inclusion and diversity

The NTPS values diversity. The NTPS encourages people from all diversity groups to apply for vacancies and accommodates people with

disability by making reasonable workplace adjustments. If you require an adjustment for the recruitment process or job, please discuss

this with the contact officer. For more information about applying for this position and the merit process, go to the OCPE website.

Primary objective

Provide strategic leadership and end-to-end oversight of the Payroll Systems Uplift Program, ensuring delivery of a modern, fit-for-

purpose payroll systems environment that improves compliance, automation, data integrity and service outcomes across the Northern

Territory Government.

Context statement

The Payroll Systems Uplift Program is a multi-year initiative to modernise NTG payroll systems, processes, and technologies. Operating

across multiple teams, the program involves public sector staff, contractors, and vendors working together in phased, interdependent

workstreams. The environment is outcomes-driven, prioritising risk management, governance, financial accountability, and service

improvement. This role requires leading through complex priorities, legacy challenges, and stakeholder needs to deliver effective, scalable

payroll solutions.

Key duties and responsibilities

1. Provide strategic leadership and end-to-end oversight of the Payroll Systems Uplift Program, ensuring coordinated delivery of all in-

scope initiatives, and providing authoritative advice to senior executives on program performance, risks and delivery outcomes.

2. Lead the engagement and management of vendors and service providers, ensuring commercial arrangements deliver value for money,

meet contractual obligations, and support successful delivery of business outcomes.

3. Identify and drive opportunities to improve systems, processes and service delivery, including leveraging automation, improving data

integrity, and reducing manual handling and operational risk.

4. Establish, implement and maintain program-level governance, ensuring clear line of sight across workstreams, management of

interdependencies, and disciplined tracking and reporting of benefits realisation.

5. Provide leadership in financial management of the program, including planning, forecasting, and ensuring transparent and accountable

use of funds.

6. Represent DCDD and the Payroll Systems Uplift Program in governance forums, steering committees and executive discussions,

providing clear advice and influencing decision making.

7. Build and lead a high-performing, accountable team culture that values collaboration, continuous improvement and delivery discipline,

while navigating a complex and fast-paced operating environment

Selection criteria

Essential

1. Proven experience in leading large-scale, complex transformation programs, preferably involving enterprise systems, payroll, HR or

financial systems uplift in a government or similarly complex environment.

2. Demonstrated expertise in program and project management disciplines, including governance, risk management, delivery planning

and benefits realisation, with the ability to apply these in a multi-stream transformation context.

3. Highly developed leadership, communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage effectively with senior executives,

technical specialists and operational stakeholders, and translate complex issues into clear, actionable advice.

4. Strong commercial acumen, with demonstrated experience managing vendors, outsourced service providers and complex delivery

arrangements to achieve agreed outcomes.

5. Proven ability to manage stakeholder relationships across multiple agencies or business units, balancing competing priorities and

driving alignment to achieve whole-of-organisation outcomes.

6. Experience establishing and maintaining governance frameworks, performance reporting and accountability structures that support

effective oversight and informed decision making.

7. Demonstrated experience in leading reform in complex operational environments, including improving compliance, standardisation,

data quality and service delivery outcomes.

Desirable

1. Formal qualifications in a relevant discipline, such as project management, ICT or business.

2. Working knowledge or experience in, program management within a public sector context.

Further information

The recommended applicant will be required to undergo a criminal history check prior to selection being confirmed. A criminal history will

not exclude an applicant from this position unless it is a relevant criminal history. When choosing to apply for this position, the applicant

should consider the full requirements of the position in aligning their work experience and capabilities to this role. Please refer to the

Capability Framework.