Projects Officer Full time (Projects Portfolio)

POSITION TITLE: Projects Officer Full time (Projects Portfolio)
SALARY: Negotiable commensurate with experience
TERM/DURATION: February 2021, 2 years
3 months’ probation, eligible for re- appointment
LOCATION: Substantial duties at Monash University (Caulfield Campus)
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Building 4.0 CRC
The building industry is central to the Australian economy, contributing 13% of GDP and employing over 1.4 million people. Unlike other sectors, it has failed to modernise and faces several challenges, including rising costs, a quality and defects crisis and stagnating productivity. Through deep collaboration and new technologies of the fourth industrial age, Building 4.0 CRC aims to catapult the industry into an efficient, connected and customer-centric future. This transformation will deliver better buildings at lower cost and the human capacity to lead this future industry.
The Australian Government’s Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) program has been operating since 1991 and supports industry-led collaborations between industry, researchers and the community. The CRC is established as an independent entity, operating as a not-for-profit under Australian tax law, with an independent board and core executive team to manage the operations and stakeholders of the CRC. Building 4.0 CRC aims to advance collaborative R&D in the building industry directed towards producing and commercialising new materials, methods, products or devices, technologies, systems and services (or substantially improving those already in existence), for the benefit of Australia. The CRC’s outputs will be generated with the aim of positioning Australia as a leader in the advanced manufacture of buildings.

The CRC will undertake activities aimed at:
• establishing a worldclass innovation ecosystem that nurtures a holistic approach to research, development and commercialisation of new products, services and processes in the building industry;
• developing new industry-wide culture, practices and standard protocols, including skills and training development, policy and regulations improvement, supply and value chain connection and consumer and market engagement;
• leveraging the latest technologies, data science and artificial intelligence in the development of new construction systems and building process, designs and techniques;
• delivering digital, building and sectoral technological solutions with the aim to unlock productivity, growth and increase community and customer value.

Position Summary
The highest goal of Building 4.0 CRC is to achieve meaningful innovation and collaboration with our consortium partners, and thereby national and international excellence in the development and transformation of the building industry. The role of the Projects Officer is critical to achieving these goals.
The Projects Officer role is to effectively administer all aspects of project development, approval and operation. Significant in carrying out these roles is the communication and correspondence with various stakeholders (researchers, industry partners and CRC executive) and administering the detailed process required for both project approval and project reporting.
The role of Projects Officer is primarily concerned with administrative duties and project management. Reporting directly to the CEO and Research Director, the incumbent will work alongside Program Leaders, the Projects Portfolio Manager and Industry Manager.
This is a full-time position substantially located at Monash University with visits to other tertiary institution and industry participants sites. In the current climate, engagement will be principally through virtual meetings but will evolve to physical attendance as current COVID-19 restrictions lift.
The role, depending on the candidate, could develop into a more senior project management role, when the initial term is complete.

Organisational Context
The Projects Officer is a member of the Projects Portfolio, and reports to the CEO/Research Director and works in support of Program Leaders, the Projects Portfolio Manager and Industry Manager. The core function of the projects portfolio is to manage the development, approval and operation of projects in the CRC. The Projects Officer will also administer the Projects Advisory Committee (PAC), the committee responsible for making recommendations to the board for successful project funding.


Key Responsibilities
•The Building 4.0 CRC is structured around projects which are staffed by the CRCacademic and industry participants. The Projects Officer will need to ensure that theadministrative workflow of briefs and agreements is accurate and up to date throughhands-on management and, if required, liaison with the CRC’s legal counsel.
•Monitoring of projects through the course of their lifespan to determine that they aremeeting all of their contractual obligations.
•Managing a regular review meeting, providing updates on project progress andmanaging and maintaining an actions list.
•Develop collaborative and positive working relationships with team members and keyinternal and external stakeholders, especially partners from Industry, MonashUniversity, The University of Melbourne, Queensland University of Technology andaffiliated institutions.
•Undertake other duties as requested by the CEO.

Skills and Knowledge
A proven track record of individual performance and success in:
•Project monitoring and reporting.
•Administrative support.
•Ability to communicate and engage with stakeholders.
•Ability to write reports.
•Ability to work effectively in a cross-functional team environment.
•Problem-solving capacity.

Level of Supervision
It is intended that the incumbent will function independently under the broad direction from the CEO.

Judgement and Professionalism
The incumbent is required to exercise sound judgement in areas of his/her expertise, in particular in the relationships with external parties and confidentiality.

Personal Attributes
• Ability to work as part of a cross-functional team.
• Excellent communication (written and oral) and interpersonal skills.
• Good analytic skills, and strong attention to detail.
• Enthusiasm, passion and drive.
• Honest, reliable and ethical in all dealings.

Qualifications and Experience
Essential
• Relevant tertiary qualifications and/or an equivalent level of knowledge gained through any other combination of education, training and/or experience.
• Experience in administrative and/or project management in a research environment.
• Demonstrated experience and capacity to contribute to project outcomes within agreed timeframes and with minimal supervision.
• Experience in writing proposals and applications.
• Good interpersonal and collegial skills with project participants ranging from CRC staff, senior academics and industry partners.
• A high level of focus on detail, and with self-organising capacity.
• Demonstrated experience in researching and preparing background information, meeting minutes, reports, briefings and presentations with a high attention to detail.
Desirable
• Knowledge of construction and or manufacturing, particularly related to emerging technology.
• Some understanding of construction and emerging building.
• An understanding of operational processes in both research organisations and private industry.

Occupational Health & Safety
It is each staff member’s responsibility to adhere to Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental regulations/legislation as follows:
• All staff members are to comply with the Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Guidelines and to adopt work practices that support OH&S programs.
• Take reasonable care for the safety of his/her own health and safety and that of other people who may be affected by their conduct in the workplace.
• Seek guidance for all new or modified work procedures to ensure that any hazardous conditions, near misses and injures are reported immediately to supervisor.
• Must not wilfully place at risk the health or safety of any person in the workplace.
• Participate in meetings, training and other environment, health and safety activities.
• Must not wilfully or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interest of environment, health and safety or welfare.
• Wear personal protective equipment as provided, and use equipment in compliance with relevant guidelines, without wilful interference or misuse.
• Must co-operate with the CRC in relation to actions taken by the CRC to comply with Occupational Health and Safety and Environmental legislation.

Interested parties can contact Prof. Mathew Aitchison m.aitchison@building40crc.org

Closing 14 February 2021.