Australian Council for Educational Research
Project Manager
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Project Manager
About ACER UK
ACER International UK (ACER UK) is part of the ACER Group of companies and provides expert advice and services in assessment and learning to a number of government and non-government organisations in the UK and internationally. Current clients include the Standards and Testing Agency (STA), the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), the World Bank and national governments in Africa under a grant agreement with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). ACER is regarded as one of the world’s leading expert organisations in assessment and promoting innovation in learning for all ages.
About the Role
The Project Manager is part of ACER UK's project management team and plays a key role in the successful delivery of national and international assessment, education and research projects.
The position supports a diverse portfolio of projects, including government-funded assessment programs, university entrance testing initiatives, education research projects and large-scale assessment trialling activities. Working closely with project directors, researchers, test developers and operational teams, the Project Manager is responsible for coordinating project activities, managing project risks and ensuring high-quality client outcomes.
The role contributes to the growth and sustainability of ACER UK's project portfolio by supporting effective project delivery, maintaining stakeholder relationships and contributing to business development and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Lead project start-up, planning, delivery and closure activities in accordance with ACER's Project Management Framework.
- Deliver projects to agreed scope, quality, timelines and budget requirements.
- Develop and maintain project plans, schedules, budgets, resource plans, risk registers and other project artefacts.
- Monitor project progress and proactively manage risks, issues, dependencies and project changes.
- Coordinate project activities across multidisciplinary teams to support successful project delivery.
- Manage relationships with clients, suppliers, partners and internal stakeholders.
- Produce and present high-quality project reports, governance papers and status updates for stakeholders, senior management and project boards.
- Support the delivery of large-scale assessment, trialling and operational projects, including government-funded and university entrance testing programs.
- Provide an interface between business and technical stakeholders, ensuring shared understanding of project requirements and deliverables.
- Produce proposal artefacts, including project approaches, timelines, resource plans, risk assessments and financial information to support tender and business development activities.
- Contribute to quality assurance, continuous improvement and project management capability development across ACER.
- Mentor and support less experienced project management staff where appropriate.
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About You
Essential
- Significant project management experience, preferably within a matrix management environment.
- Demonstrated experience delivering complex projects across the full project lifecycle.
- Strong knowledge of project management disciplines, including scope, schedule, budget, risk, procurement, quality, stakeholder and resource management.
- Experience producing and presenting high-quality project documentation, reports and governance artefacts for a range of stakeholders, including senior leaders and project boards.
- Excellent interpersonal, stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across teams with competing priorities.
- Demonstrated problem-solving and critical thinking capability, including the ability to navigate complex issues and facilitate effective outcomes.
- Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver high-quality outcomes in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to influence, coordinate and build relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders.
- Ability to remain calm, adaptable and solution-focused when managing competing demands, tight deadlines and project risks.
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Desirable
- Experience working within an education, assessment, research or government environment.
- Experience using recognised project management methodologies such as Prince2, Agile or Scaled Agile.
- Experience supporting large-scale assessment, trialling, testing or operational delivery projects.
- Experience contributing to proposal development, tender submissions and business development activities.
- Experience mentoring or supporting the development of less experienced project management staff.
- Experience working across international or multi-jurisdictional projects.
Benefits of ACER UK
- Employer pension contribution of 17% through the NEST pension scheme
- 25 days annual leave, plus 8 public holidays and 3 additional days during the Christmas office closure (pro rata for part time employees)
- Hybrid working arrangements
- Up to 2 days paid volunteering leave per year
- Subsidised gym membership
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
For the full position description and to submit an application, please visit the ACER Careers website: https://careers.acer.org/job-invite/1228/
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