Senior Contract and Supplier Relationship Officer

Guiding the future of NSW education

Position details

• Clerk Grade 9/10
• Full-time, Salary: $133,348 to $146,945 p.a. plus employer’s contribution to superannuation and leave loading
• Ongoing role
• Close to Wynyard station & hybrid work arrangements available
• Contact for enquiries: John Bailey via John.Bailey@nesa.nsw.edu.au

About us

At the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), we are dedicated to carrying out meaningful work that drives improvements and elevates student achievement across NSW, now and into the future.

We accomplish this by supporting all school sectors with high-quality syllabuses, assessment (including managing the HSC and NAPLAN), teaching standards (e.g., accrediting teachers) and school environments (including setting and monitoring school standards).

NESA is a unique organisation in NSW (of around 740FTE staff) with significant state-wide impact, visit our website to learn more about the important work we do.

About the role

Join the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) as a Senior Contract and Supplier Relationship Officer and play a key role in ensuring the effective management of contracts and supplier relationships that support the delivery of critical services across the organisation. In this role, you will provide expert advice, manage supplier performance, oversee contract governance, and identify opportunities to maximise value, mitigate risk and improve outcomes for stakeholders.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced contract management professional who enjoys building strong supplier partnerships, influencing stakeholders, solving complex issues and contributing to continuous improvement in a dynamic environment. You'll have the opportunity to work autonomously, provide strategic advice, and shape contract and supplier management practices that deliver tangible organisational value.

On a day-to-day basis you will be responsible for:

• Developing, implementing and administering contract management plans to ensure contractual obligations and performance outcomes are achieved.
• Monitoring supplier performance, addressing non-performance issues and driving continuous improvement initiatives.
• Maintaining accurate contract information and coordinating contract management activities to support organisational needs and value-for-money outcomes.
• Providing expert advice on supplier segmentation, supplier relationship strategies and contract management approaches.
• Identifying, assessing and managing commercial, contractual, operational, financial, reputational and supply chain risks.
• Advising stakeholders on contract conditions, variations and contractual risks to support informed decision-making.
• Building and maintaining productive relationships with suppliers, service providers and internal stakeholders to resolve issues and maximise contract value.
• Managing supplier disputes and performance concerns, ensuring issues are addressed proactively before escalating.

Our ideal candidate will bring:

• Demonstrated experience managing contracts and supplier relationships in a complex environment, with the ability to deliver value-for-money outcomes while maintaining compliance requirements.
• Experience providing strategic advice to stakeholders, including identifying opportunities for contract variations, performance improvements and enhanced supplier outcomes.
• Strong capability in supplier performance management, risk identification and mitigation, dispute resolution and stakeholder engagement.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to explain complex contractual matters clearly and build productive relationships with diverse stakeholders and suppliers.
• Sound knowledge of procurement and contract management principles, governance requirements and risk management practices.
• The ability to think critically, analyse information, solve problems and deliver high-quality outcomes within required timeframes.
• Related experience in Contracts and Supplier Relationship Management.

We invite you to download the role description for additional information on the position.

At NESA you will benefit from:

• An organisation where your contribution has a big impact.
• An enviable CBD location (all modes of transport nearby, and excellent coffee and eateries) with refurbished offices.
• Flexible working arrangements and generous leave entitlements.
• Access to discounted health and fitness memberships via Fitness Passport, an employee assistance program and annual flu vaccinations.
• Salary packaging options.
• Working in a purpose driven and ethical organisation with committed colleagues.

Ready to join us?

Key information: If you are a current NESA employee or from another NSW government agency who use SuccessFactors for Recruitment and myWorkZone for Payroll, it’s important to apply through SuccessFactors to ensure your application reaches our system in the right place. If you need advice on that process, follow this guide.

For all other candidates:

Select “Apply now” and attach an up-to-date résumé (maximum 5 pages) and a cover letter (maximum 2 pages). Also address the 2 targeted questions below in your online application (maximum of 500 words per response - approximately):

1. Describe a time when you managed a contract or supplier relationship that was not meeting expectations. What actions did you take to address the issue, and what was the outcome?
2. Provide an example of a contract management initiative or improvement you have led that delivered better outcomes for your organisation. What was your approach and what impact did it have?

Advice on applying for NSW Public Sector roles

If you need reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process and/or workplace, please reach out to recruitment@nesa.nsw.edu.au

Close date: Thursday 22 October 2026 at 11.59pm AEST

Thank you for your interest, we look forward to receiving your application.

#S/DNI

Important information

NESA’s Statement of Commitment to Child Safety

All children and young people have the right to be respected, feel safe, be safe, and protected from harm. NESA is committed to child safety and child safe practices underpinning our purpose of helping children and young people leave school, ready to take advantage of life’s opportunities and rise to its inevitable challenges.

We particularly welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, people of all ages, genders, cultural and linguistic backgrounds and the LGBTQIA+ community.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. For ongoing roles, you must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or an Australian Permanent Resident. Australian Temporary Residents may be considered for a fixed term contract for the length of their visa, depending on the requirements of the hiring area and the position.

A Talent Pool (valid for 18 months) may be created for future ongoing and temporary roles