We currently have an opportunity for a Senior Commercial Manager to join our Health and Education team and play a key role in establishing commercial priorities, strengthening governance and supporting successful outcomes across a complex portfolio of PPP and non-PPP contracts.
Reporting to the Head of Commercial, Health and Education, you’ll help deliver high-quality outcomes that support our essential services.
Downer’s Health and Education business provides operational, maintenance and lifecycle services across education facilities and hospitals throughout Australia and New Zealand. Its portfolio includes education and health public-private partnerships, together with non-PPP health contracts.
What You’ll Do
This role offers a broad scope, with key responsibilities including:
Lead major commercial matters, including contract modifications, claims, disputes and complex negotiations.
Establish consistent commercial controls, governance frameworks and contract-management practices across the portfolio.
Manage commercial risk and opportunity, including financial risk assessments, project valuations and performance-recovery strategies.
Lead the commercial management of upstream and downstream contracts, key subcontracts and supply arrangements.
Mentor commercial team members and work with operational leaders to build commercial capability and resolve contractual issues.
What You’ll Bring
10+ years’ relevant industry experience, including at least 5 years with a Tier 1 company and 3 years in a similar role.
Demonstrated commercial or contract-management experience within a PPP environment.
Extensive facilities or asset-management experience under a PPP or similarly complex contractual structure.
A relevant tertiary qualification in law, commerce, finance, engineering or an equivalent discipline.
Advanced commercial and financial acumen, with experience in negotiations, variations, claims, disputes, project valuations and risk assessments.
The preferred Downer office location is North Ryde, Sydney however Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne will also be considered.
More than anything, you’ll bring a strong work ethic, a positive attitude, and a commitment to delivering high-quality outcomes for our clients.
Why Downer?
At Downer, we plan, create, and sustain essential public services across Australia and New Zealand. From hospitals to data centres and defence partnerships, we manage critical infrastructure that keeps communities thriving.
What It Means to Belong at Downer
We’re proud of our high-performance culture and commitment to diversity, offering:
Training and development to support and diversify your career.
With 30% of vacancies filled internally you’ll find real opportunities to advance your career.
Perks@Downer: healthcare discounts, great savings on retail purchases, car purchases and much more.
Employee Assistance Program: professional support for you and your family when you need it most.
You want your work to matter and so do we. With over 26,000 people across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, our team is made up of individuals with unique perspectives, backgrounds, and ideas.
We know that diversity makes us stronger and we actively celebrate it through our commitment to inclusion and belonging.
We’re committed to building a team that reflects the diverse communities we serve and we welcome people of all ages, genders, sexual orientations, cultures, abilities, and lived experiences. We especially encourage applications from those whose voices have traditionally been underrepresented in our industry, including women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Māori and Pasifika Peoples, veterans, people with disability, and neurodivergent individuals. Even if your experience doesn’t align perfectly with this role, we’d still like to hear from you. If it feels like the right fit, apply - potential counts, and so do you.
As a WORK180 Endorsed Employer, we support flexibility that works for your life, inclusive leadership that values your voice, and equitable access to opportunity so you can do your best work and bring your whole self to it.
If you need support or adjustments through the recruitment process, just let us know, we’re here to help you put your best foot forward.
Pre-employment checks
The preferred candidate will be required to complete reference, criminal history, work eligibility and qualification checks, together with the applicable medical assessment and drug and alcohol screening.
Skills Required
- 10+ years of relevant industry experience
- At least 5 years of experience with a Tier 1 company
- At least 3 years of experience in a similar role
- Commercial or contract-management experience within a PPP environment
- Extensive facilities or asset-management experience under a PPP or similarly complex contractual structure
- Relevant tertiary qualification in law, commerce, finance, engineering, or an equivalent discipline
- Advanced commercial and financial acumen
- Experience with negotiations, variations, claims, disputes, project valuations, and risk assessments
Downer Group Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Downer Group and has not been reviewed or approved by Downer Group.
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Strong & Reliable Incentives — Overtime, penalty rates, and structured allowances are often viewed as strong earners that lift overall compensation, particularly in field and trade roles.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Wellbeing resources such as a 24/7 EAP, mental-health support, health checks, flu vaccinations, and retail discounts are consistently highlighted as valuable parts of the package.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Leave options include parental leave and domestic-violence leave, contributing to a broader benefits offering across different life stages.
Downer Group Insights
What We Do
Downer Group is a leading provider of integrated infrastructure services across Australia and New Zealand, operating in sectors such as transport, utilities, facilities, and defense.
