Program Manager

About Maurice Blackburn Lawyers

Maurice Blackburn Lawyers has a century-long history of advocating for those who need it most in Australia. Guided by courage and compassion, the firm ensures broader access to justice and supports clients through important life moments. Recognized as a respected legal practice in Australia, Maurice Blackburn is committed to empowering its people to stand up for core values and advance boldly together.

Role Overview

This position focuses on transforming strategy into concrete actions within one of the firm's critical strategic initiatives, housed in the Innovation & Delivery team under Personal Legal Services. The Program Manager will lead and shape the Personal Law Strategic Program's PMO framework, unify multiple projects, and provide leadership with transparent insights into progress, priorities, risks, investments, and achieved benefits. The role involves proactively defining governance, reporting practices, and integrating roadmaps, ensuring aligned priorities and smooth execution across teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Developing and managing governance structures and PMO operations for the Personal Law Strategic Program.
• Constructing and updating a comprehensive program roadmap that reflects milestones, priorities, and interdependencies.
• Producing clear executive-level reports covering progress, risk management, budget tracking, and benefit realization.
• Identifying, monitoring, and driving the realization of benefits from strategic investments.
• Coordinating priorities, dependencies, and resources across multiple projects and teams.
• Managing program forecasting, variance analyses, and financial risk assessments.
• Leading strategic initiatives from their start through to delivery and benefits realization.
• Collaborating with the Change Management Practice to embed and sustain organizational changes.
• Influencing stakeholders across various departments and levels, often without formal authority.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Proven expertise in program, project, or PMO management with experience building or enhancing PMO capability in complex multi-workstream programs.
• Strong skills in governance, planning, prioritization, and financial management, including handling meaningful program budgets and forecasts.
• Demonstrated history of achieving measurable benefits aligned with business cases.
• Confidence liaising with senior executives and participating in leadership forums.
• Ability to gain trust, align teams, and drive results within a highly matrixed organizational structure.
• Skilled in stakeholder management, reporting, and presentation.
• Experience managing vendors or external partners as part of program delivery.
• Proficiency with tools such as Jira, Airtable, Confluence, Power BI, advanced Excel, or similar platforms.
• Practical knowledge of AI-enabled tools and automation for enhancing planning, reporting, or analysis processes.
• A sound judgment regarding privacy, security, and confidentiality considerations during technology-driven change initiatives.
• Experience or familiarity with the legal, professional services, or regulated sectors is advantageous.
• Certifications like Agile, PRINCE2, PMP, or change management are beneficial but not mandatory.

Ideal Candidate Traits

The successful candidate will have the capacity to perceive both the broad program perspective and detailed delivery elements. They excel in creating structure from ambiguity, proactively identifying risks and dependencies, and synthesizing complex updates into clear executive communications. A focus on outcome-driven delivery, ensuring organizational goals and benefits are realized, is essential.

Additional Details and Benefits

• Ongoing coaching and career growth opportunities.
• Generous parental leave: 22 weeks paid with superannuation and a supportive transition back to work.
• Incremental year-end leave entitlements: 1 day in the first year, increasing to 4 days after two years.
• Comprehensive mental health supports including up to 4 additional wellbeing leave days annually and a reimbursement benefit.
• Discounted gym memberships.
• Flexible hybrid working arrangements.
• Salary Continuance and Life Insurance.
• Annual leave loading at 17.5%.

The firm promotes core shared values: Courage, Compassion, Collaboration, Fairness, and Tenacity. A commitment to diversity, inclusion, and supporting employees' authenticity and wellbeing is paramount. Applications from First Nations people are strongly encouraged. Successful applicants will undergo background checks to maintain workplace safety and compliance.

Additional Information

The firm commits to responding to all applicants as part of the Circle Back Initiative. Background checks will be conducted on successful candidates.