Principal Project Manager - Regulatory Change

  • Perth
  • Australian Energy Market Operator
We seek a Principal Project Manager - Regulatory Change with experience in managing regulatory reform projects. This position has extensive stakeholder engagement and is able to be based in Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide or Sydney (CBD or Norwest). Hybrid and flexible working. Excellent company culture with great benefits. Consultation and collaboration processes and their design will be key to the success of this role. AEMO at the Heart of Energy AEMO is Australia’s independent energy system and market operator and system planner. AEMO’s purpose is to ensure safe, reliable and affordable energy today, and enable the energy transition for the benefit of all Australians. Australian governments are now committed to a net zero economy for Australia by 2050 and our vision is to enable this. We have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to co-design the future of our energy systems, and our core values revolve around Character, Commitment, and Connection. Join us as we contribute to this significant mission in the energy sector. About the role Sitting within the System Design division the Onboarding and Connections (O&C) department is responsible for the end to end connection process across the National Electricity Market (NEM). Operationally, it works closely with transmission and distribution network service providers in supporting project developers and equipment manufacturers through the application, registration, and commissioning phases of the project lifecycle to enable release to full operation. Reporting into the Manager Connections Reform this position will manage and coordinate AEMO’s activities in relation to major connection reform processes, with particular focus on delivering on regulatory obligations and development of Rule change submission. You will be working closely with AEMO’s regulatory specialists to deliver regulatory changes associated with AEMO’s review of technical requirements for connection, implementation of the system strength framework, and implementation of new services for registration. The position requires extensive stakeholder management and negotiation of agreed approaches across a variety of conflicting interests. Key stakeholders include State and Federal Governments, generation developers, Network Services Providers (NSPs), and industry associations such as the Clean Energy Council. Consultation and collaboration processes, and their design, will be key to the success of this role. It also requires the coordination of activities and outcomes with other parts of AEMO and industry partners to maximise the ability for this work to feed into other AEMO and industry processes, e.g. Connection Reform Initiatives, NSW and Qld REZ, Engineering Framework. This is an incredible opportunity to collaborate with government, stakeholders, and industry, responding to evolving needs. What you will be doing Develop and implement a delivery plan for AEMO’s activities on the different workstreams required to implement Rule changes/deliver AEMO’s regulatory obligations. In some workstreams, this will involve representing AEMO on industry working groups and coordinating with other workstreams to ensure an aligned outcome where these workstreams overlap. Allocate and manage resources to lead and deliver substantive changes to support implementation of Rule changes and delivery of AEMO’s regulatory obligations. The support should be timely, collaborative and respond to the sense of urgency expressed by industry or Government. Develop stakeholder management plans, in consultation with our Industry Partners, for the delivery of these initiatives, and lead stakeholder negotiations across a diverse set of stakeholders with conflicting interests. Build a service-oriented culture, based on client partnerships and close collaboration within AEMO and across industry. Lead a step-change improvement in AEMO’s technical collaboration with clients and the energy industry, and analysis/reporting methods and tools, to ensure proactive identification of common industry challenges, constructive and outcome-focused problem solving, as well as robust, transparent decision making. Prepare clear, concise, and high quality written and verbal communication to inform internal or external stakeholders on a range of issues for both technical and non-technical audiences. Proactively build AEMO’s reputation as a trusted partner to generation developers, original equipment manufacturers, Government, Network Service Providers, Market Participants, Customers and other stakeholders. What you will bring to the role Engineering, project management, or stakeholder management qualifications. Demonstrated experience in managing reform projects that require extensive stakeholder engagement and negotiation, as well as NER change management and implementation. Demonstrated experience in building and managing project teams - shaping a proactive and ownership-based team culture, fostering a service oriented, outcome-focused and pragmatic approach to problem solving. Demonstrated experience in shaping and delivering projects across a variety of stakeholders with conflicting interests, negotiating agreed outcomes, and delivering these on time and to budget. Experience in facilitating working groups and negotiating the resolution of complex issues across stakeholders with competing objectives and a variety of commercial and reputational drivers. Experience in managing a diverse set of matrixed resources with differing skill sets and objectives to achieve time and budget requirements. Understanding of the NER, the NEM, and the Rule change framework. Understanding of the challenges experiences by generation developers and their commercial drivers or constraints. In return some of our benefits to you Flexible working: work from home, part time, job share, hybrid options, and additional leave options Professional development via projects, industry networks, job rotation, study assistance and more. Give back with up to 4 days of volunteering leave per year. Reward your hard work with annual performance bonuses (subject to eligibility). Embrace a healthier you with our wellness program, discounted health insurance, gym perks and our comprehensive Employee Assistance Program (EAP). About Our Process AEMO values diversity and inclusivity in the workplace, welcoming applications from all backgrounds without regard to age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, parental status, race, or religion. We are dedicated to accommodating applicants' needs during the application or interview process, simply let the us know by emailing us at If you would like to know more about working at AEMO, please check out our careers page for more information.