The Project Manager role at NSW Public Works, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, is a strong opportunity for applicants with experience in delivering infrastructure projects across civil, water, wastewater, and community assets. Based in Queanbeyan, this role focuses on managing projects end-to-end across the South Coast, with responsibility for scope, program, risk, procurement, contracts and client relationships.
For applicants working out how to apply for a Project Manager, the key is to treat this as a practical delivery role with a strong stakeholder and commercial focus. It will suit someone who can manage multiple projects at once, work confidently with clients and community stakeholders, and keep time, cost and quality outcomes on track. You can view the official job ad here.
This is a temporary full-time role for two years, with multiple opportunities available. The total salary is from $129,464 to $142,665 plus superannuation and leave loading, and the work involves travel to project sites across the region, including occasional overnight stays.
NSW Government applications are assessed against both the application instructions and the role requirements. That means you need to submit the right documents in the right format, and your claims need to be backed by clear examples that show what you delivered, how you worked, and the results you achieved.
Contents
- Project Manager role snapshot
- NSW Government application requirements
- Application requirements for Project Manager
- NSW Government candidate requirements
- Candidate requirements for Project Manager at NSW Public Works, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
- Example application structure for Project Manager
- Help with your Project Manager application
NSW Public Works Project Manager Overview
| Role Title | Project Manager |
| Organisation / Entity | NSW Public Works (NSW PW), Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) |
| Job location | Queanbeyan |
| Work type | 2 years, Temporary full-time |
| Total remuneration package | Salary from $129,464 to $142,665 plus superannuation and leave loading |
| Closing date | 14 May 2026 at 11:55 pm |
| Official job ad | Read the full job ad |
NSW Government application requirements
Application requirements matter because they are used to screen applications for compliance before the panel looks closely at suitability. In NSW Government recruitment, a strong application needs to do two things at once: follow the instructions exactly and provide evidence that matches the role. When an ad sets document types or page limits, those instructions are part of the assessment process.
You need a 2-page cover letter
For this role, you need to submit a current resume and a cover letter. The cover letter has a maximum length of 2 pages, so it needs to be selective, well structured and evidence based.
The cover letter is the main document where you connect your experience to the role. Use it to show your background in infrastructure project delivery, your ability to manage multiple projects with clear time, cost and quality outcomes, and your experience with procurement, contracts, risk and stakeholder engagement.
This role also requires a valid NSW Driver’s Licence and willingness to travel to project sites across the region, including occasional overnight stays. Pre-employment checks include a national police check, a bankruptcy check, a health assessment, and any other required assessments. You can confirm the role details and apply through the official role page.
What to include in your 2-page cover letter
Candidate requirements are the skills, experience and capabilities the hiring manager wants to see addressed in your application. These points should shape the examples you choose in your cover letter and resume, because the panel will be looking for evidence that you have already done work at the level this role requires.
STAR Examples Needed for this Project Manager role
| Requirement or capability | How to demonstrate it |
|---|---|
| A background in engineering, construction, or major infrastructure project management | Show the settings you have worked in and the types of projects you have delivered. Give examples that make it clear you understand infrastructure delivery environments, project controls and the practical demands of managing complex works. |
| Experience managing multiple projects with defined time, cost and quality outcomes | Use a clear example of managing several projects or workstreams at once. Include the scale, competing priorities, how you tracked progress, and the results you achieved against deadlines, budgets and quality standards. |
| Knowledge of contract administration, procurement, and delivery risk management | Describe a project where you handled procurement, managed contracts or controlled delivery risks. Explain your role in planning, decision making, issue management and keeping the project commercially and operationally on track. |
| Strong communication skills with the ability to engage diverse client groups and community stakeholders | Provide an example that shows how you built trust with clients, contractors, community stakeholders or other project partners. Focus on how you communicated clearly, managed expectations and supported project progress through effective engagement. |
| A commitment to professional integrity, teamwork, and strong work ethic | Demonstrate how you work with others, take responsibility and maintain professional standards. A strong example would show reliability, sound judgement, collaboration and a consistent focus on delivering quality outcomes. |
| Relevant trade, post-trade or tertiary qualifications (engineering preferred; construction/project management considered) | State your qualification clearly and connect it to the work you have delivered. If your qualification supported your technical understanding, project delivery approach or credibility with clients and contractors, make that link explicit. |
| Demonstrated experience in civil, water, wastewater or similar infrastructure | Use examples from civil, water, wastewater or comparable infrastructure projects. Show the type of assets involved, your level of responsibility and the delivery outcomes you achieved. |
| A valid NSW Driver Licence and willingness to travel to project sites across the region (including occasional overnight stays) | Confirm this requirement directly in your application. Keep it brief and clear so the panel can see immediately that you can meet the travel expectations of the role. |
| a national police check, bankruptcy check, health assessment and/or other assessments as required | Confirm your willingness to complete these checks and assessments as part of the recruitment process. This is best stated clearly and directly rather than treated as a detailed example. |
Example 2-page cover letter structure for Project Manager application
This application requires a cover letter and resume, with the cover letter as the primary document. The maximum cover letter length is 2 pages, so you need to prioritise the strongest and most relevant evidence. The table below shows a practical way to organise the cover letter so each requirement is addressed clearly.
| Cover letter section | What to include |
|---|---|
| Opening paragraph | A strong value proposition. Explain what combination of infrastructure project delivery experience, technical background and stakeholder management skill makes you well suited to the Project Manager role at NSW Public Works. Keep this to one concise paragraph and align it to regional infrastructure delivery. |
| A background in engineering, construction, or major infrastructure project management | Briefly summarise your professional background and the project environments you know well. Focus on the kinds of infrastructure projects you have led and the level of responsibility you have held. |
| Experience managing multiple projects with defined time, cost and quality outcomes | Use one strong example that shows you managed several projects or competing priorities successfully. Include scale, delivery targets, how you monitored performance and the outcomes achieved. |
| Knowledge of contract administration, procurement, and delivery risk management | Show how you have managed procurement processes, contract administration and project risks in practice. A strong example will explain your role in keeping delivery commercially sound and operationally controlled. |
| Strong communication skills with the ability to engage diverse client groups and community stakeholders | Give an example of working with clients, community stakeholders or other external groups on an infrastructure project. Show how your communication supported trust, clarity and project progress. |
| A commitment to professional integrity, teamwork, and strong work ethic | Use a concise example that shows accountability, collaboration and professional standards in action. This could involve working through project pressure, supporting team delivery or handling a difficult issue responsibly. |
| Relevant trade, post-trade or tertiary qualifications (engineering preferred; construction/project management considered) | State your qualification clearly and connect it to your project delivery capability. Keep this short and factual. |
| Demonstrated experience in civil, water, wastewater or similar infrastructure | Include a project example from civil, water, wastewater or similar infrastructure that shows direct relevance to the portfolio. Focus on the asset type, your role and the delivery result. |
| A valid NSW Driver Licence and willingness to travel to project sites across the region (including occasional overnight stays) | Confirm this requirement directly in one short paragraph. State that you hold a valid NSW Driver Licence and are willing to travel across the region, including overnight stays where required. |
| a national police check, bankruptcy check, health assessment and/or other assessments as required | Confirm in one short paragraph that you are willing to complete the required pre-employment checks and assessments. |
| Closing paragraph | A short, confident conclusion reinforcing your suitability for the role. Re-state your fit for regional infrastructure delivery, client engagement and end-to-end project management, and express your interest in contributing to NSW Public Works. |
What the panel will want to see in your 2 page cover letter
- Clear evidence that you have delivered infrastructure projects with real responsibility for scope, time, cost and quality
- Examples that show you can manage procurement, contracts and delivery risk in a practical way
- Relevant project work in civil, water, wastewater or similar public infrastructure settings
- Strong stakeholder examples involving clients, contractors, community groups or other external parties
- Professional judgement, reliability and teamwork shown through specific actions and outcomes
- Concise examples with enough detail to prove your contribution, not broad statements about duties
Help with your Government Cover Letter
If you are preparing an application for this role, focus on making your cover letter do the heavy lifting. In two pages, you need to show that your background, project delivery experience, and stakeholder approach align with the work this role involves, while also confirming practical requirements such as travel and pre-employment checks.
It helps to keep the official job ad open while you draft so you can match your examples closely to what the panel is assessing. Your resume should support the story, but the cover letter is where you make the case clearly and directly.
If you want a starting point, use Team 3Thirty’s free NSW cover letter template. If you want practical one-on-one help, you can also get professional application writing support from a government hiring manager.
