The NSW Department of Education is recruiting Project Officers in Early Childhood Outcomes, with one ongoing role and one temporary role to 30 June 2028. Based in Newcastle with flexible working, the Grade 7/8 positions support policy, reform and technical initiatives across the early childhood education and care sector.
If you are researching how to apply for Project Officer, your cover letter needs to show how you turn research and stakeholder input into organised project delivery. This role also supports childcare staff and software providers with technical application issues, so examples that combine policy awareness, service thinking and practical problem-solving will be useful.
The application has clear document limits: a cover letter of no more than two pages and a resume of no more than five pages. Use that space to show your contribution to policy, reform, implementation or service improvement rather than providing a general account of your duties.
View the official Project Officer vacancy.
Your application checklist
- Check the role details
- Prepare the required documents
- Choose the right evidence
- Structure your application
- Get application support
Project Officer role snapshot
| Organisation | NSW Department of Education, Early Childhood Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Location | Newcastle, with flexible working |
| Classification | Clerk Grade 7/8 |
| Salary | $116,981 to $129,492 plus superannuation |
| Employment | One ongoing full-time role and one temporary full-time role to 30 June 2028 |
| Applications close | Sunday 13 September 2026 at 11:59pm |
| Job reference | 597474 |
What you need to submit
- A cover letter of no more than two pages.
- A resume of no more than five pages.
- Complete all required fields in the online application.
Essential role requirements
- A relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent experience.
- Meet the work-right requirements for the appointment.
- Be prepared for criminal history and Working with Children Check requirements.
Evidence to prepare before you write
| What the role needs | Evidence you could use |
|---|---|
| Policy or reform support | A project where you researched an issue, analysed options and helped implement a policy, program or service change. |
| Project coordination | An example showing plans, milestones, risks, records, reporting and delivery across several contributors. |
| Stakeholder engagement | Work with service providers, sector representatives, internal specialists or communities to clarify needs and reach an outcome. |
| Written advice | A brief, report or executive update that made complex information clear and decision-ready. |
| Technical support | A situation where you diagnosed a system or process problem, guided users and improved the experience or resolution pathway. |
A practical way to structure your application
Use the two-page cover letter to present a concise case for fit rather than repeating your resume. Choose examples that show both organised project delivery and confidence working with policy, sector or technical stakeholders. Keep the five-page resume targeted to relevant achievements and make your tertiary qualification or equivalent experience easy to find.
| Section | What to cover |
|---|---|
| Opening | Name the role, explain your interest in early childhood outcomes and summarise your project strengths. |
| Policy or reform example | Show how your research, coordination and advice supported a practical change or decision. |
| Stakeholder or support example | Show how you resolved a service, system or implementation issue for users and partners. |
| Closing | Connect your skills to the branch’s reform and service-delivery priorities. |
What the panel will want to see in your examples
- Your direct contribution and the decisions you made.
- How you kept delivery moving across deadlines and dependencies.
- Clear communication with people who had different levels of technical or policy knowledge.
- How you used evidence or user feedback to improve the approach.
- A result for the project, service or stakeholder group.
Help with your Project Officer application
Read the full vacancy and confirm every application field before you submit: Project Officer, job reference 597474.
If you want help fitting your strongest project evidence within the document limits, request Team 3Thirty application support.