project officer.

Some of the duties of a project officer include:

• working on the initial planning stages of a project: you work on all aspects of a project, providing support to the project manager. In the planning stages, you assist with the conception and actualisation by breaking the project into smaller achievable tasks. You also gather the resources required to start the project.
• scheduling and planning meetings: you check on the project's progress and prepare reports. You schedule meetings with the project teams to monitor their performance. Without a project manager, you attend meetings with executives to update them on the project's progress.
• hiring and coordinating workers: you are in charge of a team working on a particular aspect of the project. Your job is to select the best workers and assign tasks based on their skill sets. You stay in touch with your team and receive constant feedback on the project's progress. Supervising and coordinating team activities help you move the project forward.
• preparing documentation relating to a project: you complete most of the administrative tasks related to a project. That involves writing reports and making presentations on the project's progress. You also keep track of the receipts and budget. If the project is likely to exceed the budget, you find ways to reduce costs or organise additional funding.
• analysing the project: your job is to closely monitor the progress of the project activities to identify potential risks and problems. You can find solutions to the problems or report them to the project manager.
• acting as an assistant to the project manager: as a project officer, you assist the project manager by performing various administrative duties on their behalf. Some of the roles you perform include answering emails and attending meetings.

Since project officers work in different industries, the work environments are diverse. For instance, a project manager in a big corporation in finance or technology works in traditional office settings, spending significant time on computers or attending meetings. In the mining and construction industries, you are likely to work outdoors and visit construction or mining sites. Working outdoors exposes you to harsh weather elements, from extreme temperatures to dust and noise. Most outdoor work in project management also involves travelling to supervise projects at various sites. Hence, the role is usually hands-on, and it is challenging to work from home unless you focus entirely on administrative tasks.

Depending on your employer and the industry you work in, your colleagues might include construction managers, architects, project coordinators and project managers. You might also be working close to  to accountants and cost planners, as well as other specialists that could include, but not be limited to, software developers, web developers, data analysts, programmers and operations managers.

As a project officer, you are likely to have a full-time job with traditional office hours, from Monday to Friday, with occasional evening work. You may work weekends to catch up if the project is behind schedule.  As a project officer, you work the hours your industry is active. That means you sometimes work night shifts to complete network upgrades with minimal disruptions to regular business schedules. You are also called upon to deal with emergencies. Aside from full-time opportunities, project officers can work part-time and on short-term contracts.

Your career as a project officer provides numerous opportunities for upward progression. For instance, many project officers become project managers before moving to higher management roles. Due to your expertise in your preferred field, you have diverse growth opportunities. In the corporate world, you can become a programme manager or portfolio manager before transitioning to executive roles like chief executive officer or IT director.

Finding your project officer job through Randstad provides important advantages such as

• access to an experienced team of specialist recruiters 
• 25 years of experience in the Australian market
• a range of opportunities in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth 
• temporary and permanent contracts

Want a permanent contract? A temporary job as a project officer is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Every year, thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too.

Aside from educational qualifications, a project officer requires diverse skill sets to excel. Time management skills are vital for maintaining the project timeline, while organisational skills help you prioritise tasks. Since you juggle multiple responsibilities, you also require good multitasking skills.

Becoming a project officer requires determination and self-motivation. You will excel in the role if you are goal-driven and focused on achieving the set objectives. Creative thinking and leadership skills also characterise a good project officer.

As a project officer, you support project managers and are involved in all aspects of a project. Project managers develop project plans and oversee their overall implementation. They don't perform administrative tasks and minor project activities.

As a project officer, you have multiple career opportunities. Your career progression enables you to work at senior levels or specialise in particular roles in your preferred industry. You also enjoy an attractive salary.

Applying for a project officer job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our project officer job offers. Then simply send us your CV and cover letter. Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here.