Operational Maintenance and Support Manager

About the role

A leading Australian-owned Defence systems engineering company, recruited through Randstad, is looking for an Operational Maintenance and Support Manager to lead integrated support, maintenance and logistics for critical Defence capabilities. The role is based in Adelaide or Newcastle and involves managing a geographically dispersed technical team so that communications, simulation and training systems remain operationally ready, safe and reliable.

Key responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end operational and maintenance support for complex fixed and deployable communications, simulation and training systems.
• Manage scheduled, preventative, corrective and reactive maintenance to maximise system availability and readiness.
• Lead, mentor and coordinate a multidisciplinary team of technical specialists and field service representatives across several sites.
• Act as the main sustainment interface with Commonwealth Defence, build trusted relationships and take part in governance forums.
• Oversee Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) across the product lifecycle, including spares, inventory and obsolescence management.
• Drive budget targets, service-level agreements (SLAs) and contractual performance KPIs.
• Coordinate technical investigations, root cause analysis and system upgrades.
• Ensure compliance with quality, safety, security and Defence regulatory standards.

Required profile

• 5+ years managing operational maintenance, sustainment or support for complex Defence systems.
• Proven leadership of multidisciplinary technical teams and field service operations.
• Experience in Communications, Command and Control, Simulation, Training or Mission Systems environments.
• Tertiary qualification in Operations Management, Engineering, Electronics, Logistics, IT or a related field.
• Australian citizenship is strictly required; ability to obtain and hold an Australian Government Defence security clearance at minimum NV1 (NV2 highly desirable).
• Willingness to travel domestically for customer operations, exercises and deployed activities.

The position is full-time. Applications are made through the recruiter, Randstad.