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Project coordinator and project manager recruitment for regional employers

Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help councils, health services, builders, civil contractors, energy, mining and agribusiness employers across regional Australia hire project coordinators, project officers and project managers, from graduates to experienced people. We match the type and size of your projects, the systems you run and whether the person works on site or in the office.

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Illustrative image: two colleagues review plans and a tablet beside regional bridge works.

Project hiring at a glance

Project roles are more regional than most office jobs suggest, and much of the coordination work sits in councils and health services.1

of construction manager job ads are outside the major cities
18.0%
684 of 3,807 ads a month, three months to September 2026. Construction project managers are rated in regional shortage.1,3
of contract, program and project administrator job ads are outside the major cities
17.8%
362 of 2,036 ads a month over the same period.1
of project coordinators and administrators work in public administration and safety
26.4%
Plus 11.6% in health care and social assistance. 2021 data.2

What do project coordinators and project managers do, and which qualifications do they hold?

Project coordinators plan and administer programs, special projects and support services; "project coordinator" is the recognised alternative title for a program or project administrator. The role also covers contract administration, managing variations, paperwork and the link between project managers, engineers and owners.6 About 102,100 people worked in the occupation in 2021.2

Construction project managers plan, organise and coordinate building and engineering projects and monitor time, cost, quality, budget and risk. Most hold a bachelor degree, though five years of relevant experience can substitute.7 The current national qualifications for coordinators are the Certificate IV in Project Management Practice (BSB40920) and the Diploma of Project Management (BSB50820).8,9

Do project coordinators or project managers need a licence or registration?

Project coordination needs no licence. A construction project manager who supervises building work can need one, depending on the state and the work.

Licences, registrations, certifications and checks that apply to project coordination and project management, by jurisdiction. Checked 1 November 2026.

JurisdictionLicence, registration or certificationWhen it applies
All states and territoriesNo occupational licence or registration2Project coordination and administration
All states and territoriesRegistration or licensing may be required2Construction project managers, depending on the state and the work
QueenslandQBCC licence in the relevant class10An employee who is the nominee or site supervisor, responsible for overseeing building work
All states and territoriesGeneral construction induction (White Card)11Anyone working on a construction site
QueenslandCoal mine worker health assessment12Project staff working at Queensland coal mines
All states and territoriesAIPM RegPM certification (CPPP, CPPM and senior levels)13Voluntary; some employers and government panels ask for it

What do project coordinators and project managers earn?

Where the Clerks – Private Sector Award 2020 covers a project coordination role, the minimum from 1 July 2026 is $1,241.40 a week ($32.67 an hour) at Level 4 and $1,291.80 a week at Level 5. The award covers private-sector employees mainly doing clerical work, but not where the employer's own award has clerical classifications.5

Median full-time earnings in May 2025 were $2,130 a week for contract, program and project administrators, $3,751 for construction managers and $3,310 for ICT managers, against $1,852 for all occupations.14 These are national medians.

Where are project coordinators and managers in demand?

Construction Project Manager is rated in shortage in regional areas only on the 2026 list. Program or Project Administrator and ICT Project Manager are not rated in shortage.3

Outside the major cities, 684 construction manager ads and 362 project administrator ads ran each month in the three months to September 2026. Northern Australia alone had 179 and 107.1

Online job ads a month by state and territory, three-month average to September 2026 and a year earlier, rounded to whole ads. State figures include the capital cities.4

State or territoryContract, program and project administratorsA year earlierConstruction managers
New South Wales5595861,151
Queensland478466988
Victoria442434794
Western Australia336321490
South Australia143136261
Australian Capital Territory6680134
Northern Territory333046
Tasmania192134
Australia2,0772,0743,897

What should you tell us about a project role?

The projects (capital works, grant-funded programs, construction, shutdowns or IT), their size and stage, who the person reports to and who reports to them, and their financial delegation.

Also the methodology and systems you use (MS Project, Primavera P6, Aconex, your finance or asset system), whether certification such as RegPM or PMP is essential, the site and office split, and any building licence the role needs.

How we help you hire project coordinators and managers

You make the hiring decision and employ the person directly. We handle the search and the organising in between.

  1. Step 1

    Understand the role

    We talk with you about your projects, the stage they are at, the authority the role carries, the licences and certifications it needs and the experience you expect.

  2. Step 2

    Source and screen

    We talk with candidates about the projects they have run or supported, budgets and stakeholders, the systems they use and whether your location and site pattern suit them.

  3. Step 3

    Introduce suitable people

    We introduce the candidates who best match your brief, so you decide who to interview.

  4. Step 4

    Coordinate the hire

    We coordinate the next steps and keep both sides informed through interviews and the offer. You employ the person directly.

Can you recruit project staff for site-based, FIFO or relocation roles?

Yes. Regional project roles range from council offices with site visits to camp-based construction and resources projects on fly-in fly-out or drive-in drive-out rosters. Tell us the roster, where the work starts, the accommodation and the relocation support you offer, and we build them into the search.

Project work often follows funding cycles and construction programs, so tell us the start date and how long the project runs. If the right person needs a visa or sponsorship, our sister business Australian Immigration Agency can advise.

Looking for project work in the regions?

If you coordinate or manage projects, register with Hire Australia. Tell us the projects you have worked on, their size, the systems and certifications you hold and where you would like to work, and we will talk with you about roles that fit.

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Talk to us about your next project hire

Tell us the role, the projects, the location and when you need the person to start.

Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment.

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A FEW PRACTICAL QUESTIONS

Good to know.

Which project roles does Hire Australia recruit?

Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We recruit project coordinators, project officers, contract administrators and project managers for regional councils, health services, builders, civil contractors and resources and energy employers. We search for graduates through to experienced managers, and build your projects, systems and site arrangements into the search from the first conversation.

Is there a shortage of project managers in Australia?

Construction Project Manager is rated in shortage in regional areas on the 2026 shortage list, though not in the capital cities. Program or project administrators and ICT project managers are not rated in shortage.3 Hire Australia tells you early how hard your role is likely to be, and searches beyond local applicants.

What does a project coordinator earn?

Median full-time earnings were $2,130 a week for contract, program and project administrators in May 2025.14 Where the Clerks – Private Sector Award covers the role, Level 4 is at least $1,241.40 a week from 1 July 2026.5 Hire Australia discusses your pay range with candidates early in the search.

Do project managers need a licence?

Project coordination needs no licence.2 A construction project manager may, depending on the state and the work. In Queensland, an employee who is the nominee or site supervisor must hold a QBCC licence in the relevant class.10 Hire Australia builds any licence the role needs into the search.

Does Hire Australia supply labour hire or temporary staff?

No. Hire Australia recruits people you employ directly, in permanent roles. We don’t supply labour hire or temps, and candidates never work on our payroll. We search for and screen people for your vacancy, introduce the ones who fit, and you make the offer and employ them. That keeps the working relationship between you and your new employee from day one.

What does it cost to use Hire Australia?

Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment. You employ the person directly, and we agree the terms with you in writing before the search begins. The same terms apply whether Hire Australia recruits a project coordinator or a senior project manager.

Sources (14)

  1. Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, ANZSCO 4-digit occupations by JSA remoteness and Northern Australia classification, September 2026. Released October 2026. Data: three months to September 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  2. Jobs and Skills Australia, OSCA Occupation data - 2021 Census. Released July 2026. Data: 2021 Census. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  3. Jobs and Skills Australia, 2026 Occupation Shortage List (6-digit ANZSCO and OSCA). Files dated October 2026. Data: 2026 ratings. National ratings; S = shortage, R = regional shortage. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  4. Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, ANZSCO 4-digit occupations by state and territory, September 2026. Released October 2026. Data: three months to September 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  5. Fair Work Commission, Clerks - Private Sector Award 2020 [MA000002], clauses 4 and 16.1 and Schedule A. Data: from 1 July 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  6. Australian Bureau of Statistics, ANZSCO 2022, unit group 5111 Contract, Program and Project Administrators. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  7. Australian Bureau of Statistics, ANZSCO 2022, unit group 1331 Construction Managers. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  8. training.gov.au, BSB40920 Certificate IV in Project Management Practice. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  9. training.gov.au, BSB50820 Diploma of Project Management. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  10. Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC), When you need a licence. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  11. Safe Work Australia, Working on a construction site (White Card). Accessed 28 October 2026. Back to text ↑
  12. Resources Safety and Health Queensland, ResHealth: Coal Mine Workers Health Scheme health assessments. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  13. Australian Institute of Project Management, RegPM certification. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  14. Jobs and Skills Australia, Occupation data - February 2026. Released March 2026. Data: May 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑