Graduate Program (Jan 2026)

Whether your passion lies with matters of priority to the Government’s policy agenda, or whether you are motivated by providing exceptional corporate and enabling functions to provide critical support to our Department and the Government operation – PM&C has a role for you.

What We Do

PM&C delivers influential and independent advice to improve the lives of all Australians. 

• We serve the Prime Minister – who is invested in all areas of policy and delivery as leader of the Australian Government.
• We support the Cabinet – as a focal point of government decision-making.
• We assist our Secretary – who has a stewardship role as Head of the Australian Public Service (APS).

PM&C will be focused on the following Australian Government priorities over the next four years:

1. Growing our economy and creating jobs
2. Vibrant and resilient regions
3. Strengthening families and communities
4. Advancing Australia’s international interests and enhancing national security
5. Governing well
6. Preparing to respond to future critical issues

We add value to the Australian Government’s agenda by: 

• Influencing what matters, promoting a whole-of-government and whole-of-nation perspective, supporting good government, and leading through partnership.
• Bringing experts together – from across and beyond the public service – to work on matters of priority for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, including through taskforces.
• Enabling strategic policy work and over-the-horizon scanning on the big issues and prioritising capacity to contribute to the forward policy agenda in the context of day-to-day pressures.

We enable these outcomes through the delivery of exceptional and well-coordinated corporate services for PM&C and our shared corporate services clients.

Graduates in the 2025 Program will commence on a salary of $77086 and may advance through the Graduate Broadband to the APS4 level after 6 months. Graduates may be eligible for promotion to the APS5 level  with a salary of $91909 at the conclusion of the program. 

A role at PM&C offers: 

• an agile, respectful, dynamic, safe and inclusive workplace,
• attractive remuneration package including generous employer superannuation contributions,
• exciting and fulfilling work at the heart of government, contributing to improving the lives of all Australians, with career development and networking opportunities difficult to find elsewhere,
• the opportunity to work with strong, smart, visionary, and experienced leaders who encourage and support you to develop your interests and expertise and achieve your ambitions, and
• flexible working practices and an activity-based office with integrated technology to enable increased communication and collaboration, and encourage innovation.
• There is also a generous relocation assistance package to assist those successfully winning a role in the Graduate Program to make the move to Canberra.

The Opportunity

Based in Canberra, PM&C's 12-month Graduate Program (the Program) offers a range of experiences supporting the Prime Minister, Cabinet, portfolio ministers and assistant ministers, our Secretary, and senior leaders to improve the lives of all Australians through high-quality support and advice to the Government.

You will steer your career direction by choosing 3 or 4 of your own rotations over the 12-month Program. You will be very well supported to develop the foundational and specialist skills, knowledge, behaviours, and networks that you need to contribute at PM&C and in the APS to launch and progress your career.

Our Program invests in you so you can rapidly grow your skills through immersive experiences in your rotations across PM&C’s core areas and/or priority Government task forces, exposure to experienced leaders and networking, and continued formal learning. You will be supported to push yourself out of your comfort zone and take on new challenges.

A key benefit of the Program is that you are part of a well-connected peer group, from day one. You will be partnered with a buddy and more senior mentor to guide you, as well as work closely with your local supervisor and team in each rotation. The overall aim is to build your confidence and skills and tap into your fresh and diverse thinking so that we can deliver the best outcomes for all Australians.

No matter your academic background, you'll tackle meaningful challenges and bring your expertise to a range of challenges as you rotate through the Department. With opportunities for rapid growth and development, this program is the perfect platform to jumpstart your career and make a difference. For information on areas available for rotation, visit the PM&C Graduate Program.

Our Ideal Candidate

We seek graduates who are committed to improving the lives of all Australians. This shows up at work as being curious and driven, open to working on dynamic and emerging challenges and adapting to emerging Government priorities. 

Our graduates are driven and committed to working collaboratively with others to share diverse ideas, problem solve, offer their unique views and insights, and follow through with outcomes.

If this sounds like you, we welcome your application. There’s no one specific qualification or skill we are after, PM&C Graduates are diverse, with a variety of backgrounds, skills, and life experiences - just like the Australian community.

Identified Position

This vacancy is Identified, meaning eligible candidates are expected to address their cultural competency levels and their ability to relate to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples throughout the assessment process because the role/s may have strong involvement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The vacancy is open to all eligible candidates and is not restricted to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants. 

You may be required to attain cultural competency, including:

• understanding of the issues affecting Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples,
• ability to communicate sensitively and effectively with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, and
• willingness and commitment to continue to develop cultural competency.

Did you know?  
  
The 2025 PM&C Graduate program has both an affirmative measures disability and affirmative measures Indigenous recruitment process. What does this mean? Affirmative measures are vacancies designed to address the under-representation of people who identify as having a disability or as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders in the Australian Public Service (APS).
 
Eligibility 

To be eligible for this position you must:

• Have completed at least a three-year undergraduate bachelor's degree obtaining a credit average within the last eight years. All degrees must be completed by 31 December 2025 and be recognised in Australia.
• Be able to obtain and maintain an Australian Government security clearance to a minimum of Baseline level.
• Be an Australian citizen by 30 June 2025. You will need to provide evidence to verify impending citizenship.

The successful candidates will be assessed through our pre-employment screening checks, such as an Australian Criminal History Check, and will be subject to a probation period unless already been employed in the APS and have already served a probation period.

As all positions are located in Canberra, you must also be willing to relocate to participate in the program.

Please note that applications close at 10 am on April 15