What's your job about?
Rheinmetall is a defence contractor that manufactures tanks, armoured vehicles, weapons systems and much more. I work in the legal and commercial teams, which are responsible for managing contracts with the Government, intellectual property and trade compliance. Specifically, I am working in contract management for projects other than Land 400 Phase 2. Many of these projects are not ‘public’, so I cannot talk about them (but trust me, they are cool).
General tasks that I undertake throughout the course of a project include: responding to heaps of Government documents surrounding tenders and things like that, negotiating with contract managers who work for the Government and liaising with an impressive multidisciplinary team. For me to do my job well, I need input from people in a vast array of professions, such as engineers, project managers and salespeople. I never knew that it would be possible to learn so much in such a short period of time.
What's your background?
I grew up and still live in Redcliffe, Queensland. Living in a coastal suburb, I have been fortunate enough to be exposed to so many activities that are now my hobbies such as stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking and fishing.
The most important stages of my life were those spent road-tripping around Australia, particularly South Australia and Queensland. These experiences instilled a great sense of pride in my country, a genuine care for Australians from all walks of life and a profound appreciation for Australia’s beauty in me from a young age. I think these experiences are what make me love my role at Rheinmetall – because it brings me so much pride to feel like I am contributing to the safety of Australian personnel at home and abroad.
I was always a logical thinker, and I believe that law school reinforced this way of thinking; however, I thought that the legal solution was sometimes inflexible and very adversarial (not win-win, one winner and a loser). It has been great working in a commercial role at Rhienmetall, where I am tasked with prioritising business solutions over legal solutions. Business solutions are often win-win and better for everybody involved.
I got my position with Rheinmetall by studying law and applying for the role on LinkedIn. I have been working here since January 2023, but have known my team since November 2022.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Absolutely. The legal and commercial team is made up of people who are lawyers, engineers, veterans and businesspeople. I think the main characteristics of my job are: attention to detail, a positive attitude toward learning and the ability to listen. To work at Rheinmetall generally, I think that you should be able to laugh at yourself and have a genuine passion for Australia and her interests.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
I love being able to rock up every day and work with technology that others don’t even know exists. I love feeling like I have made a difference; when we win a bid, knowing that I have created work for hundreds of my mates in the production and engineering buildings, and knowing that we are keeping soldiers safe in the process.
What are the limitations of your job?
When the work is on, it’s on. You need to be able to identify when people are stressed and work around them; you need to recognise that if they say something that can come across as a bit harsh, it’s not about you, it’s often the stressors that they face and that they’re lashing out.
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