Kellie Jenkins proudly applies her skills and experience through an eight-year military career to ensure those who are still serving have the best reliable and serviceable equipment to carry out their missions.
Kellie’s experience in the defence industry began when she joined the army in 2006 where she served for nearly eight years. During that time, Kellie was deployed on two operations, the first was Operation Astute to Timor-Leste in 2008 as part of the 3rd Combat Services Support Battalion, and the second was Operation Slipper in 2012 to Tarin Kowt in Afghanistan with the Special Operation Task Group.
“I am a patriot at heart and believe Australia’s values are worth defending” says Kellie.
Kellie’s grandfathers also served, one during World War II in the Middle East and the other in South Korea as part of a UN Peacekeeping Force.
Kellie joined NSM in May 2012 where she undertook a role as a Task Material List Officer (TMLO – material expediter). In 2016, when NSM joined the Warship Asset Management Alliance (WAMA), Kellie then moved into the procurement team where she worked as an inventory support officer, conducing procurement of Government Furnished Equipment and inventory control tasks. Kellie then stepped up to lead the combat systems team in June 2017 before undertaking her current role as Procurement Manager in December 2018.
NSM’s Strategic Procurement function enables industry engagement by working with SME’s and other contractors in the Australian industry to bring the right mix of capabilities to deliver the best solution to the Commonwealth.
Kellie’s current role covers the supplier engagement, vendor allocation, contract negotiation, stakeholder engagement and stakeholder management across both the WAMA’s ANZAC Class platforms and the LHD and LLC platforms as part of the Asset Class Prime Contract (ACPC).
In simple terms, Kellie’s role ensures those who are still serving have the best reliable and serviceable equipment with minimal down time due to maintenance.
“It’s the people that drive me out of bed every day. I’m so grateful to be working with such a committed and supportive team.
But also knowing what I do has an outcome or effect on national security at some level also gives me a buzz. I feel like I’m contributing to society.”
While previously completing her studies in a Bachelor of Business (Logistics and Supply Chain Management), Kellie’s desire to learn has continued where she has recently been accepted to study Law at the University of Notre Dame in Fremantle, WA.
“I really enjoy the legal and commercial aspects of my role the most, and by taking up a law degree I’ll be able to add further value to NSM’s Strategic Procurement function while providing me with a broadened skill set to fulfil my long term professional goals” says Kellie.
