Defence Growth Director – Canberra

AECO; Canberra; Hybrid; AUD 200,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work options

Job summary

AECOM in Canberra is seeking a Defence Growth Director to lead client engagement with Defence decision-makers and shape pursuit strategy across national security landscapes.

This role requires someone with an established Defence network and the ability to turn relationships into commercial growth, including collaboration with global Defence teams and key OEMs.

Qualifications

• A strong, established network across Australian Defence decision-makers, primes, OEMs, and the broader Defence community in Canberra.
• Ideally, a background in the Australian Defence Force (Navy, Army or Air Force), or significant experience working alongside Defence in a civilian capacity.
• Credibility that opens doors—the ability to walk into a room as a trusted advisor, not a vendor.
• Commercial acumen and the strategic mindset to translate relationships and market knowledge into bookings, pursuits and revenue growth.
• The influence, communication skill and integrity to represent AECOM as an industry leader.
• Australian citizenship and eligibility for an Australian Government security clearance preferred (AUKUS citizenship and security clearance will also be considered).

Responsibilities

• Lead client engagement with Defence decision-makers, including DoD, AUKUS and Defence OEMs around Canberra.
• Translate relationships and market insight into bookings, pursuits and revenue growth.
• Collaborate with Account Director, Sector Directors and Strategic Pursuit Managers to secure Enterprise Critical Pursuits.
• Represent AECOM at Defence industry forums and conferences.

Skills

Strong Defence network

Job description

• State/Province: Australian Capital Territory
• Business Group: DCS
• Legal Entity: AECOM Australia Pty Ltd
• Business Line: B&P - Buildings & Places
• Work Location Model: Hybrid
• Operating Group: International
• Primary Location: AU - Canberra, ACT

Company Description

Work with Us. Change the World.

At AECOM, we're delivering a better world. Whether improving your commute, keeping the lights on, providing access to clean water, or transforming skylines, our work helps people and communities thrive. We are the world's trusted infrastructure consulting firm, partnering with clients to solve the world’s most complex challenges and build legacies for future generations.

There has never been a better time to be at AECOM. With accelerating infrastructure investment worldwide, our services are in great demand. We invite you to bring your bold ideas and big dreams and become part of a global team of over 50,000 planners, designers, engineers, scientists, digital innovators, program and construction managers and other professionals delivering projects that create a positive and tangible impact around the world.

We're one global team driven by our common purpose to deliver a better world. Join us.

Job Description

Open doors. Build relationships. Grow AECOM's Defence business at the heart of it all.

The Opportunity

AECOM is looking for a Defence Growth Director to lead our client engagement, market positioning and pursuit strategy across Canberra's Defence and national security landscape.

This is a rare opportunity for someone who has walked the halls of Defence whether in uniform or alongside it to turn that network, credibility and market insight into real growth for a global infrastructure leader. You'll be the face of AECOM to Defence decision-makers acrossthe Department, Defence, Intelligence Agencies and our OEM partners, opening doors that only genuine relationships and trust can open.

If you're a veteran, ex-Navy, ex-Army, ex-Air Force or someone who has spent your career embedded in Defence and built a strong network across it, this role is built for you. We're not looking for someone who can learn Defence. We're looking for someone who already is Defence, and who's ready to bring that experience into a commercial growth role with real influence and real reward.

What You'll Do

Lead client engagement with key Defence decision-makers, including

• DoD (SEG, NSSG & DDA), AUKUS (ASA, ANI & SEG) and Defence OEMs and primes based in and around Canberra.
• Maintain deep market knowledgeof the Canberra Defence landscape AUKUS, capability acquisition and sustainment programs, and National Defence Strategy priorities to shape pursuit and capture strategy.
• Partner with the Account Director, Sector Directors and Strategic Pursuit Managers to secure Enterprise Critical Pursuits (ECPs) and Tier 2 pursuits tied to national Defence growth priorities.
• Represent AECOM at Defence industry forums, conferences and community events be the trusted, familiar face in the room.
• Feed client insight and delivery learnings back into pursuit strategy, sharpening how AECOM shows up for Defence clients.
• Apply best-practice capture processes tailored to Defence procurement go/no-go decisions, pre-positioning, capture planning, proposals, security/probity requirements, risk and governance
• Collaborate globally, working with AECOM's US and UK Defence teams to bring the best of AUKUS opportunities and leverage global OEM relationships

Qualifications

What You'll Bring

• A strong, established network across Australian Defence decision-makers, primes, OEMs, and the broader Defence community in Canberra.
• Ideally, a background in the Australian Defence Force (Navy, Army or Air Force), or significant experience working alongside Defence in a civilian capacity.
• Credibility that opens doors the ability to walk into a room as a trusted advisor, not a vendor.
• Commercial acumen and the strategic mindset to translate relationships and market knowledge into bookings, pursuits and revenue growth.
• The influence, communication skill and integrity to represent AECOM as aindustry leader, someone clients call first.
• Australian citizenship and eligibility for an Australian Government security clearance preferred. AUKUS citizenship and security clearance will also be considered

Why AECOM

AECOM is one of the world's trusted infrastructure partners to Defence, playing a central role in Australia's naval shipbuilding, capability acquisition and AUKUS programs. This role sits at the intersection of national priority and personal opportunity the chance to represent a global company, back your own network, and be rewarded for the relationships you've spent a career building.

This isn't a desk job. It's a growth and influence role for someone who already knows how Defence works, who already has the trust of the people who matter, and who's ready to turn that into commercial impact.

Additional Information

Ready to bring your network, your credibility and your Defence experience to a role built around it?

At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.

AECOM acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the landson which we, our clients and our communities live and workaround Australia.We pay our respects to their cultures and to their Elders — past, present, and emerging. We are committed to connecting to Country in our work through meaningful engagement with First Nations peoples and businesses.Find out more about our Australian Reconciliation Action Plan here:https://aecom.com/au/our-vision-for-reconciliation/.

About AECOM

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options.Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion – a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation and benefits programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We also provide a robust global well-being program. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility.As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.

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