Project Director

Laing O'Rourke; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

In-house training programs and on-the‑

Parental leave six months paid

Additional purchased leave options

Exclusive retailer discounts

Job summary

Laing O’Rourke is seeking a Project Director to join our AUKUS team delivering Australia’s Defence Infrastructure programs in South Australia. You will lead a multidisciplinary team, shaping delivery strategy from design through commissioning, ensuring safety, schedule, quality and client outcomes.

You will bring extensive experience in major infrastructure/defence projects, strong commercial acumen, and exceptional executive stakeholder engagement.

Qualifications

• Degree qualified in Engineering, Construction Management or Project Management.
• Extensive experience delivering major infrastructure and defence projects.
• Proven ability to lead large multidisciplinary teams and complex governance.
• Strong commercial and financial management of large budgets.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement at executive level.
• Australian citizenship and NV1 level clearance eligibility.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and direction for successful project delivery.
• Develop and execute delivery strategies for safe, efficient and profitable outcomes from design through commissioning.
• Lead multidisciplinary project leadership team, fostering accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Drive project performance through effective management of programme, cost, risk, resources and delivery activities.
• Build and maintain relationships with clients, JV partners, government stakeholders and industry partners.
• Ensure delivery complies with contractual, regulatory and governance requirements while maintaining safety and quality.
• Identify and manage project risks and opportunities with proactive mitigation strategies.
• Act as the senior representative, engaging with client executives on strategic delivery matters.
• Champion safety, inclusion, wellbeing and high performance across all project teams.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic thinking

Risk management

Financial acumen

Team development

Contract management

Communication

Education

Engineering/Construction/PM degree

Job description

Benefits

At the heart of Laing O’Rourke is our commitment to helping our people do their best work and grow meaningful, fulfilling careers. Through exceptional development opportunities, wellbeing support, and employee benefits, we empower our teams to succeed.
We celebrate diversity and welcome applications from First Nations Peoples and candidates from culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Our industry-leading benefits include:

• In-house training programs and on-the-job skill development.
• Industry-leading parental leave giving all employees access to six months paid parental leave at full pay.
• Additional purchased leave options, and access to volunteering leave.
• Exclusive discounts and savings across hundreds of retailers across Australia.

Head to our benefits page here -

About the Project

At Laing O’Rourke, you won’t just build projects, you’ll help shape the future. As a $6 billion privately owned global engineering and manufacturing-led construction leader, we deliver some of the nation’s most complex infrastructure, from transport networks to defence and utilities.

Be part of Australia’s largest-ever defence infrastructure program

Laing O’Rourke, with joint venture partner Amentum Australia, will play a central role in supporting Australian Naval Infrastructure (ANI) to develop and deliver the Nuclear-Powered Submarine Construction Yard (NPSCY) project at Osborne, South Australia. We will provide program and construction management services of nuclear related civil infrastructure, site‑wide nuclear licensee development expertise, and nuclear safety leadership. We are currently seeking a Project Director to join our AUKUS team.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and direction for the successful delivery of the project, ensuring performance across safety, quality, programme, commercial and client objectives.
• Develop and execute project delivery strategies that support the safe, efficient and profitable delivery of project outcomes from design through to commissioning and handover.
• Lead and inspire a multidisciplinary project leadership team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Drive project performance through effective management of programme, cost, risk, resources and operational delivery activities.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, Joint Venture partners, government stakeholders, supply chain partners and industry representatives.
• Ensure project delivery complies with contractual, statutory, regulatory and governance requirements while maintaining the highest standards of safety and quality.
• Lead the identification and management of project risks and opportunities, ensuring proactive mitigation strategies are implemented to support successful delivery outcomes.
• Act as the senior representative for the project, leading engagement with client executives and key stakeholders on strategic delivery matters.
• Champion a culture of safety, inclusion, wellbeing and high performance across all project teams.

About You

• Degree qualified in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management or a related discipline.
• Extensive experience leading the delivery of major infrastructure, defence, transport, energy, resources or complex construction projects.
• Demonstrated success in leading large multidisciplinary teams and delivering projects within complex stakeholder and governance environments.
• Proven ability to develop and execute project delivery strategies that achieve safety, commercial, programme and client outcomes.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience managing large project budgets, contracts, risk, opportunities and financial performance.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate at executive level.
• Strong leadership capability with a track record of building, mentoring and developing high-performing teams.
• Exceptional communication, negotiation and decision-making skills, with the ability to lead confidently in a fast-paced and highly regulated environment.
• Experience delivering projects within Defence, Nuclear, Utilities or other highly regulated sectors will be highly regarded.
• Applicants must be Australian citizens and hold or be able to obtain an Australian Defence Security Clearance to NV1 level.