Project Director - South Australia

Laing O'Rourke; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 250,000 - 350,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

In-house training programs and on-the‑

Six months paid parental leave

Volunteering leave

Exclusive discounts across hundreds of

Job summary

Laing O’Rourke is seeking a Project Director to join our AUKUS team in Osborne, SA, delivering the Nuclear-Powered Submarine Construction Yard program. You will lead a multidisciplinary team and drive safety, quality, programme, commercial and client outcomes across the lifecycle from design through to handover.

You will work within a high-regulation defence environment, build strong relationships with clients, JV partners and government stakeholders, and ensure governance compliance.

Qualifications

• Degree in Engineering or related discipline.
• Extensive experience delivering major infrastructure projects.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage complex governance.
• Ability to develop and execute delivery strategies.
• Australian citizen with ability to obtain NV1 clearance.

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.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic planning

Programme management

Education

Engineering degree

Construction Management

Project Management qualification

Job description

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 - Benefits & Rewards

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.