Major Projects Director - Defence and Federal Infrastructure

GHD; Calgary; On-site; CAD 178,000 - 228,000; Full time

Job summary

GHD is seeking a highly experienced Major Projects Director to lead defence and federal infrastructure programs in Canada. The role requires senior leadership, exceptional stakeholder management, and the ability to guide multidisciplinary teams through all phases of project execution.

You will shape opportunities from pursuit through delivery, strengthen GHD's capability in large-scale program management, and drive governance, risk, and commercial strategies across national projects.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience delivering major infrastructure, defence, or federal programs.
• Experience leading large multidisciplinary teams in complex environments.
• Strong governance, controls, and risk management capabilities.
• Proven ability to manage budgets, schedules, and procurement strategies.

Responsibilities

• Lead major infrastructure programs from opportunity development through delivery and closeout.
• Provide executive leadership across multidisciplinary project teams.
• Establish program governance, delivery frameworks, and performance measures.
• Mentor and develop future project and program leaders.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Program governance

Commercial acumen

Risk management

Team leadership

Strategic planning

Education

Engineering/Construction/PM/Architecture degree

Job description

Job Description

Major Projects Director - Defence and Federal Infrastructure

Location: Canada (Flexible)

Who are we looking for?

GHD is seeking a highly experienced Major Projects Director - Defence and Federal Infrastructure to support the pursuit, development, and delivery of some of Canada's most significant and complex infrastructure programs.

This role is suited to a senior leader with a demonstrated history of delivering large-scale capital programs in challenging environments. The successful candidate will bring exceptional leadership, commercial acumen, stakeholder management expertise, and the ability to guide multidisciplinary teams through all phases of project execution.

Projects may include defence infrastructure , remote developments, and other nationally significant infrastructure initiatives involving complex logistics, multiple delivery partners, and significant stakeholder engagement.

This individual will play a key role in shaping major opportunities from strategic pursuit through delivery while helping strengthen GHD's capability in large-scale program management and infrastructure delivery.

Working with an energetic and high-performing team, this role will involve:

Program Leadership

Lead major infrastructure programs from opportunity development and pursuit through execution and closeout.

Provide executive leadership across complex multidisciplinary project teams.

Establish program governance, delivery frameworks, execution strategies, and performance measures.

Develop and implement risk management, commercial management, and stakeholder engagement strategies.

Client and Stakeholder Management

• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior client representatives, government officials, delivery partners, and project stakeholders.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships across complex stakeholder environments.
• Support major pursuits, presentations, interviews, and strategic growth initiatives.

Project Delivery Excellence

• Oversee the successful delivery of large-scale infrastructure programs with accountability for schedule, budget, risk, quality, and resourcing.
• Lead integrated teams operating within collaborative delivery, contracting models
• Provide strategic oversight of project controls, commercial performance, change management, procurement strategies, and program reporting.
• Guide delivery teams through complex operational, logistical, regulatory, and stakeholder challenges.

Leadership & Team Development

• Mentor and develop future project and program leaders.
• Help build and strengthen GHD's project delivery capability across Canada.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, safety, quality, and continuous improvement.

What you will bring to the team:

• Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, Architecture, or a related discipline.
• 15+ years of progressive experience leading major infrastructure, industrial, mining, transportation, energy, aviation, defence , or federal programs.
• Demonstrated success leading large multidisciplinary teams within highly complex project environments.
• Experience delivering major capital projects + 300 million
• Strong understanding of program governance, commercial management, project controls, risk management, and strategic delivery planning.
• Proven experience managing projects delivered through collaborative and alternative delivery models including Design-Build, Modified Design-Build, Progressive Design-Build.
• Experience delivering defence , federal, aviation, mining, industrial, energy, remote development, or other major infrastructure programs would be considered an asset.
• Experience delivering projects in remote, logistically challenging, operationally constrained, or geographically dispersed environments.

Preferred Experience

We are particularly interested in candidates who have experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Defence and federal infrastructure programs.
• Major mining developments and remote infrastructure programs.
• Large-scale transportation, transit, aviation, industrial, or energy projects.
• Remote, geographically dispersed, or logistically challenging project environments.
• Executive leadership roles on programs involving multiple stakeholders, partners, contractors, and large delivery teams.
• Strategic pursuit, mobilization, and delivery of major capital programs.

Success in this Role

The successful candidate will be a senior leader capable of operating at both the strategic and delivery levels. They will understand how to build and lead high-performing teams, manage complex stakeholder environments, and guide large infrastructure programs from pursuit through execution.

This individual will be recognized for their ability to lead complex programs, influence senior decision-makers , and create successful outcomes in challenging and dynamic environments.

The salary range for this position is $178,125 to $228,125. The posted salary range represents the expected hiring range for GHD locations in its major city centres. Ranges may vary for positions in other locations. At GHD, base salary is determined by your skills, experience, qualifications and work location. We are committed to offering competitive compensation and adhere to all relevant pay transparency legislation.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in recruiting is just getting started and may be used during the process to improve efficiency and fairness. Your application may be reviewed by both AI and our hiring team. While AI supports some steps through the process, all final hiring decisions are made by humans

As a diverse and inclusive organization, we encourage individual achievement and recognize the strength of a diverse workforce. GHD is an equal opportunity employer. Upon request, GHD will provide reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment and selection process.

This position is for an existing vacancy.

This is a national opportunity. While a specific office location may be listed in the posting, we are open to candidates being based from any GHD office across Canada.