Project Director - Minerals and Metals

Ausenco; Calgary; Hybrid; CAD 220,000 - 270,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Career advancement

Parental leave benefits

Job summary

Ausenco in Canada is seeking a Project Director to lead major mining EPCM projects from engineering through construction and closeout. You will manage large multidisciplinary teams across remote sites, ensure safety, quality and performance, and report to senior client stakeholders.

The role requires extensive EPC/EPCM experience, FIFO operations, and a strong commercial mindset. You establish objectives, governance and delivery plans while mentoring teams in a world-class safety culture.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related discipline required; P.Eng. desirable.
• PMP certification considered an asset.
• Minimum 25 years of mining project delivery experience; 15+ years in senior leadership.
• Extensive EPC/EPCM project experience and remote FIFO/mining operations.
• Strong leadership, communication and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership for large mining and minerals EPCM projects.
• Set objectives, execution strategies, governance, and performance expectations.
• Ensure delivery aligns with contracts, standards, and client expectations.
• Lead multi-disciplinary site teams and maintain client relationships.
• Report progress on cost, schedule, safety, quality, and risk to executives.
• Oversee procurement, contract administration and change management.
• Champion safety, regulatory compliance and environmental stewardship.
• Mentor and develop project teams and foster collaboration across functions.

Skills

Executive leadership

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Decision making

Coaching & mentoring

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Construction Management or related discipline

Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) designation

Project Management Professional (PMP) certification

Job description

If you're like us, you don't have much time for the way things are.

Ausenco is a global company redefining what's possible. Our team is based across 22 offices in 9 countries, with projects in over 80 locations worldwide. Combining our deep technical expertise with a 30-year track record, we deliver innovative, value-add consulting studies, project delivery, asset operations and maintenance solutions to the mining & metals, oil & gas, and industrial sectors.

Join our team and be part of an exciting execution-phase project in the North American mining industry. You'll play a key role in critical project phases, from Basic Engineering and Detailed Engineering to Construction, gaining hands-on experience across a variety of commodities. This is your opportunity to make a real impact in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.

We are seeking an accomplished Project Director to lead the successful delivery of major mining and minerals projects from Engineering through construction and project closeout. This is a senior leadership role and is responsible for the overall execution of large, complex EPCM projects in remote locations and challenging environments, including cold climate operations.

About the role

• Provide overall leadership and accountability for the successful delivery of large mining and minerals projects.
• Establish project objectives, execution strategies, governance processes and performance expectations.
• Ensure project execution aligns with contractual obligations, company standards and client expectations.
• Foster a high-performance culture focused on safety, collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.

• Make strategic decisions to maintain project performance while effectively managing changing project priorities.

• Act as the primary interface between the client and project delivery organization.
• Develop and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with client representatives and senior stakeholders.
• Provide regular executive-level reporting on project progress, cost, schedule, safety, quality and risk.
• Lead steering committee meetings, executive reviews and governance forums.
• Manage commercial discussions relating to scope changes, project risks, claims and dispute resolution where required.

• Ensure client satisfaction throughout all phases of project execution.

• Provide leadership to large multidisciplinary site teams including:
  • Project Managers
  • Construction Managers
  • Site Managers
  • Project Engineers
  • Field Engineers
  • Commissioning Teams
  • QA/QC Teams
  • HSE Teams
  • Planning and Controls
  • Contracts and Commercial Teams
• Ensure contractor performance meets contractual, safety, quality and productivity expectations.

• Resolve major construction issues while minimizing impacts to project objectives.

• Maintain accountability for overall project financial performance.
• Review project forecasts earned value metrics, cash flow and cost reporting.
• Identify commercial risks and implement mitigation strategies.

• Review contract variations, claims and change management processes.

• Ensure effective procurement and contract administration throughout the project lifecycle.

• Champion a world-class safety culture with visible leadership in the field.
• Promote compliance with all applicable health, safety, environmental and regulatory requirements.
• Lead incident investigations and ensure effective implementation of corrective actions.
• Ensure critical project risks are identified, assessed and actively managed.

• Promote environmental stewardship and sustainability initiatives.

• Ensure project quality objectives are achieved throughout execution.
• Support implementation of project quality plans and inspection programs.
• Ensure construction complies with engineering specifications, codes, standards and regulatory requirements.

• Drive timely resolution of quality issues and non-conformances.

• Build productive relationships with:
  • Client leadership
  • Corporate executives
  • Indigenous communities
  • Government regulators
  • Local authorities
  • Suppliers and contractors
• Support community engagement initiatives where applicable.

• Represent the organization professionally across all external interactions.

• Lead, mentor and develop high-performing project teams.
• Promote collaboration across engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning functions.
• Build succession capability within the project organization.

• Foster an inclusive and respectful workplace culture.

About you

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Construction Management or a related technical discipline.
• Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) designation is highly desirable.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is considered an asset.

• Additional leadership or executive management qualifications are advantageous.

• Minimum 25 years of progressive experience delivering major mining and minerals projects.
• Minimum 15 years in senior project leadership roles.
• Extensive experience delivering EPC and EPCM projects.
• Proven experience managing large multidisciplinary site organizations.
• Demonstrated success delivering multi-million to multi-billion-dollar mining projects.
• Significant experience leading projects in remote FIFO environments.
• Experience working in cold climate operations is essential.
• Experience across greenfield, brownfield and expansion projects.

• Strong background in construction, commissioning and project handover.

• Exceptional executive leadership capability.
• Strategic thinker with strong commercial acumen.
• Outstanding communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong negotiation and conflict resolution abilities.
• Proven ability to lead under pressure in complex project environments.
• Decisive and solutions-oriented.
• High level of integrity and professionalism.
• Excellent organizational and planning skills.
• Ability to influence senior executives, clients and contractors.
• Strong coaching and mentoring capability.

We're committed to a fair and human hiring process. All applications are reviewed by a member of our team and are not automatically screened or rejected by AI.

Why Ausenco?

We support individual growth and aim to allow you to work in a way that plays to your strengths. Beyond a competitive remuneration package we offer:

Career advancement -Embark on a journey of continuous growth through technical training, mentorship initiatives, and networking opportunities.

Work Life Balance-Experience the best of both worlds with our hybrid work model, allowing you to balance office days with working from home; and progressive parental leave benefits to foster family needs and professional life.

Holistic approach to wellness-Take a proactive approach to your overall wellbeing. Access to confidential counselling, information services and a benefits program that supports your health & wellness.

Accessible leadership team-Work with highly reputable industry leaders who value your contribution.

Our people don't settle for the status quo. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit and want to help set a new standard in sustainability, we'll help you find your place. This means working with you to develop a unique career path and skillset to match your ambition.

We're proud of the work we do, and we do it within a culture that is open, honest, and cooperative. We have a history of attracting visionary people who embrace challenges and deliver creative solutions for every project, and your voice is an important part of the conversation.

As a global company we embrace and encourage diversity in its fullest sense - genderidentity, gender expression,sexual orientation,age, experience, nationality, colour, language, religion, location, disability, education, skills, working styles and time availability. Our work environments are based on mutual trust and respect for the rights and opportunities of every individual.

Salary range: $220,000 - $270,000annually

Expected Salary:Variation in salary is determined by factors such as qualifications, relevant years of experience, and prevailing market conditions for the specific role.

Join us and work a better way.

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