Project Director- Nuclear - Canada Central

GHD; Whitby; Hybrid; CAD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

GHD is seeking an experienced Nuclear Project Director to lead the growth and delivery of complex nuclear and energy capital projects across Canada and North America. The role requires senior leadership across portfolios, governance, risk management, and multidisciplinary delivery, guiding projects from proposal through commissioning and operations readiness.

You will mentor teams, collaborate with market leaders, and ensure safe, reliable execution while aligning with GHD’s values and client

Qualifications

• 15–18 years of experience in nuclear, energy, or related sectors.
• Proven leadership of major capital projects and portfolios.
• Experience directing projects from proposal through commissioning and turnover.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Project Director on complex nuclear, energy, and major infrastructure projects, providing senior oversight from concept to closeout.
• Lead strategic project portfolios, governance, prioritization, and execution readiness for large CAPEX programs.
• Support growth by shaping opportunities across nuclear, renewable, and energy systems.

Skills

Senior leadership

Project direction

Capital projects

Governance

Risk management

Client leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Engineering degree

PMP preferred

Job description

About GHD | Energy Business
GHD's Energy business is positioned for significant growth across the Americas, with priority areas including power generation, transmission and distribution, battery energy storage systems, hydropower, future fuels, gas-to-power, renewable natural gas, carbon capture, and major project delivery for mining and industrial clients. We bring together advisory, engineering, environmental, permitting, Indigenous engagement, project management, and delivery expertise to support clients across the full project lifecycle.

Job Description
About GHD | Energy Business
GHD's Energy business is positioned for significant growth across the Americas, with priority areas including power generation, transmission and distribution, battery energy storage systems, hydropower, future fuels, gas-to-power, renewable natural gas, carbon capture, and major project delivery for mining and industrial clients. We bring together advisory, engineering, environmental, permitting, Indigenous engagement, project management, and delivery expertise to support clients across the full project lifecycle.
Our Hybrid Model: Be part of the dynamic culture! Our workplace thrives on a hybrid model, combining in-office collaboration and flexibility. Join us in the office three days a week to contribute, connect, and excel in our vibrant environment.
Location: Ontario (Waterloo, Toronto, Mississauga, Markham, Whitby, Peterborough, St. Catherines)
Who are we looking for?
We are seeking an experienced Nuclear Project Director to support the growth and delivery of complex nuclear and energy capital projects across Canada and North America. This role will provide senior leadership across strategic project portfolios, major project execution, client engagement, governance, risk management, and multidisciplinary delivery. The successful candidate will bring a proven ability to lead large capital programs from proposal, early planning through design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and operational readiness.
This is a senior, delivery and client-facing leadership role for a professional who can quickly assess business priorities, establish project discipline, build strong delivery teams, and support clients through complex decisions involving capital allocation, operational risk, reliability, safety, stakeholder expectations, and long-term asset performance.

Working with an energetic and high-performing team, this position will see you involved in:

• Serve as Project Director on complex nuclear, energy, and major infrastructure and advisory projects, providing senior oversight from concept and feasibility through execution, commissioning, and closeout.
• Lead strategic project portfolios, including capital planning, project selection, governance, prioritization, and execution readiness for clients with large-scale CAPEX programs.
• Support GHD's Energy growth objectives by helping originate, shape, and deliver opportunities across nuclear power, nuclear waste, nuclear decommissioning, renewable power generation, hydropower, transmission and distribution, and industrial energy systems.
• Partner with Market and Sector Leaders, Business Group Leaders, Relationship Managers, technical specialists, and regional delivery teams to develop capture plans, position GHD for strategic pursuits, and convert opportunities into profitable backlog.
• Provide executive-level client leadership, building trusted relationships with nuclear operators, OEMs, waste management, Indigenous communities, government agencies, contraction partners, and financing organizations.
• Lead multidisciplinary project teams, including engineering, environmental, permitting, Indigenous engagement, project controls, procurement, construction management, commissioning, and operations readiness resources.
• Establish and implement project governance, risk management, change management, commercial controls, communication protocols, and decision-making frameworks that improve delivery certainty.
• Drive safety leadership and promote a strong site safety culture across project teams, contractors, and client stakeholders.
• Guide value engineering, constructability reviews, scope control, cost optimization, schedule recovery, and issue resolution on major capital projects.
• Mentor project managers and emerging leaders, strengthening GHD's project delivery capability and helping build a scalable major projects platform across Energy.
• Collaborate across Canada, the United States, and global GHD networks to leverage technical capability, Global Collaboration Centres, and best-practice delivery models.

What you will bring to the team:

• Engineering degree or related technical qualification is preferred; graduate education in project management, business administration, or a related discipline is an asset.
• Professional licensure or eligibility preferred (P.Eng. + PMP).
• 15-18 years of experience in the nuclear, energy, or related sector, including business development, project management, and technical leadership for major infrastructure.
• Extensive senior leadership experience in project direction, project portfolio management, capital project execution, operations leadership, and general management within energy, nuclear, aerospace, or related sectors.
• Demonstrated experience leading major capital projects and portfolios, including projects valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
• Proven ability to lead end-to-end project execution, including facility design, equipment selection, consultant and contractor selection, construction management, commissioning, and operations turnover.
• Strong commercial acumen, with experience managing scope, cost, schedule, procurement, contracts, risk, change, and governance on complex projects.
• Track record of improving project outcomes through value engineering, contractor engagement, cost optimization, project controls, and disciplined issue resolution.
• Experience supporting nuclear or energy sector clients through strategic growth, operational improvement, reliability, maintenance, and asset performance initiatives.
• Strong executive presence and ability to work effectively with senior leadership teams, Boards of Directors, clients, contractors, government stakeholders, and community partners.
• Experience working with Indigenous communities and an understanding of the importance of respectful engagement, partnership, social license, and community benefit in major project development.
• Ability to build, motivate, and lead high-performing teams over multi-year project lifecycles.
• Proven experience in nuclear business development in a market-facing role is required.
• Commitment to health, safety, quality, inclusion, collaboration, and GHD's values as an employee-owned organization.
• Experience with Design Bid Build (DBB), Design Build (DB), and alternative delivery projects such as Progressive DB, Integrated Project Delivery/Alliance and/or P3 considered an asset.

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.