Senior Project Leader

Turner & Townsend; Ottawa; Hybrid; CAD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Health spending account

RRSP with company matching

Annual learning and development budget

Professional membership/licence fee

Vacation, flex and sick days

Hybrid work model

Inclusive culture

Job summary

Turner & Townsend in Canada is seeking a Senior Project Leader to provide executive-level leadership on a landmark institutional infrastructure program. You will guide planning, design, procurement, construction and commissioning while delivering outcomes that benefit a diverse user community and align with budget, schedule and quality goals.

The role demands a proven track record leading large capital projects ($150M+) in institutional or public-sector environments, with strong governance, risk

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience leading large-scale capital projects within institutional, higher education, recreation, healthcare, civic, or public-sector environments.
• Demonstrated success delivering projects valued at $150M+ through all phases of development and execution.
• Experience serving as an Owner's Representative, Project Director, Program Director, or Senior Project Executive.
• Strong background in project governance, project controls, risk management, and stakeholder engagement.

Responsibilities

• Lead the successful delivery of a major institutional and recreational infrastructure project.
• Provide strategic direction and oversight throughout the entire project lifecycle.
• Establish and maintain governance frameworks, reporting structures, and decision-making processes.
• Manage project scope, budget, schedule, risk, quality, and change management activities.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams, consultants, contractors, and key stakeholders.
• Deliver executive-level reporting, recommendations, and project updates.
• Support procurement and contract administration activities.
• Lead stakeholder engagement and facilitate alignment among diverse interest groups.
• Identify project risks and opportunities, implementing mitigation strategies to ensure successful outcomes.
• Oversee transition planning, commissioning, occupancy readiness, and project closeout.

Skills

Executive leadership

Governance

Stakeholder engagement

Risk management

Project governance

Multi-disciplinary teams

Strategic direction

Communication

Education

Engineering degree

Architecture degree

Construction Management

Project Management

Business Administration

Job description

Turner & Townsend is a global professional services company with over 22,000 people in more than 60 countries.

Working with our clients across real estate, infrastructure, energy and natural resources, we transform together delivering outcomes that improve people’s lives. Working in partnership makes it possible to deliver the world’s most impactful projects and programmes as we turn challenge into opportunity and complexity into success.

Our capabilities include programme, project, cost, asset and commercial management, controls and performance, procurement and supply chain, net zero and digital solutions.

We are majority-owned by CBRE Group, Inc., the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, with our partners holding a significant minority interest. Turner & Townsend and CBRE work together to provide clients with the premier programme, project and cost management offering in markets around the world.

Job Description

About the Opportunity

Turner & Townsend is seeking an accomplished Senior Project Leader to provide strategic leadership on a landmark institutional infrastructure development program. This is a unique opportunity to lead a high-profile project that will deliver lasting value to a diverse user community while shaping the future of recreation, wellness, and campus infrastructure.

The successful candidate will serve as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders, guiding the project through planning, design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and operational readiness. This role requires an exceptional leader who can navigate complexity, drive collaboration, and ensure successful project outcomes from inception to completion.

The Role

As the Senior Project Leader, you will provide executive-level project leadership and act as the owner's representative for a significant capital project. You will oversee governance, project controls, stakeholder engagement, risk management, and strategic decision-making while ensuring alignment with budget, schedule, quality, and operational objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the successful delivery of a major institutional and recreational infrastructure project.
• Provide strategic direction and oversight throughout the entire project lifecycle.
• Establish and maintain governance frameworks, reporting structures, and decision-making processes.
• Manage project scope, budget, schedule, risk, quality, and change management activities.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams, consultants, contractors, and key stakeholders.
• Deliver executive-level reporting, recommendations, and project updates.
• Support procurement and contract administration activities.
• Lead stakeholder engagement and facilitate alignment among diverse interest groups.
• Identify project risks and opportunities, implementing mitigation strategies to ensure successful outcomes.
• Oversee transition planning, commissioning, occupancy readiness, and project closeout.

Qualifications

Required Experience

• 15+ years of experience leading large-scale capital projects within institutional, higher education, recreation, healthcare, civic, or public-sector environments.
• Demonstrated success delivering projects valued at $150M+ through all phases of development and execution.
• Experience serving as an Owner's Representative, Project Director, Program Director, or Senior Project Executive.
• Strong background in project governance, project controls, risk management, and stakeholder engagement.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams in complex operating environments.
• Experience working with executive leadership teams, boards, and governance committees.

Education & Credentials

• Degree in Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management, Project Management, Business Administration, or a related field.
• PMP, P.Eng., PQS, OAA, LEED, or equivalent professional designation is considered an asset.

What We're Looking For

• Strategic and influential leader with exceptional executive presence.
• Strong commercial, financial, and operational acumen.
• Outstanding communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to navigate complex projects with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
• Highly collaborative, solutions-oriented, and results-driven.

Additional Information

What's in it for you...

• 100% covered health and dental benefits for you and your dependents (including paramedical services)
• Health spending account, to top up expenses not covered in the benefits program
• RRSP option with company matching
• Annual learning and development budget
• Access to a range of online learning tools, and support for career development and growth
• Coverage of one professional membership or license fee per year, if directly related to your role
• We believe in work-life balance, so you can recharge and take care of what matters most with vacation, flex and sick days
• A flexible, hybrid work approach that allows colleagues to find balance between their professional and personal lives
• Commitment to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture that promotes a sense of belonging

The base salary range for this full-time role is $120,000 - $170,000.00 per year. Ranges are determined by role and level and represent a good faith effort to provide a fair and equitable salary. This range is a reflection of base salary only, not of a total compensation package. Please note Turner & Townsend reserves the right to pay more or less than the posted range, depending on candidate’s experience and qualifications.

Our inspired people share our vision and mission. We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change. We want our people to succeed both in work and life. To support this we promote a healthy, productive and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance.

Turner & Townsend is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

Turner & Townsend does not accept any speculative or unsolicited CV’s that have been sent to our internal recruitment team or hiring managers from agencies outside of our preferred supplier list. Any speculative or unsolicited CV’s will be treated as a direct application.

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It is strictly against Turner & Townsend policy for candidates to pay any fee in relation to our recruitment process. No recruitment agency working with Turner & Townsend will ask candidates to pay a fee at any time.

Any unsolicited resumes/CVs submitted through our website or to Turner & Townsend personal e‑mail accounts, are considered property of Turner & Townsend and are not subject to payment of agency fees. In order to be an authorised Recruitment Agency/Search Firm for Turner & Townsend, there must be a formal written agreement in place and the agency must be invited, by the Recruitment Team, to submit candidates for review.