Director, Aviation Planning & Front-End Delivery

AECOM

Ireland

Hybrid

EUR 140,000 - 190,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

AECOM seeks an experienced Project Director - Planning & Front-End Development to lead the planning and front-end development of major aviation infrastructure programmes from our Dublin office. This pivotal role requires strategic leadership across feasibility, regulatory approvals, and stakeholder engagement to position projects for successful delivery.

You will drive governance, budgets, and programme milestones, ensuring integration into detailed design and delivery, while coordinating with

Qualifications

15+ years leading planning, development and delivery of major infrastructure or aviation projects.
Experience leading planning and statutory approval processes for major infrastructure developments.
Understanding of planning within live operational airport environments and regulatory requirements.
Experience coordinating multidisciplinary teams across planning, engineering, environmental, and commercial.
Ability to engage with planning authorities, statutory bodies, airport stakeholders, and government agencies.
Strong leadership, commercial, programme management, and stakeholder engagement skills.

Responsibilities

Lead the planning and front-end development strategy for major capital projects including MRO facilities, Hangar Demolition, Cargo developments, CBP, HV Substation, and other emerging infrastructure projects.
Direct feasibility studies, option assessments, business case development, and project definition activities.
Manage planning applications from initial concept through submission, determination, and planning compliance.
Coordinate Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Appropriate Assessment (AA), transport studies, utilities strategies, and supporting technical documentation.
Ensure projects meet statutory planning, environmental, regulatory, and airport operational requirements.
Identify planning risks, constraints, opportunities, and mitigation strategies during project development.
Develop and maintain front-end delivery programmes aligned with the wider capital investment strategy.
Oversee multidisciplinary consultant teams delivering planning, design development, environmental, and technical workstreams.
Establish governance processes, reporting frameworks, and project controls for the planning phase.
Manage project budgets, consultant appointments, procurement activities, and programme milestones through the development stage.
Ensure seamless transition from planning approval into detailed design and project delivery.
Build and maintain relationships with airport stakeholders, planning authorities, statutory agencies, utilities providers, and regulatory bodies.
Lead stakeholder consultation and engagement activities throughout the planning process.
Present project proposals and progress updates to executive leadership, clients, and governance boards.
Coordinate internal and external approvals to support timely planning submissions and programme delivery.
Establish project governance structures, risk management processes, and reporting mechanisms during project development.
Maintain project risk registers, action trackers, and decision logs.
Lead multidisciplinary planning review workshops and design coordination meetings.
Drive continuous improvement in planning processes, project controls, and front-end delivery methodologies.
Ensure projects are developed in accordance with quality, safety, sustainability, and governance standards while supporting successful transition into the delivery phase.