Operations Director - Transport & Infrastructure

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR - TRANSPORT & INFRASTRUCTURE

Shape the future of WSP’s Transport & Infrastructure business by strengthening our people, performance and delivery capability to support sustainable, long-term growth.

What if you could do the type of work the world needs?

At WSP, we see the world differently. We’re one of the world’s top professional services firms, bringing together planners, engineers, advisors and scientists to solve complex challenges and create lasting value for communities.

Our Transport & Infrastructure (T&I) business delivers some of Australia’s most significant infrastructure projects including Sydney Metro, Suburban Rail Loop, High Speed Rail and North East Link, working across disciplines, regions and global networks to help clients solve critical transport challenges.

As we continue to grow, we are seeking an Operations Director to help shape how our T&I business performs today and how it develops for the future.

About the Role

As Operations Director - Transport & Infrastructure, you will be a strategic operating partner to the Managing Director and a key member of the T&I Australian Leadership Team.

You will turn strategic priorities into practical operational plans, including budgets, forecasts, business plans and performance reporting.

Taking a longer-term view, you will strengthen people, processes and operating capability while supporting decisions on investment, resourcing and future skills.

You will connect insights from across the business to identify risks, opportunities and emerging capability needs, improving how people and expertise are deployed across business units, regions and global delivery teams.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Lead integrated workforce planning to anticipate future capability, capacity and skills needs.

• Work with technical leaders to address critical capability gaps and strengthen commercial, operational and leadership capability.

• Lead the T&I Global Capability Centre strategy, aligning capability with future project, workforce and growth requirements.

• Strengthen project delivery, commercial and contractual performance through governance, assurance and early intervention.

• Improve pricing, delivery strategies and processes to support competitiveness, client value and sustainable margins.

• Partner with digital leaders to operationalise AI, automation and digital delivery, while coaching leaders and fostering a culture centred on safety, performance, innovation, collaboration and people development.

This role can be based in Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney and will work across our national Transport & Infrastructure business.

About You

You are a strategic, commercially astute and collaborative leader who balances immediate business priorities with the longer-term capability needed for sustainable growth.

You understand that strong operations leadership is about more than controls and compliance. It is about enabling people to perform at their best, improving how work gets done and preparing the business for future opportunities.

You’re comfortable working across financial performance, workforce strategy, project delivery, business transformation and commercial decision-making, with the judgement and influence to engage senior stakeholders in a complex, multidisciplinary environment. You bring a track record of improving processes, leading change and enabling leaders to deliver better outcomes.

You will bring:

• Proven experience as an operations director or in a senior project delivery role within a similar-sized organisation, with P&L responsibility over $150m.

• Experience managing operational and financial performance across a comparable business, portfolio or region.

• Strong commercial acumen across budgeting, forecasting, pricing, contracts and performance reporting.

• Understanding of the commercial and delivery requirements associated with major infrastructure projects.

• Experience translating strategic plans into measurable operational outcomes, including workforce planning, capability development or organisational improvement.

• Strong stakeholder management skills, a collaborative leadership style and a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in engineering, science, finance, commerce or a related discipline; project management qualifications or postgraduate study would be well regarded.

Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all. 

Join our global community of more than 83,000 people working together to make a positive impact in communities close to home and around the world.

As a permanent employee, you will have access to WSP’s Employee Share Purchase Plan, as well as programs that support your health, wellbeing and career development.

Ready to shape the performance and future capability of one of Australia’s leading Transport & Infrastructure businesses?

With us, you can. Apply today.