Job Description/Specification:
Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Lead Project Manager to lead the planning, delivery, and operational transition of complex, large-scale projects. This senior opportunity is suited to an accomplished project management professional with extensive experience managing high-value projects, multidisciplinary teams, complex interfaces, and multiple stakeholders.
The role requires proven experience delivering at least two complete end-to-end project lifecycles, covering business case development, planning, execution, ORAT (Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer/Acceptance), operational handover, and transition into ongoing operations.
Lead Project Manager Job Overview
The Lead Project Manager will provide strategic leadership throughout the complete project lifecycle, ensuring projects are delivered safely, within approved budgets, according to schedule, and in line with defined scope, quality, regulatory, and operational requirements.
The position involves managing high-value projects in complex environments such as airports, live operational facilities, and major infrastructure developments. Strong governance, stakeholder management, risk control, and operational readiness expertise are essential.
Key Responsibilities
The Lead Project Manager will be responsible for:
- Lead complex projects from concept and business case development through execution, operational handover, and transition into ongoing operations.
- Define project scope, objectives, deliverables, success criteria, and execution strategies.
- Develop and maintain comprehensive project plans, schedules, budgets, resource plans, and reporting frameworks.
- Provide strategic direction and project governance throughout the project lifecycle.
- Monitor project performance against key milestones, budgets, scope, and delivery objectives.
- Identify project risks and issues and implement proactive mitigation measures.
- Develop contingency and recovery strategies when project performance is at risk.
- Manage complex interfaces between internal teams, contractors, consultants, authorities, and other stakeholders.
- Build strong working relationships with clients, regulatory authorities, contractors, consultants, and senior leadership.
- Lead project governance meetings, steering committees, and executive-level reporting.
- Coordinate multidisciplinary teams to ensure effective collaboration and alignment.
- Ensure project deliverables comply with quality, regulatory, safety, and operational requirements.
- Oversee ORAT planning and readiness activities to support a successful operational transition.
- Coordinate operational handover and ensure readiness requirements are addressed before transition.
- Mentor and develop project managers and project team members.
- Promote continuous improvement, strong project controls, and a culture of delivery excellence.
- Manage multiple priorities and project interfaces in fast-paced project environments.
Required Qualifications
Candidates should hold a Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree, Engineering Degree, or equivalent qualification.
A recognized project management certification is required. Acceptable qualifications include:
- PMP
- PRINCE2
- PMI Construction Professional Certification
- Equivalent recognized project management certification
Required Experience
This is a senior-level position requiring 10–15 years of overall project management experience.
Candidates should demonstrate:
- Proven delivery of complex projects valued at USD 50 million to USD 100 million or more, or equivalent.
- Successful completion of at least two complete end-to-end project lifecycles.
- Experience covering business case development, planning, execution, ORAT, operational readiness, handover, and project transition.
- 7–10 years of relevant experience in airports, live operational environments, or major infrastructure projects.
- Experience managing complex stakeholder groups and multidisciplinary teams.
- Strong experience coordinating contractors, consultants, authorities, and other project participants.
- Middle East regional experience is preferred.
Project Management Skills
The successful candidate should have strong knowledge of project planning, controls, governance, scheduling, budgeting, forecasting, risk management, reporting, commissioning, handover, and operational readiness.
Experience with project management and scheduling platforms such as Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, Jira, Asana, and BIM platforms is expected.
Strong leadership and communication skills are essential. The candidate should be able to manage multiple priorities, make informed decisions, resolve project issues, and maintain effective stakeholder relationships throughout the project lifecycle.
Airport, ORAT and Operational Readiness Experience
Experience in airport and live operational environments is particularly important for this position. Projects delivered in operational facilities require careful planning around access, interfaces, stakeholder requirements, safety, phasing, and continuity of existing operations.
Experience with ORAT (Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer/Acceptance) is a key requirement. Candidates should understand the activities involved in preparing an operational environment for a successful transition, handover, and commencement of operations.
Who Should Apply?
This opportunity is particularly relevant to experienced Lead Project Managers, Senior Project Managers, Airport Project Managers, Infrastructure Project Managers, and Engineering Project Managers with a proven record of delivering complex, high-value projects.
Professionals with PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent certification, major project experience of USD 50M–100M+, airport or major infrastructure exposure, Middle East experience, and successful end-to-end project delivery should consider this opportunity.
The ideal candidate will combine strategic leadership with strong project controls, stakeholder management, risk management, and operational transition expertise to successfully deliver complex projects from concept through handover and into operations.