Major Project Director Defence, Canada

Arcadis is the world's leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets. We are more than 34,000 people, in over 30 countries, dedicated to improving quality of life. Everyone has an important role to play. With the power of many curious minds, together we can solve the world’s most complex challenges and deliver more impact together. Role description: Arcadis is seeking a Major Project Director, Defence Canada to join our growing Major Projects team. This leadership role is responsible for delivering complex, high-risk projects and portfolios, with full accountability for schedule, quality, budget, and health and safety. The successful candidate will have direct experience delivering major projects within the defence sector, either on the client side or with developer/contractor organizations. Reporting to the Major Projects Director, Canada, you will lead and mentor Senior Project Directors and project teams, while strengthening client relationships, commercial performance, and overall project excellence. Role accountabilities: In this role, you will lead the delivery of major, complex, and high-risk projects and portfolios, ensuring they are executed in line with Arcadis Project Management procedures and best practice delivery principles. You will provide strong leadership and technical direction to project teams, fostering a culture of quality, accountability, and high performance. By clearly communicating project strategy, client requirements, and delivery expectations, you will align teams around shared goals and help drive consistent excellence across our major projects portfolio. You will oversee the financial, operational, and governance frameworks that underpin successful delivery, including forecasting, monitoring, change management, and performance reporting. You will also lead the mobilization and management of project resources, suppliers, and sub-consultants, while introducing strategies, tools, and controls that improve consistency, efficiency, and overall delivery performance. A strong commitment to health and safety will be central to the role, with responsibility for promoting and continuously improving safe outcomes across projects. Additionally, you will build and manage strong relationships with a range of senior internal and external stakeholders, including clients in the defense sector, government bodies, and joint venture partners. Working closely with clients and internal stakeholders, you will be accountable for achieving project success criteria across cash flow, margin, quality, schedule, and health and safety. You will help shape pursuit strategies, negotiate sound contractual arrangements, and ensure strong commercial and contract management with minimal claims exposure. Through proactive client engagement, you will strengthen relationships, respond to feedback, identify opportunities for growth, and help position Arcadis for repeat business and long-term success. As a senior leader, you will create an environment where people can thrive. You will lead with clarity and purpose, encouraging collaboration, inclusion, and knowledge sharing across the Project Management community. You will support the growth of team members through coaching and performance feedback, champion diversity of thought, and leverage Arcadis’ global capability to deliver integrated solutions. Above all, you will model the highest professional and ethical standards, building trust and credibility with clients, colleagues, and stakeholders alike. Qualifications & Experience: * Relevant engineering, construction, project management or related degree * Chartered status or equivalent professional accreditation * Significant experience leading large, high-complexity projects and project portfolios * Proven experience delivering large-scale, complex defence projects, either for government departments or as a designer/contractor * Strong commercial knowledge, including contract conditions, risk management and project financial controls * Demonstrated ability to deliver full-service, complex projects while ensuring strategic client outcomes * Extensive stakeholder management and client relationship experience * Track record of leading multidisciplinary teams across multiple geographic locations * Demonstrable expertise working collaboratively with technical disciplines and project delivery teams * Successful candidate must be eligible to obtain and maintain Government of Canada security clearance Why Arcadis? We can only achieve our goals when everyone is empowered to be their best. We believe everyone's contribution matters. It’s why we are pioneering a skills-based approach, where you can harness your unique experience and expertise to carve your career path and maximize the impact we can make together. You’ll do meaningful work, and no matter what role, you’ll be helping to deliver sustainable solutions for a more prosperous planet. Make your mark, on your career, your colleagues, your clients, your life and the world around you. Together, we can create a lasting legacy. Join Arcadis. Create a Legacy. Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging We want you to be able to bring your best self to work every day which is why we take equality and inclusion seriously and hold ourselves to account for our actions. Our ambition is to be an employer of choice and provide a great place to work for all our people. We are an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. We are dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status, disability, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by law. The salary range for this position is $217,000 - $267,000. The base salary represents Arcadis’ hiring range for this position. Actual salaries will vary and will be based on various factors, such as location, skills, experience, and qualification for the role. #LI-AL5

The Major Project Director will lead the delivery of complex, high-risk defence projects while ensuring adherence to budget, schedule, and quality standards. They are responsible for mentoring project teams, managing senior stakeholder relationships, and overseeing financial and operational governance.

Candidates must possess a relevant degree in engineering, construction, or project management along with significant experience in large-scale defence projects. Professional accreditation is required, as is the ability to obtain and maintain a Government of Canada security clearance.

• Change ManagementPreferred
• BudgetingPreferred
• LeadershipPreferred
• Risk ManagementPreferred
• Project managementPreferred
• Client Relationship ManagementPreferred
• Stakeholder ManagementPreferred

Identified from the job description. Confirm important requirements above.

• Project Management
• Strategic Planning
• Stakeholder Management
• Risk Management
• Contract Management
• Financial Controls
• Leadership
• Defence Sector Expertise
• Change Management
• Team Mentoring
• Budgeting
• Health And Safety
• Client Relationship Management
• Commercial Performance
• Multidisciplinary Team Leadership
• Performance Reporting
• Accountability
• Construction Project Management
• Curiosity
• Ethical Standards And Conduct
• Project Resources
• Project Delivery
• Management
• Communication
• Delivery Performance
• Disabilities
• Forecasting
• Governance
• Joint Ventures
• Relationship Building
• Coaching
• Sustainable Design
• Security Clearance

• Management & Leadership
• Engineering
• Construction
• Consulting
• Government & Public Sector
• Major Projects Manager
• Project Manager (General)
• Management and Organization Analysts
• Project Management Specialists

Minimum education

Professional degree

Minimum experience

10+ years

Posting language

English

Working hours

40 hours per week