Principal Project Manager

Position Summary

The Principal Project Manager will lead the planning, execution, and delivery of large-scale capital projects across the business, ensuring projects are completed safely, efficiently, and in line with commercial and operational objectives. This individual will oversee projects from initial concept and feasibility through engineering, construction, commissioning, and final handover, while managing both internal teams and external engineering partners.

The role requires strong technical leadership, commercial awareness, and the ability to coordinate cross-functional stakeholders within a complex industrial environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of major capital investment projects across the full project lifecycle.
• Direct and coordinate all phases of project delivery including engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, startup, and closeout activities.
• Manage multiple concurrent projects, including larger and more technically complex initiatives.
• Provide leadership and daily direction to project engineers and external contract project management resources.
• Develop and maintain detailed project schedules, budgets, forecasts, and execution plans.
• Prepare and present regular project status updates, highlighting progress, risks, cost exposure, and mitigation actions.
• Coordinate internal and external engineering disciplines to ensure technical alignment and successful project execution.
• Support the development of departmental procedures, standards, and best practices to improve efficiency and consistency.
• Produce capital cost estimates at varying levels of accuracy, particularly during early project evaluation and feasibility stages.
• Work closely with Business Development, Operations, Reliability, Production, Procurement, and other internal stakeholders to define and deliver project requirements.
• Establish effective project execution strategies that provide confidence around scope definition, scheduling, cost control, and risk management.
• Support vendor selection activities, bid evaluations, and commercial negotiations alongside Procurement teams.
• Manage contractors, suppliers, and site activities to ensure projects are delivered safely, on time, within budget, and to required quality standards.
• Minimise project variations and unplanned change orders through strong upfront definition and disciplined project controls.
• Coordinate with regulatory bodies and ensure compliance with applicable environmental, safety, and technical regulations.
• Lead internal project governance activities including HAZOPs, MOCs, safety reviews, and project punch list management.
• Ensure adherence to company engineering standards, operating procedures, and industry codes.
• Maintain clear communication with all stakeholders regarding project performance, key risks, contingency usage, and material scope or schedule changes.
• Ensure complete turnover documentation and project closeout deliverables are properly completed and archived.
• Provide technical support and project expertise to operating facilities when required.
• Participate in broader operational and continuous improvement initiatives across the business.
• Maintain accountability for construction site coordination and the management of supporting site resources including safety, commissioning, operations, and reliability personnel.

Core Competencies

• Strong leadership and project execution capability within industrial environments
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
• Commercial awareness and cost control experience
• Ability to manage complex technical scopes and multidisciplinary teams
• Strong planning, scheduling, and organisational skills
• Vendor and contractor management experience
• Effective negotiation and problem-solving capability
• Proven focus on safety, compliance, and operational excellence

Technical Knowledge & Experience

• Strong understanding of engineering standards, industrial regulations, and applicable codes relevant to process or industrial plant projects
• Experience with piping codes, electrical standards, permitting processes, and industrial construction practices
• Advanced knowledge of construction management, commissioning, startup, and performance testing activities
• Experience managing field execution activities and driving successful project completion through final handover

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, or another relevant technical discipline
• Approximately 15 years of experience delivering capital projects within industrial manufacturing, industrial gases, chemicals, energy, or related process industries
• Demonstrated track record managing technically complex projects involving scope development, budget ownership, scheduling, and successful execution
• Experience working within highly regulated industrial or process-driven environments preferred