Senior Project Manager – Major Energy Infrastructure

The Client is seeking an experienced Senior Project Manager to lead delivery of the $500m Kwinana Swift Gas 2 expansion — one of Western Australia’s most significant firming projects.

This is a complex brownfield gas‑fired power project, involving the installation and commissioning of four Siemens fast‑start gas turbines at an existing Kwinana site. The project is being delivered under a split‑contract model, with Siemens as OEM, Clough delivering the Design & Construct scope, and Worley acting as Owner’s Engineer.

This role requires a hands‑on, commercially astute project leader who can take full accountability for end‑to‑end delivery, manage multiple interfaces, and drive the project through construction and commissioning to meet critical government‑linked deadlines.

Project Snapshot

• Project value: $500m+
• Sector: Gas‑fired power generation
• Location: Kwinana, WA
• Delivery model: Split contract (OEM + D&C + Owner’s Engineer)

The Role
As Senior Project Manager, you will have full responsibility for end‑to‑end project delivery, acting as the Client’s primary on‑site representative and decision‑maker.

You will lead construction and commissioning activities while managing complex technical, commercial and operational interfaces across multiple delivery partners, including the Design & Construct contractor, original equipment manufacturers, the Owner’s Engineer, existing site operations, grid connection stakeholders and regulators.

This role requires a strong on‑site presence in Perth, with the Senior Project Manager embedded on the project full‑time to proactively manage contractors, resolve issues as they arise and maintain momentum on a highly constrained brownfield site. You will be expected to make timely operational decisions in the field, while maintaining oversight of commercial, safety, schedule and quality outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• End‑to‑end delivery of a major ($200m+) infrastructure project, from construction through commissioning and handover
• Lead and manage principal contractors and OEMs, ensuring safety, quality, schedule and cost performance
• Own commercial and contractual outcomes, including variations, claims, dispute resolution and risk management
• Manage complex brownfield interfaces with live operations and existing assets
• Drive alignment across multiple stakeholders, balancing operational, regulatory and commercial pressures
• Make timely operational decisions on site, with confidence to manage downstream commercial impacts
• Maintain governance, reporting and assurance to executive and government stakeholders
• Ensure delivery against non‑negotiable commissioning milestones

Essential Experience

• Proven experience as a Senior Project Manager / Project Director with full accountability for project delivery
• Delivery of major projects valued at $200m+, ideally in:
  • Power generation
  • Gas infrastructure
  • Oil & gas
  • Heavy industrial or process environments
• Strong brownfield project experience on constrained, operational sites
• Demonstrated capability managing split‑contract and multi‑interface delivery models
• Experience leading commercial matters, including contract management, variations and claims
• Ability to operate confidently in a client‑side role, directing contractors and OEMs

Highly Regarded

• Experience managing a Principal Contractor under the OHS Act
• Direct involvement in commissioning and handover of complex assets
• Client‑side or owner’s team experience
• Grid, gas connection or AEMO interface exposure

Qualifications

• Engineering degree (Mechanical or Electrical preferred)
• Project management qualifications advantageous
• Candidates from a trade or construction background will be considered if supported by significant end‑to‑end PM experience

Personal Attributes

• Highly proactive, decisive and visible leader
• Comfortable making decisions in high‑pressure, time‑critical environments
• Strong relationship builder who drives outcomes through collaboration
• Able to step back from detail and maintain a whole‑of‑project view
• Commercially astute, with the confidence to challenge and lead senior contractors

Why Join This Project?

• Deliver one of WA’s most critical energy infrastructure projects
• High‑profile, government‑linked project with real system impact
• Genuine authority and accountability — not a coordinator role
• Long‑term, stable project through to commissioning in 2027

At Chandler Macleod, we are committed to fostering a diverse workforce where everyone is welcome. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, women, neurodiverse, people living with a disability and the LGBTIQA+ community.

You can read more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion at https://www.chandlermacleod.com/diversity-and-inclusion.