Senior Construction Program Manager

About this role
We are seeking a strategic and hands-on construction leader to lead the planning and execution of a national capital works portfolio, spanning full knockdown rebuilds, format upgrades, and equipment rollouts.
This is not a traditional project management role.
While you will oversee individual project delivery, the critical expectation is proven program management expertise .
You will be responsible for governing multiple concurrent workstreams across a national portfolio, ensuring strategic alignment, robust governance, and seamless integration at scale.
This means orchestrating diverse stakeholders, embedding commercial and risk controls across programs, and reporting with confidence at the executive level.
As the program lead, you will set the standard for governance, commercial discipline, project administration, and stakeholder engagement while still maintaining a strong focus on safety, risk management, and on-the-ground execution.
In this pivotal leadership role, you'll report to the National Construction Manager and be accountable for portfolio planning, risk and safety leadership, stakeholder management, commercial governance, and continuous improvement, delivering projects and programs that are safe, sustainable, and aligned with business priorities.
Key responsibilities:

• Lead end-to-end delivery of complex multi-site programs , ensuring time, cost, and quality benchmarks are met.
• Manage integrated master schedules and resource planning across national retail developments.
• Coordinate cross-functional stakeholders (Property, Ops, Finance, Environment, Regulatory) to deliver cohesive project outcomes.
• Drive contractor performance, scope control, and risk mitigation across all phases.
• Uphold safety, environmental compliance, and statutory obligations on all project sites.
• Produce concise reporting for executive leadership on progress, risk, and performance metrics.

Accountabilities:

• Governance & Compliance : Ensure stage gates, procurement policies, and delegated authority are followed.
• Program Governance & Strategic Alignment : Ensure all projects within the capital works program are aligned to business priorities, resourced appropriately, and governed through stage gates and portfolio review processes.
• Decision-Making : Hold delegated authority for program-level decisions on scope, sequencing, contractor engagement, and capital allocation within defined thresholds, with escalation to the National Construction Manager as required.
• Scheduling & Planning : Develop and manage integrated workstreams using tools like Primavera, MS Project.
• Stakeholder Engagement : Communicate with Retail Ops, HSE, Finance, Authorities, and external partners.
• Commercial Management : Oversee CAPEX forecasting, procurement, and cost discipline.
• Safety Leadership : Enforce WHS, OEMS, and AS / NZS standards with rigour.
• Continuous Improvement : Embed lessons learned, sustainability initiatives, and process enhancements into delivery.
• Team Culture : Lead with resilience, model ethical behaviour, and mentor high-performing teams.

Requirements:

• Proven program-level leadership experience , not just project management.
• Leading multi-site capital works programs, overseeing governance frameworks, portfolio prioritization, and stakeholder orchestration at scale, with a track record of executive-level reporting and influence.
• Experience in corporate construction , with exposure to multi-site retail rollouts (e.g., service stations, QSRs, or retail networks).
• Degree in Civil or Mechanical Engineering, Construction Management, or related field.
• Strong commercial acumen and understanding of project / program management tools and systems (SAP, Procore, Aconex, Power BI).
• Confident working across operational and strategic levels—from site delivery to executive reporting.
• Passionate about continuous improvement, team development, and stakeholder value.

Why choose us?

• This is a rare opportunity to lead transformative, program-level capital works on a national scale, shaping not just individual projects, but the long-term future and delivery standards of a market-leading retail network.
• We're seeking a construction leader who thrives at both the strategic and operational level, someone capable of steering the direction of a national program, driving governance and commercial excellence, while ensuring safe, cost-effective outcomes on the ground.