Area Business Group Manager

The Role
Following an internal move and ongoing growth, HDR is pleased to offer an opportunity for an Area Business Group Manager to lead the operational delivery of our Building Engineering Services (BES) Business Group across Australia.

As a business leader reporting directly to the Country Director of Operations and partnering with the BES Regional Business Group Director, you will be responsible for managing the operations and performance of the BES business across Australia. Collaborating closely with the BES and Australian Leadership Teams, your focus will be on driving operational excellence and fostering effective collaboration across market sectors and business units to support the sustainable growth of our Australian business.

We will count on you to:

• Champion the Australian Building Engineering Services Business Group, promoting its vision and values both internally and externally, and advancing its reputation as a leader in industry.
• Actively lead as a member of the Australian Leadership Team.
• Provide direct line management and leadership to senior staff, fostering a high-performance culture, and supporting the development and growth of the team.
• Leverage your expertise in operations and business to monitor and drive financial performance, including bookings, revenue, profit and business growth.
• Routinely monitor ongoing progress of business strategies and adjust strategies as required.
• Proactively manage project and business risks, ensuring that potential challenges are identified and addressed.
• Drive continuous improvement in operational processes and procedures to enhance efficiency, quality and profitability.
• Champion diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, advocating for an inclusive working environment and fostering a culture of belonging.

As part of a global organisation, you will have access to the resources and expertise of our 13,000-strong team, empowering you to drive business strategies that support our continued Australian and global success.

About You
The ideal candidate will have a relevant tertiary qualification and professional registration, alongside a minimum of 15 years of experience within consulting engineering. This experience should include significant time in senior leadership roles, where you have demonstrated success in managing operations, driving profitability, delivering projects and mentoring and developing senior leadership talent.

Key qualifications and experience include:

• A demonstrated understanding of financial management, including budgeting, forecasting, and ensuring profitability across projects and operations.
• Experience owning and growing a P&L for an engineering cost centre.
• Strong experience leading cross-functional teams and fostering a collaborative, high-performance culture.
• A proven ability to manage complex business operations, including risk management, performance monitoring, and managing planning and design of projects with construction values exceeding $100 million.
• In-depth knowledge of the building services sector, including relationships, industry trends, challenges, and opportunities.
• Expertise in client relationship management, with a demonstrated ability to build and maintain strong relationships with key clients, partners, and stakeholders.
• Experience working within a multidisciplinary environment – advantageous.

This position is based in our Sydney office. With most of our Building Engineering Services business currently based in Sydney and Melbourne, your willingness to travel both domestically and internationally to connect with your team, clients and global colleagues will be essential.

Our Process
Candidates are requested to submit a mission statement alongside their resume, detailing a comprehensive outline of their demonstrable experience in alignment with the qualifications and responsibilities for the Area Business Group Manager role.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or closely related field
• A minimum of 15 years experience
• Demonstrated experience with leading diverse teams
• Committed to quality, improvement and HDR values
• Actively engaged in professional or industry associations to enhance HDR technical expertise and brand
• Ability to work cooperatively with regional and local office managers, other area business group directors, technical directors and marketing managers
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must

What We Believe
HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.

Our Commitment
As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.

Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.

Primary Location:
Australia-NSW-Sydney

Industry:
Building Engineering

Schedule:
Full-time

Employee Status:
Regular

BusinessClass:
Building Mechanical

Job Posting:
Sep 8, 2025

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity. We are an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer ). We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.