The Construction Director is responsible for providing strategic leadership and overall direction for construction activities across major mining and infrastructure projects. This role oversees the planning, coordination, and execution of all construction work, ensuring projects are delivered safely, efficiently, and in accordance with established scope, schedule, budget, quality, and performance objectives.
The Construction Director will lead multidisciplinary construction teams and oversee contractors, subcontractors, and construction management personnel throughout all phases of project execution. Working closely with project management, engineering, procurement, project controls, and client representatives, this position will ensure effective integration between engineering and field construction activities, proactively address execution challenges, and drive successful project delivery.
The ideal candidate will bring extensive experience leading large-scale mining, industrial, or heavy civil construction projects, with a proven ability to manage complex construction environments, develop high-performing teams, and deliver results across remote and operational mine sites.
Responsibilities
The Construction Director will be responsible for the following functions:
Construction Strategy & Execution
- Establish and lead the overall construction execution strategy, including construction planning, sequencing, methodology, resource allocation, and site mobilization.
- Oversee all construction activities from pre-construction and site preparation through installation, commissioning, and project handover.
- Ensure construction execution plans, schedules, budgets, and methodologies align with overall project objectives and contractual requirements.
- Provide strategic direction on construction methods, constructability, work packaging, and execution approaches to optimize project performance.
- Coordinate construction activities with engineering, procurement, commissioning, and mine operations to ensure effective project integration.
- Identify and resolve construction-related challenges, constraints, and execution risks to maintain project progress.
Project Controls & Performance
- Maintain overall accountability for construction scope, schedule, budget, productivity, and quality performance.
- Monitor construction progress against approved schedules, milestones, and key performance indicators, implementing corrective actions where required.
- Work closely with project controls teams to develop and maintain construction schedules, resource forecasts, cost estimates, and progress reporting.
- Oversee construction budgets, cost forecasts, change management, and contract performance.
- Identify opportunities to improve productivity, optimize resources, reduce costs, and enhance construction efficiency.
- Ensure accurate tracking and reporting of quantities, productivity, labour hours, equipment utilization, and construction progress.
Leadership & Team Management
- Provide leadership, direction, and oversight to construction managers, superintendents, area leads, field engineers, and other construction personnel.
- Establish clear roles, responsibilities, reporting structures, and lines of communication across construction teams.
- Build, develop, and mentor high-performing construction teams, promoting accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Oversee the planning and deployment of construction personnel and resources across project sites.
- Promote effective communication and coordination between site-based teams, corporate personnel, clients, and project stakeholders.
- Foster a strong culture of leadership, ownership, and execution excellence.
Contractor & Stakeholder Management
- Oversee contractor and subcontractor performance, ensuring work is executed in accordance with contractual obligations, project specifications, and approved construction plans.
- Establish expectations for contractor performance, productivity, safety, quality, and schedule adherence.
- Lead construction coordination meetings and maintain effective working relationships with clients, contractors, vendors, consultants, and other project stakeholders.
- Support procurement and contracting strategies, including construction package development, tender evaluations, contractor selection, and contract negotiations.
- Manage construction-related interfaces, scope changes, claims, and disputes in coordination with project management and commercial teams.
Health, Safety, Environment & Quality
- Provide visible leadership and promote a proactive health, safety, and environmental culture across all construction activities.
- Ensure construction activities comply with applicable legislation, regulatory requirements, project standards, and company policies.
- Oversee the implementation and effectiveness of construction safety programs, risk assessments, and site-specific procedures.
- Ensure quality management plans, inspection and test plans, and quality assurance processes are implemented throughout construction.
- Proactively identify construction risks and ensure appropriate mitigation measures are established and monitored.
- Promote continuous improvement in construction safety, quality, environmental performance, and operational efficiency.
Commissioning & Project Closeout
- Work closely with commissioning teams to ensure construction activities are completed in accordance with commissioning requirements and project milestones.
- Oversee construction completion, punch list management, deficiency resolution, and turnover documentation.
- Ensure construction deliverables, quality records, as-built documentation, and closeout requirements are completed and transferred to the client or operations team.
- Support successful transition from construction through commissioning, start-up, and final project handover.
