Global Rail Major Projects Director: Ireland

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At AECOM, we're delivering a better world. Whether improving your commute, keeping the lights on, providing access to clean water, or transforming skylines, our work helps people and communities thrive. We are the world's trusted infrastructure consulting firm, partnering with clients to solve the world’s most complex challenges and build legacies for future generations.

There has never been a better time to be at AECOM. With accelerating infrastructure investment worldwide, our services are in great demand. We invite you to bring your bold ideas and big dreams and become part of a global team of over 50,000 planners, designers, engineers, scientists, digital innovators, program and construction managers and other professionals delivering projects that create a positive and tangible impact around the world.

We're one global team driven by our common purpose to deliver a better world. Join us.

 At AECOM, we’re delivering a better world.

At AECOM, we believe infrastructure creates opportunities that transform lives and communities. Our global team is united by a common purpose to bring together the best people, ideas, technical expertise, and digital solutions to deliver positive impacts in transportation, buildings, water, environment, and new energy sectors. We’re one global team – 50,000 strong – driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world.

Our rail professionals are leading transformational changes, delivering solutions that meet our clients’ complex challenges that ensure communities have access to transportation and transit systems that are safe, reliable and sustainable – today and in the future.

About the Role

Our Global Transit Business Line has a range of exciting, nation-building projects internationally and has an opening for a Major Rail Projects Delivery Director, based in Ireland and available for immediate projects globally while  rail delivery business ramps up in Ireland. 

Ireland’s strong year on year economic growth continues, driving growth in population, workforce and travel. This, along with the need to decarbonise transport and to accelerate housing development, has led to a raft of public transport investment. The National Development Plan Review 2025 confirmed Government commitment to total investment of €275.4 billion over 2026-2035 of which €102.4 billion has been allocated for 2026 to 2030 including over €24 billion to Transport. Major rail programmes include MetroLink, Ireland’s first underground metro; major heavy rail upgrade programmes for the Dublin and Cork city region, and across the network; and programmes to renew and expand the Luas light rail system.

Ireland is a key growth market for AECOM. We are already well established, employing more than 700 people in Ireland across offices in Dublin, Belfast, Cork and Galway.

Our transportation clients include the National Transport Authority, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Irish Rail, Translink and Dublin Airport. We are now seeking an individual with international experience of major rail infrastructure and infrastructure upgrade programmes to lead rail programmes and projects in Ireland.

You will have the opportunity to pursue and deliver world-class rail programmes that create positive social and environmental outcomes, leading complex, multidisciplinary teams across diverse sectors and regions, and working with key clients and stakeholders to achieve their goals.

As a key member of our organisation, you will play a pivotal role in driving the growth and success of our business. We are looking for a transformational leader who can shape our rail delivery capability in Ireland and, bring new technical direction and value to our rail clients and projects. 

Here’s what you’ll do:

Safety, Ethics & Quality first

• Identify areas of high risk and act to positively impact programme outcomes
• Advocate for ethical and safe working practices

Deliver excellence

• Lead and manage large rail programmes which have a high level of execution complexity and are of significant strategic value

• Provide AECOM with highly experienced technical leadership for rail project delivery in Ireland and in other markets if/where appropriate

Thrive together

• Develop high performing delivery teams for rail projects in the Irish market

• Contribute to, and where appropriate lead, development of successful tenders for rail projects in Ireland

Innovate with impact

• Drive innovation in technical and management approaches to achieve marketplace differentiation

• Assess long-term and disruptive trends in rail, proactively addressing emerging challenges and opportunities

Collaborate to win

• Work with Market Sector Leaders and Europe and India  leadership to identify strategic  business opportunities and develop solutions to address them

• Contribute to the people development strategy for rail, including identification of talent and development of resourcing plans

• Develop key industry relationships, promote technical practices, innovation, and knowledge management.

Requirements

• Significant professional experience in leading the design of large-scale, complex, heavy rail, light rail and/or metro programmes and projects

• Track record of driving high performance, achieving project objectives, and leading large teams in capital infrastructure projects in the rail industry

• Proven ability to navigate complexity and drive innovation

• Recognition within the rail industry and a substantial network in the world of rail infrastructure

• Commitment to fostering a collaborative, high-performing team culture that will empower your colleagues to excel and thrive

• In-depth knowledge of rail safety, operations and compliance standards

• Commercial acumen with proven ability to manage large projects and contracts

• Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills, with a proven ability to build and maintain long-term partner and client relationships.

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity

• You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

• AECOM provides a wide array of compensation, benefits and well-being programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

• Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.

• All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

• Degree in engineering, project management or another relevant discipline

• Chartered membership of a relevant professional body.

Additional Requirements

• Demonstrate your dedication to driving our Welcoming Workplaces strategies by instilling a culture of respect and care within your pursuits, programmes and projects, role modelling behaviours aligned to these strategies.

• Build a diverse and inclusive workforce by recruiting and retaining the best talent and nurturing the next generation of leaders who will do the same.

• Lead with empathy, respect and understanding, actively seeking out diverse points of view and creating a psychologically safe environment where these points of view can thrive.

About AECOM

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity 

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation, benefits and well-being programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and will offer an interview to applicants who have a disability or long-term condition, who meet the minimum/essential criteria for the role. Please let us know using this email address [email protected]  if you would like to apply through the Disability Confident Interview Scheme.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.