Aviation Program Leader

Select how often (in days) to receive an alert: Location(s): Toronto, ON, CA Contract Type: Permanent Work Pattern: Full Time Market: Transport Job Ref: 17685 At Mott MacDonald, we are driven by purpose and powered by brilliant people. As a trusted engineering, management, and development consultancy, we work with clients to solve complex challenges and deliver sustainable outcomes that make a meaningful difference for the communities we serve. When you join us as an experienced professional, you will bring your expertise to work that matters while continuing to grow your career. You will collaborate with talented colleagues across disciplines and geographies, contribute your perspective, and help shape better outcomes through technical excellence, innovation, and integrity. Build on your experience while helping shape what comes next.

At Mott MacDonald, you'll work alongside talented people on complex and rewarding projects that make a real difference. We value fresh perspectives, encourage collaboration, and provide opportunities to expand your skills, take on new challenges, and grow your career. Whether you're deepening your technical expertise, broadening your leadership experience, or exploring new opportunities across our business, you'll be supported by a team that is committed to helping you succeed. The Aviation Major Program Lead / Design Director is a senior leadership role responsible for shaping and delivering complex aviation infrastructure programs from pursuit through execution. Acting as the Design Authority, you will lead the planning, integration, governance and delivery of multidisciplinary design services, coordinating architecture, engineering, airport systems, specialist consultants and contractor partners to achieve safe, efficient and commercially successful outcomes that meet client, contractual, operational and construction requirements.. Key activities and responsibilities include: Leading the planning, mobilization, and delivery of major aviation programs with clear vision, governance, and integrated delivery. Serving as a trusted senior advisor to client executives, airport authorities, delivery partners, and key stakeholders. Translating client priorities, operational needs, investment objectives, and capital plans into coordinated program and design outcomes. Strengthening strategic client relationships, expanding partnerships, and supporting positioning, capture planning, and major pursuits. Developing program delivery strategies covering scope, governance, organization, commercial approach, resources, schedule, risk, and assurance. Serving as senior design authority, accountable for the integrity, integration, suitability, and performance of multidisciplinary solutions. Directing design solutions that balance safety, operations, passenger experience, constructability, sustainability, resilience, cost, schedule, and whole-life value. Aligning design delivery with program objectives, contracts, business cases, benefits, and client decisions. Partnering with program, project, and commercial leaders to oversee performance, anticipate issues, and drive timely executive decisions. Establishing clear governance, reporting, accountability, and escalation across disciplines, workstreams, consultants, contractors, and partners. Leading senior forums, design meetings, executive reviews, and decision workshops to maintain alignment and resolve complex issues. Overseeing design budgets, schedules, resources, interfaces, changes, risks, opportunities, and performance indicators. Guiding integrated work, cost, and organizational breakdown structures for coordinated delivery and transparent performance management. Championing technical excellence, innovation, digital delivery, sustainability, quality, and assurance across the program. Overseeing program-level technical requirements, standards, criteria, departures, certifications, reviews, approvals, and records. Integrating architecture, engineering, airport systems, planning, operations, construction, specialist advice, and supply chain inputs. Engaging construction teams and delivery partners early to improve constructability, phasing, operational readiness, and delivery certainty. Managing strategic design and program risks, directing mitigation, and escalating material issues with clear recommendations. Leading Design Managers, Discipline Leads, Package Managers, and specialists with clear accountability and a collaborative, high-performing culture. Supporting workforce planning, succession, capability development, and effective deployment of expertise. Representing the organization with clients, industry partners, and professional networks to strengthen market credibility and aviation profile. Supporting aviation business growth through thought leadership, strategic accounts, client feedback, and lessons learned. The successful candidate will bring the following skills, qualifications, and

experience:

Bachelor’s de