Program Director, International Terminals Expansion Landside

Melbourne Airport is delivering a $4.5 billion International Terminal Expansion, a once-in-a-generation program that will redefine the future of international travel in Victoria.

We are seeking a highly experienced Program Director to lead the Landside component of this program, including the transformation of the terminal forecourt, access, and interface with ground transport and public-facing precincts.

This is a critical leadership role, responsible for end-to-end program development and delivery within a complex, live airport environment.

Reporting to the Head of International Terminal Expansion, you will lead a large, multi-disciplinary program team overseeing a key stream of the broader expansion. The Landside program plays a pivotal role in shaping the first and last impression of Melbourne Airport, integrating passenger drop-off and pick-up zones, ground transport, and connections into the terminal.

You will operate at the intersection of design, delivery, operations, and commercial strategy, ensuring the program achieves its objectives across safety, cost, schedule, and quality.

Learn more about life at Melbourne Airport – our culture, values, and what makes us unique at https://www.melbourneairport.com.au/corporate/our-culture-and-values. Join us in shaping the future of aviation as we propel Melbourne Airport towards becoming Australia's favourite Airport destination.

Key responsibilities:

Program Leadership

• Lead and mentor Program Managers and project teams across a complex Landside program
• Drive integration across terminal operations, ground transport, commercial, and development teams
• Deliver against program KPIs including safety, cost, schedule, and quality
• Ensure alignment with governance, reporting, and assurance frameworks
• Support senior stakeholder engagement and capital plan delivery

Design Management

• Establish clear, aligned project briefs with stakeholders from the outset
• Drive strong, proactive design management to minimise rework and delays
• Ensure designs prioritise passenger experience, flow, accessibility, and operational efficiency
• Lead complex stakeholder engagement across airlines, government agencies, retailers, and transport providers
• Embed innovation, including modern methods of construction and off-site manufacturing
• Ensure buildability within a constrained, live operational environment

Procurement, Cost & Commercial Management

• Develop and manage program budgets across the full lifecycle
• Implement procurement strategies suited to complex, staged delivery in live environments
• Drive value for money outcomes through strong commercial strategy and negotiation
• Maintain disciplined cost control, forecasting, and financial reporting

Delivery Management

• Lead safe, staged delivery aligned to operational and access constraints
• Minimise disruption to passengers, airlines, and Landside operations
• Maintain a strong focus on quality across all phases
• Champion a Target Zero safety culture across all program activities

The successful candidate will have:

• Degree qualified in Construction, Engineering, Project Management or similar
• Extensive leadership experience delivering major capital programs in complex, live environments
• Strong background in aviation, major transport infrastructure, or large-scale urban precincts
• Proven experience leading large, multi-project programs with complex staging and stakeholder interfaces
• Deep expertise in design management across full project lifecycle
• Strong commercial acumen across procurement, cost planning, and contract strategy
• Experience working within governance frameworks and preparing Board-level submissions
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement skills across senior internal and external groups
• Able to anticipate risks, navigate complexity, and deliver in high-pressure environments

We understand that not everyone will feel they meet all of these 100%. However, if you feel you have the attitude and aptitude to grow within our team, we invite you to apply and have a conversation with us about this position.

About the Company:

Melbourne Airport (Australia Pacific Airports Corporation) is proud to be one of Australia's premier transport hubs and Victoria's gateway to the world, connecting us to the global marketplace. We are committed to creating connections that matter and enhancing the traveller experience across every aspect of our organisation to deliver our vision of becoming Australia's favourite Airport destination. Currently, in an exciting phase of change, we are delivering rewarding career opportunities, making Melbourne Airport a dynamic and fast-paced place to work for our people.

APAC is a majority Australian-owned private company that also operates Launceston Airport, the tourism gateway to Tasmania and an industry multi-award-winning airport.

Culture and Values:

By joining the team at Melbourne Airport, you will work within a friendly, high-performance culture with a focus on our people and their development.

Our vision is to become Australia's favourite Airport destination and our people are paramount to achieving this success. We provide a supportive environment, with values that encourage all of our employees to Be You, Think Big, Own it and Work Together.

Benefits:

• Free access to Higher State, our state-of-the-art Fitness Club & Wellness Hub at Novotel & ibis Styles Airport hotel.
• Airport car parking 24 hours/365 days a year for both business and personal use
• Hybrid flexible working arrangements
• Airport Holiday, an additional day of leave
• Wellness Day, a further additional day of leave
• Discounted onsite childcare at Creative Garden Early Learning
• Mental health and well-being initiatives, including Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Long-term career and professional development opportunities
• Active social culture and participation in a range of social impact days and activities
• Signature Experiences including an airfield family day
• Access to an employee benefits scheme including access to corporate rates and airport retailer discounts (including SkyBus)

APAC is committed to weaving Diversity into our DNA. We believe that Diversity and Inclusion will help us realise our greatest potential as a company, and maximise the potential of all our team members. We strive to create a culture where our team members understand that each individual is unique and that embracing diversity makes us more flexible, productive, and creative.

APAC provides equal opportunity and advancement in employment regardless of gender, age, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, cultural background, caring responsibilities, disability or socioeconomic background. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds who share our workplace values of Being You, Thinking Big, Owning It and Working Together.