Deputy Project Director

Come Build Your Career at Aecon!

Aecon delivers some of the most complex and impactful infrastructure projects — from transformative transportation networks to critical energy, industrial and nuclear programs. The projects we build connect communities and power future generations. With deep roots in North America and a strong footprint internationally, Aecon brings global expertise and proudly serves public and private sector clients through its Construction and Concessions segment.

Safety Always is not only our #1 core value – it is the standard that anchors our culture. We believe the most ambitious projects deserve the most committed people. At Aecon, you won’t just build your career — you’ll help build what matters to enable future generations to thrive.

At Aecon, you can count on:

• Safety Always. Our number one core value. The safety of our people, projects, partners, and stakeholders is our priority focus – today and always.
• Integrity. We lead by example, with humility and courage.
• Accountability. We’re passionate about delivering on our commitments.
• Inclusion. We provide opportunities where people feel valued, supported, and empowered to contribute fully.

We deliver infrastructure with purpose, and our people are at the heart of everything we do. Aecon employees are incredibly proud to build some of the most impactful infrastructure of this generation – we call it Aecon Proud.

At Aecon we:

• Ensure you and your family receive the services and benefits needed to support your mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
• Are intentional when it comes to investing in your development. We help you build your career and advance your skills through our Aecon University, tuition reimbursement, and Leadership Programs.
• Are committed to creating work environments focused on mutual respect, teamwork, collaboration, and new ideas, through meaningful initiatives, training, partnerships with Veteran groups, our Aecon Women in Trades and diversity programs, as well as our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), to ensure we are building with top talent and harnessing our collective strengths within every aspect of our culture.
• Operate responsibly by managing risk, safety, and environmental considerations across all our projects and surrounding communities.

Our success is built on the passion, expertise, and dedication of our people. Together, we embrace strong execution, innovation, and continuous improvement — values that come to life through the unique talents and collaborative spirit of every team member. If you’re inspired to make a difference through future-building projects, join our best-in-class team.

What is the Opportunity?

The Deputy Project Director provides senior leadership, oversight, and integration for the assigned scope on the Darlington New Nuclear Project. Working with the Project Director, this role helps ensure work is planned, controlled, and executed safely, efficiently, and in alignment with project objectives, contract requirements, quality standards, and construction needs.

This role provides visible leadership across construction readiness, project controls, engineering, procurement, quality, safety, and field execution. The Deputy Project Director ensures the team has the direction, resources, governance, and decision support needed to advance work, manage constraints, resolve issues, and meet schedule, cost, quality, and safety commitments.

The position maintains an integrated view of execution readiness, cost and schedule performance, quantity changes, risks and opportunities, equipment and material procurement, turnover planning, and lessons learned for the assigned scope.

As a senior project leader, the Deputy Project Director aligns the Project Director and functional teams so decisions are consistent, deliberate, transparent, and supportive of construction execution.

This position reports to the Project Director.

What You'll Do Here:

• Provide senior leadership and direction to support collaboration across internal teams, partners, subcontractors, and stakeholders.
• Support the Project Director in setting and reinforcing the vision for project success, including contract obligations, execution priorities, and performance expectations.
• Ensure a minimum Level 3 schedule is established, maintained, and aligned with construction, reflecting planned work, sequencing, constraints, and quality requirements.
• Ensure a minimum Class 3 cost estimate is maintained, with accurate forecasting, trend identification, and cost-saving or productivity opportunities.
• Work with Project Controls, Engineering, and Construction to monitor quantity changes, coordinate takeoffs, limit growth, and keep forecasts and schedules current.
• Lead adherence to the DNNP Readiness Procedure, including prerequisite and execution readiness activities.
• Coordinate schedule and risk reviews with construction, engineering, safety, quality, procurement, and subcontractors to confirm logistics, execution strategy, controls, and schedule compliance.
• Manage assigned risks and opportunities under the DNNP Functional Plan – Project Controls, including identification, mitigation, escalation, and follow-through.
• Prepare and sequence construction work with Engineering and Construction, including constructability reviews, work package documentation, and related engineering work packages.
• Provide technical direction to Construction during preparation and execution, including support for field changes and technical constraints.
• Monitor field execution, maintain regular site presence, and address schedule, cost, quality, and productivity variances within delegated authority.
• Support safe, efficient execution of assigned scope in compliance with quality requirements, procedures, and project commitments.
• Manage engineered equipment and material procurement interfaces to support construction priorities and address constraints and risks.
• Ensure turnover packages are planned and prepared progressively, aligned with quality, commissioning, handover, and completion requirements.
• Resolve issues, implement recovery plans as needed, and escalate matters affecting safety, quality, cost, schedule, or contract commitments.
• Report on progress, cost, schedule, risks, opportunities, procurement, field issues, and recovery actions to support decisions.
• Ensure lessons learned are documented, reviewed, and translated into actions that improve planning, readiness, execution, and turnover.
• Act for the Project Director when required, providing leadership coverage, decision support, and project representation within delegated authority.

What You Bring To The Team:

• 15+ years of progressive experience in large construction, nuclear, energy, infrastructure, or EPC projects, with accountability for execution performance.
• Post-secondary education in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, or a related technical discipline; equivalent senior project delivery experience may be considered.
• Strong project controls knowledge, including scheduling, estimating, forecasting, trending, quantity management, risk and opportunity management, and performance reporting.
• Experience leading construction readiness, workface planning, constructability reviews, field execution support, turnover planning, and recovery planning in a regulated environment.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams, influence without direct authority, resolve complex issues, and align engineering, construction, procurement, quality, safety, and project controls stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of nuclear project requirements, quality programs, safety culture, construction procedures, contract obligations, and interface management.
• Advanced communication, leadership, decision-making, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to provide clear direction in a dynamic environment.
• Working knowledge of Primavera P6 and project reporting tools; project management certification or equivalent training is an asset.

Aecon fosters diversity, inclusion and belonging within and across our organization. We welcome all to apply including, women, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity.

We are committed to adhering to the objectives and requirements outlined in the Accessible Canada Act (ACA), and to meeting the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner. Through the implementation of the requirements of the ACA and its applicable regulations, appropriate accommodations will be provided upon request throughout the interview and hiring process.

As part of our commitment to fair and transparent hiring practices, Aecon may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist in screening and reviewing candidates. These tools are applied responsibly and in accordance with applicable privacy laws and Aecon’s AI Usage Policy. All final decisions are made by qualified Aecon team members.