Job Description

Overview The Project Operations Lead reports to the Project Manager or Project Director and is responsible for leading, supporting, and delivering assigned program initiatives in alignment with program objectives and governance requirements. This role requires leadership of project team members and coordination across Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Project Controls, Commercial, and internal and external stakeholders, including clients, suppliers, utilities, and partner organizations. The Project Operations Lead is expected to have sound project management experience and a practical understanding of engineering, procurement, construction, project controls, contract management, and project governance principles.

Your role

Project Planning, Scope Definition and Execution: Develop project scope, WBS, deliverables, resource plans, estimates, and schedules in compliance with governing contract documents, quality requirements, and customer expectations. Develop and implement project execution plans and monitor execution through structured reporting to clients, project leadership, and senior management. Coordinate interfaces across engineering, procurement, project controls, commercial, construction, customers, suppliers, and partner organizations. Support program initiatives as assigned, including process improvements, tool enhancements, onboarding and communications, workshop coordination, and operational support activities.

Project Governance, Reporting and Commitments Management

Implement and maintain project governance processes, reporting structures, dashboards, and management review routines. Track and monitor key project commitments, deliverables, milestones, actions, decisions, risks, issues, and obligations. Maintain trackers and dashboards, identify emerging slippages, and escalate risks or issues through defined governance channels. Facilitate recurring coordination meetings, including agenda development, minutes, action logs, and follow-up to closure. Prepare routine status updates and summary reports for internal and external stakeholders.

Scoping Database, Lessons Learned and Operational Excellence

Own and maintain project databases, scope tracking tools, and operational reporting systems, ensuring data quality, configuration control, traceability, and timely reporting. Manage OPEX and lessons learned collection processes, including intake, screening, categorization, database logging, action tracking, and periodic reporting for management review. Support development of metrics, key performance indicators, benchmarking, and improvement plans to measure initiative effectiveness. Drive continuous improvement opportunities and support disciplined knowledge management across assigned initiatives.

Contract, Commercial and Supply Chain Management

Support contract development and negotiations, including scope and change control, requirements management, subcontractor and supplier management, and governance of flow-down requirements. Support procurement and subcontract management activities, including subcontractor and supplier oversight and supply chain strategies aligned with risk, quality, schedule, budget, and performance requirements. Manage assigned small-value subcontracts under the direction of the Project Manager, including scope of work definition, coordination with Procurement and Commercial, performance monitoring, deliverable tracking, and invoice verification. Support resolution of commercial issues and maintain effective working relationships with suppliers, subcontractors, clients, and partner organizations.

Cost, Schedule, Project Controls and Performance Reporting

Apply appropriate KPIs to monitor project health and performance and establish rigorous reporting protocols that meet contract requirements, corporate standards, and project-specific oversight requirements. Apply project controls methodologies related to planning and scheduling, baseline management, cost control, cost/revenue forecasting, resource management, and performance reporting. Support earned value management, critical path schedule monitoring, forecasting, and variance analysis as appropriate. Support resource forecasting activities, including information gathering, analysis, and reporting to project leadership.

Risk and Change Management

Support risk identification, analysis, mitigation planning, monitoring, and reporting in accordance with corporate standards and industry best practices. Support quantitative risk analysis where required, including Monte Carlo methodology and contingency drawdown curves. Support change control activities by gathering inputs, documenting impacts, coordinating approvals, and tracking implementation of approved changes. Maintain visibility of risks, issues, and changes to support timely management decision-making.

People Leadership and Resource Management

Provide leadership and coordination to multidisciplinary project teams and support effective collaboration across functional groups. Make effective decisions and/or recommendations regarding project resourcing requirements. Mentor junior project personnel and support professional development, onboarding, and knowledge transfer activities. Promote a collaborative, accountable, and results-oriented team environment.

Safety, Quality and Regulatory Compliance

Comply with all aspects of nuclear and industrial safety, including corporate and customer safety programs, required training, corrective action programs, and performance standards. Promote a safety-first mindset and ensure work and deliverables align with quality assurance requirements, applicable procedures, and client expectations. Ensure project activities are performed in accordance with corporate standards for ethical compliance, cybersecurity, import/export regulations, intellectual property protection, and security clearance protocols. Support corrective action and continuous improvement processes as required.

Work Environment and Interfaces

Required interfaces include Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Project Controls, Commercial, customers, suppliers, partners, senior executives, and technical/functional managers. Various work locations may include client sites, client offices, partner locations, supplier facilities, and Candu offices. Travel within Ontario and to other project or stakeholder locations may be required.

About you

Education and Professional Credentials: University or College Degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Project Management, STEM, or a related discipline. Project Management Professional (PMP) designation is considered an asset.

Project and Industry Experience

7+ years of experience supporting construction, manufacturing, engineering design/services, consulting, or technical projects. Experience in large, multidisciplinary project environments is required. Experience on international projects is an asset.

Project Delivery and Controls

Understanding of project delivery methodologies, including earned value, critical path scheduling, prime contract and subcontract management, procurement and supply chain methodology, construction work packaging, and associated inspection and test plans. Experience managing Primavera P6 project schedules is an asset. Understanding of large engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) work, including subcontracts and prime contract management. Demonstrated ability to manage structured trackers and databases and produce clear status reporting using Excel, SharePoint, Power BI, or similar tools.

Leadership and People Management

3+ years of experience leading individuals and teams is an asset. Servant leader with the ability to inspire teams to work collaboratively toward common goals. Ability to lead through influence and collaboration, including where team members do not report directly to the role. Lead by example and set high standards for Health and Safety and Nuclear Safety Culture.

Strategic and Commercial Acumen

Experience in strategic planning and execution. Ability to understand, plan, and execute work in alignment with overall business unit strategies and needs. Experience in Joint Venture, consortium, alliance, or Integrated Project Delivery models is a considerable asset. Ability to support contract administration, supplier management, and commercial decision-making.

Innovation, Analytics and Decision Making

Proven ability to innovate during project execution and support operational improvements. Ability to make data-driven decisions using a variety of tools and structured reporting methods. Ability to identify issues early, maintain accurate action logs, and escalate in a timely manner.

Safety, Quality and Nuclear Readiness

Working knowledge of industrial safety and nuclear safety culture. Appreciation of the importance of Quality Assurance Programs and their significance to the nuclear industry. Ability to manage sensitive or confidential information professionally.

Communication and Stakeholder Management

Excellent organizational, communication, presentation, and customer relationship skills. Excellent oral and written communication skills. Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with customers, suppliers, partners, senior executives, utilities, technical teams, and functional managers. Comfort working with distributed teams and coordinating across multiple stakeholders.

Core Competencies

Strategic Thinking. Commercial Savvy. Detail-oriented with proven writing skills. Initiative and decisiveness. Effective planning and communication. Accountability and ownership. Sound judgment and application of knowledge. Performance under pressure. Effective delegation. Problem solving. Integrity and trust. Customer focus. Team collaboration and knowledge sharing. Project governance. Leadership and influence.

Rewards & benefits

Explore the rewards and benefits that help you thrive – at every stage of your life and your career at AtkinsRéalis in Canada. Enjoy competitive compensation, employee recognition, and a brilliant range of flexible benefits you can tailor to your health, wellbeing, financial and lifestyle needs. Make the most of diverse opportunities for training and professional development to grow your skills and expertise. And take advantage of our hybrid working culture and generous time-off policies to balance a fulfilling career with your personal life. Be rewarded. Find out more.

About AtkinsRéalis

We're AtkinsRéalis, a world-class engineering services and nuclear organization. We connect people, data and technology to transform the world's infrastructure and energy systems. Together, with our industry partners and clients, and our global team of consultants, designers, engineers and project managers, we can change the world. We're committed to leading our clients across our various end markets to engineer a better future for our planet and its people. Find out more.

Additional information

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Worker Type

Employee Job Type Regular At AtkinsRéalis, we seek to hire individuals with diverse characteristics, backgrounds and perspectives. We strongly believe that world-class talent makes no distinctions based on gender, ethnic or national origin, sexual identity and orientation, age, religion or disability, but enriches itself through these differences.