Technical Director Security - SCEC

About this role

Brilliant people trusted to do brilliant things

Mott MacDonald is a vibrant and forward-thinking engineering, management, and development consultancy. Working together as a global team we plan, design, deliver and maintain the transport, energy, water, buildings, and wider infrastructure that is integral to people’s daily lives. We value excellence in every dimension of our business and continuously seek opportunities to improve what we do and how we do it.

We employ brilliant people who combine their diverse skills and experiences to achieve brilliant things. Whether you want to specialise or broaden your experience, you'll be supported by global specialists eager to share their expertise. With numerous opportunities to learn and grow, the possibilities are as diverse as our people. Working as a connected global team, we deliver impactful projects that shape the future.

Canberra, Sydney or Melbourne

Your Opportunity

Mott MacDonald is seeking an experienced Technical Director – Security (Defence) to lead the delivery of complex Defence, security-sensitive and critical infrastructure projects across Australia. This role requires a highly capable electrical engineering professional with a strong background in Defence facilities, secure infrastructure, mission-critical systems and security engineering.

The successful candidate will be a SCEC Endorsed Security Consultant Security Zone Consultant and possess a minimum of 10 years' relevant professional experience with demonstrated experience in Defence, secure government, critical infrastructure or high-security environments.

As a Technical Director, you will provide technical leadership, project direction and strategic client engagement, while growing Mott MacDonald's Defence and Security portfolio. You will be responsible for leading multidisciplinary project teams, mentoring engineers, maintaining trusted client relationships and contributing to the strategic growth of the business.

In this role you will be responsible for

Technical Leadership

• Fully responsible for interpreting, organising, executing and coordinating complex engineering assignments and programmes.
• Lead the planning, development and delivery of security, electrical and ICT related engineering solutions for Defence and security-sensitive environments.
• Provide technical leadership for projects involving secure facilities, classified infrastructure, mission-critical systems and SCEC-compliant security solutions.
• Develop innovative engineering approaches and solutions to complex technical challenges where precedent may be limited or unavailable.
• Undertake technical assurance, design verification and governance activities across major projects and pursuits.
• Maintain current knowledge of Defence, SCEC, Australian Standards and relevant Commonwealth security requirements.

Project Leadership

• Fully responsible for managing and delivering projects independently, including technical delivery, programme, commercial performance and client satisfaction.
• Lead multidisciplinary Mott MacDonald project teams and coordinate internal and external stakeholders to achieve successful project outcomes.
• Manage project financial performance, resource allocation, forecasting and risk management.
• Direct project delivery teams through all phases of the project lifecycle, from pursuit and concept design through to commissioning and handover.
• Ensure projects are delivered to programme, budget and quality requirements whilst maintaining safety and compliance obligations.

Client and Market Development

• Initiate, develop and maintain trusted relationships with Defence clients, Commonwealth agencies, contractors, architects and industry partners.
• Act as a senior client-facing representative of Mott MacDonald and serve as a trusted advisor on Defence and security-related infrastructure matters.
• Lead and contribute to major pursuits, proposals and frameworks, supporting the continued growth of the Defence and Security business.
• Identify emerging market opportunities and contribute to strategic business planning and sector growth initiatives.
• Represent Mott MacDonald at industry forums, Defence events and professional associations.

SCEC and Defence Security Leadership

• Provide SCEC advisory services and security engineering leadership across Defence and secure government projects.
• Lead the development, review and assurance of security infrastructure designs in accordance with SCEC requirements and Defence security policies.
• Provide expert advice relating to physical security systems, access control, intrusion detection, CCTV, secure communications, ICT infrastructure and classified environments.
• Support Defence accreditation processes and stakeholder engagement associated with security compliance requirements.
• Promote best-practice security engineering and secure-by-design principles across the organisation.

People Leadership and Development

• Mentor Principal Engineers, Senior Engineers and developing professionals, fostering a culture of technical excellence, collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Support capability development within the Defence, Electrical and Security disciplines.
• Contribute to workforce planning, recruitment and talent development activities.
• Participate in candidate reviews, interviews, technical assessments and hiring recommendations.
• Drive continuous improvement and promote engineering excellence across project teams.

Business Leadership

• Contribute to State, National and Sector Leadership Team activities, including business planning, operational performance and strategic growth initiatives.
• Support financial planning, resource management and operational improvement activities.
• Champion Mott MacDonald's values, quality systems, safety culture and professional standards.
• Collaborate across disciplines and geographies to leverage the broader Mott MacDonald global network and capabilities.

Essential

About You

• Minimum 10 years' experience in systems design, delivery and leadership.
• Current SCEC Endorsed Security Consultant accreditation
• Demonstrated experience delivering Defence, secure government, critical infrastructure or security-sensitive projects.
• Proven experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams and managing major projects.
• Strong understanding of Defence security requirements, secure infrastructure and security engineering principles.
• Excellent client relationship management, communication and business development skills.
• Defence security clearance (minimum NV1).   NOTE: SCEC CONSULTANTS MUST BE MIN NV1

Desirable

• Bachelor of Electrical Engineering or equivalent recognised engineering degree preferred.
• Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) or eligible to obtain chartered status preferred.
• RPEQ, NER, NERA or equivalent professional registrations.
• Experience with classified ICT infrastructure, physical security systems and communications networks.

Culture & Benefits

Mott MacDonald celebrates diversity and inclusion, offering a supportive work environment that values work-life balance, diversity, inclusion, and equity. We welcome diverse applicants, including First Nations People, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and people of all genders, neurodiversity, cultural backgrounds, age groups, and those with intersectional identities.

About security roles for ex-police

Security management, operations and consultancy roles. Years of operational policing — command, incident response, public order — translate directly into corporate security, and employers in this sector actively rate police experience.