You’ll be an excellent communicator who values the sharing of ideas and knowledge to achieve a successful outcome. You’ll be a natural leader who can think strategically to solve complex problems while staying calm under pressure. You will also have a respect for schedules, process, compliance, and risk management.

Project managers are responsible for the smooth delivery of rail projects. They constantly monitor their projects and adjust as needed to keep everything running on time and to a high standard. They seek to minimise risks and make the best use of all resources at their disposal. You may lead a team with people from many different specialisations including project designers, engineers, and skilled tradespeople. You’ll also work closely with business and operations managers. Most of your time will be spent in an office, coordinating with your project team to develop and deliver project plans and schedules. You may use specialised project management software to communicate plans and track project progress. You’ll also coordinate meetings and report progress to project stakeholders. At times you’ll visit project sites to ensure a project is going to plan and meets the required specifications. You can find work as a project manager all around Australia. Most jobs are in cities and towns. Some are in remote areas.

To work as part of a project team, you’ll usually need a Certificate IV in Project Management Practice. For leadership roles, you’ll need advanced qualifications in project or business management. Project managers may require industry-recognised certification, such as the Project Management Professional certification. You may also need accreditation with the Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM). For some project management roles, you’ll need specialised knowledge and qualifications in areas such as transport, construction and engineering. Our industry values diverse personal and work experience. Many employers can provide you with opportunities to gain additional qualifications and industry experience to help you succeed.