Role Overview & Project Scope

Laing O’Rourke is currently seeking applications for the position of Workforce Development Manager. As a $6 billion privately owned global engineering and manufacturing-led construction leader, Laing O’Rourke delivers some of Australia’s most complex and iconic infrastructure projects across defence, transport networks, health, water, and utilities.

At Laing O’Rourke, you won’t just build projects, you’ll help shape the future. As a $6 billion privately owned global engineering and manufacturing-led construction leader, we deliver some of the nation’s most complex infrastructure, from transport networks to defence and utilities. Be part of Australia’s largest-ever defence infrastructure program

Core Responsibilities & Key Deliverables

In this role at Laing O’Rourke, your key responsibilities and deliverables will include:

• Lead implementation of workforce initiatives that meet Australian Skills Guarantee requirements.
• Lead workforce engagement with shipbuilders, defence primes and supply chain partners to forecast future labour demand, identify critical skills shortages, and develop targeted workforce solutions that support AUKUS program delivery milestones.
• Provide strategic workforce governance, performance reporting and capability insights to program leadership, ensuring compliance with Australian Skills Guarantee requirements, social procurement commitments, and broader sovereign capability objectives.
• Develop and implement regional workforce attraction and retention initiatives, including STEM engagement, school-to-industry pathways, workforce mobility programs, and campaigns that build long-term shipbuilding capability across South Australia.
• Establish reporting frameworks to demonstrate compliance and workforce development outcomes.
• Develop and maintain an integrated workforce strategy aligned with AUKUS program milestones and future shipbuilding demand.
• Undertake workforce forecasting and labour market analysis to identify emerging capability gaps and risks.
• Develop workforce mobilisation and retention strategies to support long-term program requirements.
• Design and implement workforce initiatives that deliver measurable social procurement outcomes.
• Increase participation opportunities for Indigenous Australians, women, veterans, regional communities, and other underrepresented groups through attraction and skills-development pathways
• Establish strategic partnerships with TAFE SA, universities, Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), industry bodies, and government agencies.
• Coordinate development of training solutions aligned with emerging defence and shipbuilding requirements.
• Lead development of workforce pathways from school engagement through to skilled employment.
• Build supply chain capability in attraction, retention and skill development through education and mentoring
• Contract management of workforce development and social procurement KPIs downstream and upstream
• Drive initiatives that strengthen South Australia’s long-term workforce capacity and industrial capability.

Selection Criteria & Candidate Profile

Laing O’Rourke evaluates applicants against demonstrated technical capabilities and experience aligned with this role:

• Significant experience in strategic workforce planning and capability development within major infrastructure, defence, manufacturing, or industrial programs.
• Demonstrated understanding of workforce development frameworks, vocational education, and training systems in Australia with the ability to turn into practical business strategies.
• Experience delivering social procurement, employment, and community benefit initiatives that align to the business, project and client objectives.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills across government, industry, education, and community sectors.
• Proven ability to develop and implement workforce strategies aligned to long-term program objectives that create commercial and strategic value.
• Experience establishing partnerships with training organisations, universities, and industry bodies.
• Experience in grant applications or funding models to deliver workforce strategies
• Strong analytical, reporting, and workforce forecasting capabilities.
• Experience within defence, maritime, shipbuilding, or advanced manufacturing sectors.
• Knowledge of the Australian Skills Guarantee and Commonwealth workforce policy requirements.
• Understanding of sovereign industrial capability and defence industry workforce challenges.
• Ability to balance contractual, government, community and business objectives.
• Applicants must be Australian citizens and hold or be able to obtain an Australian Defence Security Clearance to NV1 level.

Key Competencies & Technical Proficiencies

Benefits, Rewards & Flexibility

At Laing O’Rourke, you are supported to build a meaningful, rewarding career. Some of the benefits offered include:

• In-house training programs and on-the-job skill development.
• Industry-leading parental leave giving all employees access to six months paid parental leave at full pay.
• Additional purchased leave options, and access to volunteering leave.
• Exclusive discounts and savings across hundreds of retailers across Australia.

Application Instructions

To inspect the complete official vacancy announcement and submit your confidential application directly through the PageUp career portal, click the Apply on Employer Site button above.