Moffatt & Nichol is a leading global infrastructure advisor specialising in the planning and design of facilities that shape and serve our coastlines, harbours and rivers, as well as an innovator in the transportation complexities associated with the movement of freight.
We are seeking a Principal Port Strategy & Planning Advisor to help shape the future of ports and freight infrastructure across Australia, New Zealand and the wider Asia Pacific region.
This role combines strategic advisory, business case development, commercial analysis, master planning and early-stage infrastructure planning.
Working alongside some of the world's leading port engineers, economists and planners, you will help clients make major investment decisions that influence national supply chains and economic development.
The successful candidate will work directly with senior client executives and Boards, lead multi-disciplinary project teams, develop trusted client relationships and contribute to the continued growth of Moffatt & Nichol's planning & advisory practice.
As our Australian advisory practice continues to grow, this role offers significant opportunity to shape the direction of the business, mentor future leaders and progressively expand your influence across Australia and the Asia Pacific region.
About Moffatt & Nichol:
Moffatt & Nichol is a leading infrastructure advisor specialising in the planning and design of facilities that shape and serve our coastlines. Reflecting Moffatt & Nichol’s commitment to design innovation since 1945, Engineering News-Record (ENR) has ranked the company No. 1 design firm for Marine and Port Facilities in the United States and No. 7 internationally.
Moffatt & Nichol's professional staff includes engineers, planners, scientists, and architects who serve our global client base from offices in Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. The firm provides clients worldwide with customised service and a level of excellence that have become the firm’s hallmark in three primary practise areas—coastal, environmental, and water resources; ports and harbours; and transportation, bridges, and rail.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.
- Lead nationally significant port strategy, master planning and investment advisory commissions
- Provide strategic, technical and commercial planning input to a range of port and intermodal projects, contributing to feasibility studies, business cases, strategic/investment strategies and options assessments
- Prepare Board papers and Executive presentations
- Lead commercial, operational and technical due diligence studies
- Develop port master plans and implementation roadmaps
- Manage multi-disciplinary teams comprising planners, engineers, economists and commercial advisors
- Mentor younger planning staff and help grow the advisory practice
- Build and maintain trusted relationships with executive-level clients across port authorities, terminal operators, governments and infrastructure owners, identifying opportunities where Moffatt & Nichol can provide strategic value
- Partner with the Australian Port Planning Lead and international Practice Leaders to grow the Australian and Asia Pacific planning and advisory business
- Understand clients’ needs and respond by putting together a team, a methodology, and a proposal to solve their challenges
- Lead strategic planning and concept development of ports and freight infrastructure, working closely with engineering teams through early project definition and option development
- Represent Moffatt & Nichol through conference presentations, industry forums and thought leadership initiatives
- Collaborate with various teams within Moffatt & Nichol including:
- Global port planning and design staff
- Global technology services group (FlexTerm® and NextPort®)
- Commercial and economics group
- Business development team
Success in this role includes:
- Becoming a trusted advisor to executive-level port clients
- Leading nationally significant planning and advisory projects
- Influencing major infrastructure investment decisions
- Growing long-term client relationships
- Developing the next generation of port planners
Other Duties:
Please note this job posting is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in Engineering, Commerce, Planning or related field
- Demonstrated experience leading strategic planning, business case development, investment planning or infrastructure advisory for ports, terminals or major transport infrastructure
- Proven business development track record with client management skills
- Experience managing projects listed above and developing business with clients
- Ability to mentor and train others
- Participation in industry associations and professional groups
- Permanent residency or citizenship in Australia
- Excellent communication skills (verbal, written, and presentation)
- Availability and willingness to travel, within reason
- Bi-lingual / multi-lingual desired
- All new hires will be required to successfully complete and pass a pre-employment (post offer) background check in compliance with NIST 800-171
Why Join Moffatt & Nichol?
Moffatt & Nichol is different.
As a privately owned company with employee ownership opportunities, we think and act for the long term. We invest in our people, our clients and our communities—not quarterly earnings. Our employee-owners have a genuine stake in the firm's success, creating a culture built on collaboration, accountability and shared achievement.
We recognise that experienced professionals perform best when provided with flexibility, autonomy and trust. You'll join a business where relationships matter, bureaucracy is limited, ideas are valued regardless of title, and senior leaders remain closely connected to our clients and our people.
We pride ourselves on maintaining an entrepreneurial culture where experienced professionals have the freedom to influence projects, build client relationships and shape the future direction of the business. We combine the capability of a global market leader with the accessibility and agility of a privately owned firm.
This is an opportunity to:
- Influence nationally significant port developments across Australia, New Zealand and Asia Pacific.
- Work with one of the world's leading maritime consultancies.
- Partner with internationally recognised specialists in port planning, terminal design, economics and digital technology.
- Work across strategy, planning, investment, engineering and implementation—not just one stage of the project lifecycle.
- Work alongside our global FlexTerm® and NextPort® digital planning specialists to develop innovative planning solutions.
- Build long-term client relationships while helping grow an expanding regional advisory practice.
- Work across Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and the Pacific on some of the region's largest and most complex maritime infrastructure projects.
Physical Requirements:
Work is generally performed in an office or client office setting. Ability to use standard office equipment is required. Occasional domestic and international travel may be required.
Moffatt & Nichol’s EEO Statement
As a global business, Moffatt & Nichol relies on diversity of culture and thought to deliver on our goal of Creative People, Practical Solutions® serving our client needs, and ensures nondiscrimination in all activities. We draw from the world’s best and brightest, regardless of geographic, cultural, or institutional background. This approach enables us to better understand and serve our clients, foster innovation, and create a rich, collaborative work environment. Moffatt & Nichol is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity / Federal Contractor desiring priority referrals of all protected veterans for job openings.
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