Project Director WTE

About the Role
We are seeking an experienced and commercially grounded Project Director to oversee the execution of a Waste-to-Energy (“WTE”) plant project under a joint venture structure involving international partners.
The project is currently facing delays across multiple workstreams, and the role requires a hands-on senior professional who can drive coordination, execution discipline, stakeholder management and recovery planning across the technical, commercial, contractual and operational aspects of the project.
This is a 12-month contract role focused on stabilising, accelerating and de-risking project delivery.

Key Responsibilities
Project Recovery & Execution Oversight

• Conduct a rapid assessment of the current project status, bottlenecks, delay drivers and critical execution risks.
• Develop and drive a practical project recovery and acceleration plan.
• Establish clear milestones, reporting structures and accountability mechanisms across stakeholders.
• Monitor engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning and regulatory workstreams.

Joint Venture & Stakeholder Management

• Act as the key coordination lead between joint venture partners, consultants, contractors, suppliers and regulators.
• Manage cross-cultural working dynamics and alignment between local and overseas project counterparties, including China-based project stakeholders.
• Coordinate with project stakeholders across different working styles, business practices and communication approaches.
• Escalate critical issues early and drive resolution at management and board level where required.
• Support governance processes, including steering committee and board reporting.

Contractor & Vendor Oversight

• Review contractor performance, timelines, claims, variations and delivery commitments.
• Work closely with EPC contractors, OEMs and technology providers to ensure execution discipline.
• Identify gaps in coordination, sequencing, procurement and commissioning readiness.

Commercial & Risk Management

• Identify cost overruns, contractual exposure, liquidated damages risks and execution liabilities.
• Work alongside legal, finance and technical teams to protect project and shareholder interests.
• Ensure proper documentation, reporting and project controls are maintained.

Regulatory & Operational Readiness

• Coordinate with relevant government agencies, utilities and licensing authorities.
• Ensure project planning supports eventual operational handover and plant readiness.
• Assist in establishing operational governance, staffing and commissioning frameworks where necessary.

Requirements
Experience

• Minimum 15 years of relevant experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Waste-to-Energy;
• Power generation;
• Large industrial infrastructure;
• Environmental engineering;
• EPC project execution.

• Proven experience managing large-scale complex projects with multiple stakeholders.
• Strong track record in recovering delayed or troubled projects preferred.
• Experience working with EPC contractors, OEMs, technology providers, state-owned enterprises, joint venture structures or international project stakeholders, including China-based project parties, will be highly advantageous.
• Experience in Southeast Asia projects preferred.

Technical & Commercial Capability

• Strong understanding of:

• EPC contracts;
• Project controls;
• Construction sequencing;
• Commissioning processes;
• Commercial risk management.

• Ability to read and challenge project schedules, technical reports and execution assumptions.

Leadership & Communication

• Strong executive presence with ability to manage difficult stakeholders.
• Comfortable operating at board, shareholder and project execution levels.
• Pragmatic, decisive and execution-oriented.
• Able to balance diplomacy with firmness.
• Able to work effectively with stakeholders from different business, technical and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to communicate with Mandarin-speaking project stakeholders will be an advantage, as the role may involve coordination with overseas contractors, suppliers and joint venture partners on technical, commercial and project execution matters.

Other Information

• Contract basis: 12 months
• Work arrangement: Flexible working arrangement, subject to project needs
• Travel: Willingness to travel regionally as required

Preferred Candidate Profile

This role is suitable for candidates with backgrounds such as:

• Former EPC / project directors;
• Former utility or infrastructure executives;
• Senior consultants with hands-on execution backgrounds;
• Senior professionals with experience turning around delayed industrial projects;
• Individuals with strong project recovery, commercial risk and stakeholder management experience.

Success Metrics

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Stabilise project governance and reporting;
• Reduce execution bottlenecks and delays;
• Improve stakeholder alignment;
• Deliver a credible recovery roadmap;
• Improve probability of successful commissioning and operational handover.

Reporting Line
The Project Director will report directly to the shareholders / board representatives of the joint venture and work closely with senior management across the project stakeholders.

With over 90 years' combined experience, NES Fircroft (NES) is proud to be the world's leading engineering staffing provider spanning the Oil & Gas, Power & Renewables, Chemicals, Construction & Infrastructure, Life Sciences, Mining and Manufacturing sectors worldwide. With more than 80 offices in 45 countries, we are able to provide our clients with the engineering and technical expertise they need, wherever and whenever it is needed. We offer contractors far more than a traditional recruitment service, supporting with everything from securing visas and work permits, to providing market-leading benefits packages and accommodation, ensuring they are safely and compliantly able to support our clients.