Principal, Business Case Lead

What if you could help shape the infrastructure decisions that define Australia’s future?

At WSP, you can contribute to work that supports evidence-based investment decisions and delivers lasting benefits for communities.

We are seeking an experienced Principal, Business Case Lead to lead complex infrastructure planning studies and investment-grade business cases. You will bring together multidisciplinary expertise, guide clients through critical investment decisions and ensure each business case presents a clear, integrated and defensible investment story.

Working within our Advisory business, you will act as a trusted senior advisor to clients while helping grow our infrastructure planning and business case capability across Australia, with a particular focus on Queensland.

What you’ll do

In this senior leadership role, you will:

• Lead complex infrastructure planning studies and business cases from initial strategic assessment through options development, preferred option selection and implementation planning.
• Define the investment context, service need, objectives, benefits, base case, project boundaries and critical decision points.
• Develop fit-for-purpose methodologies aligned with relevant government and client frameworks, including the Queensland Treasury Project Assessment Framework, Business Case Development Framework and Infrastructure Australia Assessment Framework.
• Lead investment logic mapping, options generation, longlisting, shortlisting, multi-criteria assessment, sensitivity testing and preferred option selection.
• Integrate technical, environmental, social, sustainability, property, stakeholder, cost, risk, economic, financial, commercial, procurement and delivery inputs into a consistent business case narrative.
• Lead large and geographically dispersed multidisciplinary teams, establishing clear accountabilities, programs, budgets, governance arrangements and quality requirements.
• Facilitate senior client workshops, governance forums, options sessions, technical control groups and executive briefings.
• Present complex technical and commercial matters in plain language, framing clear decisions, trade-offs, risks and recommendations.
• Oversee the preparation of executive summaries, briefing notes, presentations, decision papers, assurance responses and high-quality business case documentation.
• Lead strategic pursuits and proposals, shaping scopes, methodologies, programs, team structures, fees and delivery models.
• Mentor business case practitioners, project managers and emerging leaders while building repeatable tools, templates and best-practice approaches.

What we’ll love about you

You will be an accomplished infrastructure advisory professional with the judgement, commercial awareness and communication skills to lead complex assignments and support senior investment decisions.

You will bring:

• A bachelor’s degree in engineering, planning, economics, finance, commerce, public policy, project management or a related discipline.
• At least 10 years of relevant experience across infrastructure advisory, planning, business case development, project management, engineering, economics, commercial advisory or government infrastructure delivery.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex, multidisciplinary planning projects and business cases through the full investment lifecycle.
• Proven ability to connect technical, economic, financial, social, environmental, sustainability, property, stakeholder, cost, risk and delivery inputs into integrated recommendations.
• Experience working with government investment frameworks and assurance processes.
• Strong project and commercial management capability across scope, program, budget, resourcing, risk, change and contractual obligations.
• Experience leading senior client engagements, executive workshops, governance forums and assurance responses.
• A track record of contributing to strategic pursuits, proposals and repeat client relationships.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce concise executive material and explain complex issues clearly.
• The confidence to lead through ambiguity, challenge assumptions constructively and maintain objectivity in politically sensitive or fast-moving environments.

Experience with the Queensland Project Assessment Framework and Business Case Development Framework will be highly regarded. Experience with Infrastructure Australia or equivalent jurisdictional frameworks, as well as exposure to transport, water, energy, precincts or social infrastructure, will also be valued.

Postgraduate qualifications, relevant professional accreditation and training in investment logic mapping, benefits management, economic appraisal, project assurance or recognised project management methodologies are desirable.

Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all

Join a team of respected advisors working across organisational and geographic boundaries to help clients make informed, transparent and defensible infrastructure investment decisions.

At WSP, you’ll have the opportunity to lead meaningful work, build trusted client relationships, develop the next generation of advisory professionals and contribute to the continued growth of our infrastructure advisory business.

Our employee value proposition is our commitment to providing an environment where you can belong, thrive and achieve your full potential through meaningful work.

With us, you can. Apply today.