Ross Donnelly

Describe what the Mott Mac Life means to you in three words

Engaging. Rewarding. Contribution.

What do you enjoy about working here?

The people that you get to work with. The projects you get to work on. The opportunities to get involved and further develop.

Tell us about your specialism and why you chose it

I specialise in project leadership and design management. I enjoy leading large multi-disciplinary teams towards the same direction, solving challenging problems, influencing outcomes, and ultimately seeing landmark infrastructure delivered to improve communities.

How do you demonstrate Technical Excellence in your work?

By thoroughly reviewing, contributing to and approving technical deliverables across all elements of multi-disciplinary rail projects to support a cohesive, coordinated design solution that meets the client’s requirements, represents value for money, and is safe and efficient to construct, operate and maintain.

How do you contribute to Mott MacDonald making a difference to people and the planet?

By being involved in rail projects in the earlier phases of the lifecycle I am able to influence design decisions to better serve my community. By contributing to public transport projects we are encouraging modal shift, reducing road congestion and emissions, and improving access and opportunity for local communities at stations and precincts.

What are your career highlights and achievements?

I started my career as a civil designer in Mackay, North Queensland, working on local urban development and transport projects. I then transferred to Auckland, New Zealand as a civil engineer, and was introduced to the rail market by working on the Auckland City Rail Link project for 2 years. I then moved to Brisbane and since then have been lucky enough to hold lead roles on major rail projects such as Inland Rail, Cross River Rail and Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail.

A career highlight is seeing Mayne Yard North, which is a 17-road stabling yard in Bowen Hills that was constructed as part of the Cross River Rail project, now operational, dispatching and receiving trains to support peak hour timetables. I led as the design manager and construction phase services manager on this project for some time, and find it incredibly rewarding to see this infrastructure in use and supporting the operation of the broader rail network.

Another highlight is seeing how we have been able to influence the solution for Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail during the reference design phase, building upon key stakeholder feedback, and seeing that come through in the final solution as the project moves into delivery.

Are you involved in any additional initiatives at Mott MacDonald, aside from your day-to-day role?

I enjoy my role as a line manager and mentor, and find it rewarding to support our emerging leaders to grow and develop in their roles.