Korn Ferry has partnered with our client on their search for the role, Interim Chief Operating Officer, CopperString.

Interim Chief Operating Officer

CopperString Project

Location: Queensland, preferably Townsville or Brisbane, with frequent travel across North and North West Queensland

Company overview The CopperString Project is one of Australia's most significant energy infrastructure undertakings, a large-scale transmission network that will connect North and North West Queensland to the national electricity market.

QIC has established a dedicated company to deliver the CopperString Project, and is now building the team, capability and governance to take a nationally important “mega project” through its next phases of development and delivery. This is a rare opportunity to shape and lead an enterprise of genuine scale and regional impact from the ground up.

About the role

As Interim Chief Operating Officer, you will stand up and run the day-to-day operating spine of the organisation, corporate services, systems, health and safety, and business operations, creating the operational foundation on which the delivery and functional teams depend.

Reporting during the interim phase to the Board (and transitioning to the CEO on appointment), you will build a secure, efficient and compliant operating platform, and hold operational continuity through the transition to the permanent executive team.

This is a broad, hands-on leadership role for someone who brings order, structure and control to a developing environment.

About you

You are a senior operational leader with experience in major infrastructure, energy, utilities or complex project environments, and a track record of establishing or scaling corporate and operational functions in start-up, carve-out or transitional settings.

You bring strong health, safety, systems, procurement-enablement and organisational-establishment credentials, and the judgement to operate effectively with Boards, Committees,



Government and delivery partners under scrutiny. You are comfortable standing up multiple functions in a coordinated, well-sequenced way.

Key accountabilities & requirements

- Operating platform: stand up corporate services, business systems, facilities and operational policies fit for a greenfield SPV.
- Health, safety & environment: establish a fit-for-purpose HSE framework and embed a safety-first culture from Day 1.
- People & organisational enablement: stand up workforce-mobilisation, onboarding and HR-operational processes to grow the team in a planned, structured way.
- Operational governance & risk: implement operational controls, business continuity and delegated authorities aligned to Board expectations.
- Cross-functional integration: provide the operational backbone enabling the Project Delivery, Finance and Regulatory functions.
- Handover readiness: structure operations for a clean transition to the permanent COO/CEO.

Capabilities

- Operational leadership — builds and runs the platform that lets the organisation function.
- Safety and governance focus — embeds a safety-first, well-controlled operating environment.
- Organisational enablement — grows people, systems and processes in a structured, coordinated way.
- Establishment mindset — brings order and control to a developing organisation.

Qualifications

Essential

- Tertiary qualifications in Business, Engineering, Operations or a related discipline.
- Demonstrated senior operational leadership in complex infrastructure, energy or project environments.

Desirable

- Relevant post-graduate or governance qualifications.
- Experience establishing or scaling operational functions in a transitional setting.

Location

Townsville preferred, with Brisbane considered as an alternative, and regular travel across North and North West Queensland. A visible regional presence is expected, reflecting the CopperString Project's footprint and the importance of local stakeholder, community, Traditional Owner and landholder relationships.

📌 Interim Chief Operating Officer, CopperString (Brisbane)
🏢 Korn Ferry
📍 Brisbane