Leading infrastructure projects in the face of climate challenges

The aim of this PhD project is to generate insights on project leadership in the face of global climate challenges. Infrastructure development and renewal projects are critical to the achievement of Net Zero targets and the creation of a resilient future. As temporary organisations that bring together diverse professions and knowledge, they present distinct challenges for leadership. This PhD project will extend our understanding of these distinct challenges and ways of navigating them. It should strive to explore the role of leadership in framing the sustainability issues and outcomes of a project, as well as the planned or emergent distribution of leadership. The successful PhD candidate will be interested in critically evaluating the limits of taken-for-granted leadership practices in infrastructure projects and proposing pragmatic ways forward. 

This PhD research will draw on the expertise of the Project Management Group at the University of Leeds, School of Civil Engineering. The Project Management Group develops solutions for ever-growing challenges in society, with a particular interest in improving the management and delivery of complex major infrastructure projects. Our work is used by organisations such as the Infrastructure and Projects Authority, Association for Project Management and international corporations. We welcome applications that draw on a wide range of theoretical perspectives that can enrich studies of project leadership.