Leadership in Major Projects: Catalyst Program
Nine months, including three residentials in Sydney. The fee includes all accommodation and meals.
Overview
Catalyst builds the leadership capacity that carries technically strong project managers into senior project leadership. It uses the same developmental method as the John Grill Institute’s flagship Executive Leadership in Major Projects program, where over 90% of alumni have been promoted or expanded their role and participants’ live project work has returned hundreds of millions of dollars to their organisations.
The program works on how you think, decide and lead when the stakes are high and the project management playbook runs out. Every participant enters with an Undertaking – a real piece of work their organisation needs done, agreed with a sponsor before the program begins – and works on it for nine months with a coach, a peer pod and the Institute behind them. Participants leave with a steadier, more grounded leadership presence, and with a result their organisation can point to.
Catalyst is the entry point to the Institute’s learning ecosystem, connecting participants upward to the ELMP cohort and its alumni network.
What you'll learn
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Optimise for the whole, rather than just your part
- Influence up, out and within
- Design the decision-making for navigating complexity and ambiguity
- Exercise sound judgement when faced with incomplete information
- Hold space for inquiry and clarity on next steps
- Build people and systems that succeed without you
- Become the relational leader that others want in the room
- Read the political landscape and shape the system to work better
John Grill Institute for Project Leadership
A global leader in research and executive education on how organisations conceive, set-up, deliver, and benefit from nation-building projects. Working with industry, government, and communities to enhance productivity and shape future projects and their outcomes.
Founded through a generous donation by John Grill AO, they Institute builds leadership capability and capacity to transform the performance of projects.
For any enquiries about the Catalyst program or application process, please email john-grill.execed@sydney.edu.au.
Program Aims
Catalyst is designed for those who sense that what has carried them this far will not be enough for the rapid, unpredictable and tangled nature of today’s projects. Through a structured development journey, participants build the mindset, capacity and resilience to lead complex projects with confidence and composure – and prove it on a live challenge inside their own organisation.
Beyond the three residentials, participants take part in regular online development sessions, receive 1:1 coaching from a developmentally trained coach and mentoring from a senior industry leader, and join fireside conversations with major project leaders, government executives and globally recognised academics. The result is a set of lifelong connections, with your cohort and those who have walked the same path.
This program is designed for senior project managers or project leaders who sense the next stage demands a different way of leading, not more of the same.
- 7–15 years' experience in major projects.
- Currently a senior project manager or project leader.
- At a career threshold: sensing the next level requires something different.
- Drawn to questions of how to influence without control, motivate through challenge, create positive culture and progress organisational change.
- Ready to invest seriously in your own development, not just your credentials.
This immersive program takes place over three residentials held in Sydney – eleven days face-to-face – where participants engage in facilitator-led sessions that are practical, hands-on, and deeply collaborative. The residentials, online sessions, peer pod work, coaching, mentoring and experiential activities keep the learning applied to the participants' undertaking. Cohorts are limited to 25.
Applicants must be senior project managers or project leaders currently working in or leading major projects. There are no formal prerequisites; however, places are awarded through a competitive application process that includes submitting a short leadership statement and an interview.
We recommend bringing a laptop computer or tablet device.
The program fee is $30,000. This includes accommodation and meals for three residential programs in Sydney. Travel to and from Sydney is not included.
Successful applicants undertake a pre-program leadership diagnostic assessment, drawn from five decades of adult development research, to establish where they are starting from. It serves as a reference point throughout the program. At the close-out, participants give an evidenced account of what changed, witnessed by their sponsor, followed by a final re-assessment and a personalised report on their growth and future development priorities.
Please note: Places are limited, and early application is encouraged.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend a selection interview with the Director of Executive Education. For any enquiries about the Catalyst program or application process, please email john-grill.execed@sydney.edu.au
Enrolment in this course is via application. To apply, follow these steps:
1. Click the "Apply now" button under "Upcoming classes" to add the course to your cart. Then proceed to checkout by clicking "Checkout now" or the cart icon at the top right of the page.
2. Answer all required application questions, then proceed to the Confirmation screen. The total will display as $0, as submitting an application is free.
3. Review our Terms and Conditions and tick the box to confirm your agreement.
4. You will receive an email confirming that we’ve received your application. Please allow time for review and avoid submitting multiple applications.
5. Once your application has been assessed, you will receive an email advising you of the outcome. If successful, the email will include a personalised link back to the course page.
6. Follow the link and click "Enrol now" under "Upcoming classes". (Important: Use the link provided-otherwise you may still see "Apply now" instead of "Enrol now.")
7. Proceed to checkout again to finalise your enrolment. Any applicable discounts or special pricing will be automatically applied.
Contact john-grill.execed@sydney.edu.au if you would like to discuss how they can support your organisational training needs through this course. Either as a group booking, whole course block booking, or customised delivery to meet your business requirements.
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Upcoming classes
H.C. Coombs Centre
| When | Time | Where | Session Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 19 Apr 2027 | 9am - 5pm (UTC+10:00) | Function Room - H.C. Coombs Centre | |
| Tue 20 Apr 2027 | 9am - 5pm (UTC+10:00) | Function Room - H.C. Coombs Centre | |
| Wed 21 Apr 2027 | 9am - 5pm (UTC+10:00) | Function Room - H.C. Coombs Centre | |
| Thu 22 Apr 2027 | 9am - 5pm (UTC+10:00) | Function Room - H.C. Coombs Centre | |
| Fri 23 Apr 2027 | 9am - 5pm (UTC+10:00) | Function Room - H.C. Coombs Centre | |
| Mon 27 Mar 2028 | 9am - 5pm (UTC+11:00) | Cullen Room, Level 4 - A09 Holme Building | |
| Tue 28 Mar 2028 | 9am - 5pm (UTC+11:00) | Cullen Room, Level 4 - A09 Holme Building | |
| Wed 29 Mar 2028 | 9am - 5pm (UTC+11:00) | Cullen Room, Level 4 - A09 Holme Building | |
| Thu 30 Mar 2028 | 9am - 5pm (UTC+11:00) | Cullen Room, Level 4 - A09 Holme Building | |
| Fri 31 Mar 2028 | 9am - 5pm (UTC+11:00) | Cullen Room, Level 4 - A09 Holme Building |