Francis Devassy
Perth,Australia
Summary
Experienced Project Manager and a Mechanical Engineer with a strong background in defence and mining projects. Certified in PRINCE2 project management methodologies, with a proven track record in leading high-performing teams, optimizing operational efficiency, and driving growth through effective procurement, design, and maintenance strategies. Currently working us a Naval representative for the Collins Class Submarine upkeep program.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Naval Representative / Project Manager
Department Of Defence
02.2025 - Current
- Act as 24/7 liaison between Collins Class submarine crews and contractor workforce to ensure materiel readiness and certification compliance.
- Oversee full lifecycle of maintenance projects aligned with Integrated Master Schedule and Usage Upkeep Cycle.
- Strong foundation in safety systems, compliance auditing, and regulatory frameworks, transferable to nuclear safety and submarine operations.
- Manage project scope, timelines, risks, and deliverables during extended maintenance periods.
- Tasking of contractors for scheduled/unscheduled maintenance and defect support (including 24/7 availability).
- Conduct risk assessments, managed issue resolution, and led safety oversight during high-risk activities.
- Facilitates daily coordination meetings and deconfliction efforts (Plan of the Day).
- Produce progress reports, project updates, and status briefs for senior stakeholders.
- Oversee concession, deviation, and deferral management processes.
- Supervised audit and closeout of maintenance work, ensuring all certification requirements were met.
- Built strong working relationships with contractors, Defence stakeholders, and operational crews to ensure seamless project delivery.
- Manage on-site support and contractor performance during domestic and overseas deployments.
- Collaborative, safety-first mindset with a continuous improvement focus and commitment to national capability building.
Project Manager (Modernizations & Upgrades)
Metso Australia
01.2018 - Current
- Global Project Manager for Services modernisations and upgrades for Grinding, Bulk & Pyro products.
- Extensive experience in the mining sector, specialising in high-risk, regulated environments involving radiation safety, geotechnical engineering, or hazardous materials.
- Safely execute projects, throughout the project life cycle from opportunity qualification through to handover to services, to meet customers’ specifications, delivery and contractual expectations
- Develops and maintains supply relationships with other internal divisions internationally, local and other suppliers and fabricators
- Lead project team in various countries where the projects are set up
- Support the sales resource for opportunity conversion by defining the execution strategy for orders and potential orders with input from relevant teams as required
- Assist with the project cost estimate from the execution strategy to use during proposal development
- Create and initiate project plans for each order / contract after receiving a hand over of the order from Sales and Engineering
- Develop and initiate a project plan for the completion of the project, informing and continuing to liaise with key stakeholders throughout the project including suppliers, clients and various divisions of Metso
- Initiate and manage the supply of materials and parts in line with the project plan to meet contracted delivery dates
- Continually review progress and estimated timing of delivery from suppliers to meet production schedules, manage costs and cash flows to best effect for Metso Outotec
- Expedite delivery as required or amend production plans with appropriate advice to clients and other internal stakeholders if delays are predicted
- Oversee and as necessary manages the assembly of equipment including regularly visiting the assembly provider, keeping up to date with progress of assembly against project plans
- Identifies and resolves any issues either with progress of a project or relationship or performance of the provider
- Achieved project deadlines by coordinating with contractors to manage performance
- Oversaw high profile projects for by planning, designing, and scheduling phases
- Visit sites and oversee installation & commissioning where needed
Project/Service Engineer
Trackem, Australia
08.2017 - 12.2017
- Roles & Responsibilities:
- Provide support for the consulting and solution services
- Coordinated board and committee meetings, including schedules and information preparation and distribution
- Understand potential client needs & objectives as part of the sales cycle and develop the client specific value proposition
- Conduct data analysis using skills in statistics and database management
- Service/Project Engineer for Trackem at BHP Olympic dam and Inpex site for Downer
- Develop user-guide for Olympic dam and Downer to use application for Material management
- Implementation of Project onsite as per user-guide
- Support site with material management and training
- Daily reports to superintendent on material tracking & expediting
- Developed and initiated projects, managed costs, and monitored performance
Education
Master’s - advanced manufacturing
Swinburne University
Bachelor - Mechanical Engineering
MG university
Diploma - Oil & Gas
North Metropolitan TAFE
Skills
- Leadership
- Influence
- Decision-making
- Collaboration
- Strategy
- Customer support
- Goal-oriented mindset
- Customer relations
- Data entry proficiency
Additional Information
- Willing to undertake extended international placements as part of nuclear safety training.
- Strong commitment to Defence values, integrity, safety, and regulatory excellence.
Certification
- Prince 2 certification
- Professional PM certificate from Kingsfield Academy UK
- Internal PM trainings in Australia and Finland by Metso Outotec
- SAP user – Finance Controlling and reporting
- Microsoft Project, Enovia document management, Pex-pro trained
- WA Manual Driving License
- White Card
Timeline
Naval Representative / Project Manager
Department Of Defence
02.2025 - Current
Project Manager (Modernizations & Upgrades)
Metso Australia
01.2018 - Current
Project/Service Engineer
Trackem, Australia
08.2017 - 12.2017
Bachelor - Mechanical Engineering
MG university
Diploma - Oil & Gas
North Metropolitan TAFE
Master’s - advanced manufacturing
Swinburne University
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