Victoria Rashleigh
Senior Project Manager
Victoria Rashleigh: leading high-performing teams in complex delivery environments
Victoria Rashleigh is a project delivery leader at RPS, with experience leading complex projects and teams in high-pressure environments. Her approach is grounded in calm leadership, clear communication, trust and accountability.
Recently recognised as the 2025 NAWIC South Australian Crystal Vision Award Winner and a National Crystal Vision Award finalist, Victoria is passionate about supporting women in construction, building strong team cultures and helping people perform at their best. In this Q&A, Victoria shares what effective leadership looks like in practice, how she helps teams sustain momentum through demanding programs, and why trust, flexibility and inclusion are important to stronger project outcomes.
Q You’ve built your career delivering complex projects in high-pressure environments. What has shaped your approach to leadership over that time?
Working in high-pressure environments has taught me that good leadership is about staying calm and focused, keeping the main thing the main thing. I have learnt that building trust with my team and clients is important and that everyone is unique and each team member offers a different perspective.
Keeping your head down and sometimes simply leading by example is the most effective way, especially when things are changing quickly. This helps your team stay motivated and engaged in what they are doing, with momentum and good team spirit.
Q On major programs, what does effective leadership look like in practice day-to-day?
Clear direction. Everyone has their own role and responsibilities and understands what they are accountable for. Good communication is key.
I love making decisions and backing myself, even if it means owning up to things that can also go wrong. As a leader, you must be accountable.
I enjoy bringing people together and sharing thoughts, as well as debriefing after a busy day. As project managers, we are good at problem solving. Issues are addressed quickly and practically to offer a resolution.
Always being trustworthy and respectful means a team feels supported, heard and motivated to deliver.
Q You’ve led teams through particularly intense delivery periods and have spoken about your team not experiencing project fatigue during a demanding program. How do you maintain performance and momentum across long or complex programs?
The ownership of people’s roles and understanding what decisions they can make on their own is important. It comes down to trusting them to perform.
That clear delineation of who is doing what can prevent staff fatigue in a team that has a fast pace and is working on long-standing projects. It is also important to reward milestones and celebrate the wins on a project.
Q How do you create an environment where teams can perform consistently, even under pressure?
Sharing the load and being the person they can talk to when they are stressed or lacking focus.
I am not afraid to have tough conversations and share the load when it comes to delivering outcomes. I believe in leading by example and setting a clear standard, so the work aligns with the goal at hand.
“Trust creates confidence, accountability, and open communication within a team, while flexibility helps teams adapt to changing priorities, solve problems quickly, and keep delivering under pressure.”
Q What role does trust and flexibility play in maintaining high performance across teams?
Trust creates confidence, accountability, and open communication within a team, while flexibility helps teams adapt to changing priorities, solve problems quickly, and keep delivering under pressure.
Together, I believe these are fundamental to improving cohesion and resilience, along with leading with a growth rather than scarcity mindset.
Q From your perspective, how is the construction and project delivery industry evolving, particularly for women and emerging leaders?
The industry is becoming more collaborative, more flexible and open to different leadership styles.
For women and emerging leaders, there is more opportunity than before, but it is about creating genuine opportunities and visible role models and growing the culture of a business like RPS that supports growth and leaders being able to move into a role with more responsibilities. Not all companies are willing or able to do this.
Q You’ve recently been recognised as the NAWIC South Australian Crystal Vision Award Winner and a National Crystal Vision Award finalist. What does that recognition reflect about your approach and the impact you’re aiming to have?
Being recognised by the National Association of Women in Construction as their 2025 Crystal Vision Award Winner for South Australia cemented my love for supporting and championing women in the construction industry. It is not done enough.
Making an impact and starting conversations about flexible work, work-life balance, mental health support, and the importance of visible female leadership helps future generations of women step beyond the norm, grow in confidence, and work out how to thrive in this industry.
In Australia’s construction industry, women make up only 13% of the workforce. Women represent only around 4% of trades workers. The current skills shortage can be addressed by encouraging more women into project management, trades and core construction roles such as contract management.
Q You’re involved in initiatives like Lean In circles and broader inclusion efforts. Why are these important, and how do they translate into better outcomes for teams and projects?
I am involved in creating Lean In circles because I have seen how much difference it makes when people feel supported and included. These are a great way for women to start mentoring women. I am passionate about this, as they create connection, grow confidence and offer support.
We run trainings on goal setting and time management, with the option to engage with an accountability partner for life and career goals. For me, it is about creating space for people to share experiences openly and feel like they belong.
When people feel included and able to speak up, teams communicate better, solve problems faster and work more effectively together. That leads to stronger project outcomes and a healthy culture.
We are so lucky at RPS for corporate to support these initiatives and allow time for our personal growth as a team.
Q What advice would you give to others looking to build a career in this industry?
I would say back yourself. This is an industry where you need to be open to keep learning from all the amazing people around you. Build strong relationships, don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions, or to step outside your comfort zone.
This industry values people who are reliable, collaborative and willing to take on challenges, so trust your ability to grow into new opportunities.
As Zig Ziglar says, “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to become great.”
Looking to build high-performing project teams?
RPS supports clients to deliver complex projects and programs across the built environment, bringing together project leadership, stakeholder management and delivery expertise to help teams perform with confidence.
To learn more about how RPS can support your next project, connect with our team.
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