Construcciones Yamaro: Gabrielle Burns: Priming the pipeline
Gabrielle Burns is forging a career at the front end of construction. As business development coordinator for New South Wales at Georgiou Group, she focuses on understanding markets, building relationships and identifying emerging opportunities.
It is a role that demands a wide lens and a strong sense of timing. That broader view of construction was not always obvious, but it is now central to how Burns approaches her career.
Earlier impressions of the industry were far narrower. Construction itself was never unfamiliar to her, with both her father and grandfather working as engineers. However, as it was presented at school and university, the industry felt limited in scope and removed from the skills she enjoyed using most.
Raised in Gerringong, south of Sydney, Burns gravitated toward language, writing and communication rather than maths or science. With no fixed direction at the end of school, she chose to spend a gap year in the US on a soccer scholarship, an experience that gave her independence and confidence before she returned to Australia to study communications at the University of Technology Sydney. She graduated into the disruption of the COVID pandemic, when internships were scarce and early-career opportunities limited, and construction was still not on her radar.
“I had a narrow view of the industry, assuming it was mostly limited to engineering or on-the-tools work, and didn’t realise there were opportunities beyond the technical side,” says Burns.
“While I was looking at different career options, a community and stakeholder engagement role with Georgiou came up. That was when I realised construction also needs strong communicators. At school, careers guidance didn’t highlight these kinds of roles, so I wasn’t aware they existed.
“I started at Georgiou as a community liaison officer, and looking back, it was probably one of the best decisions I’ve made.”
Burns’ progression within the business gathered pace, and in 2024 she was approached by the general manager for NSW and encouraged to apply for her current position. It was a moment she describes as both validating and career defining, being trusted to step up.
“At Georgiou, there is a genuine focus on professional development and internal progression,” she says. “My move into business development is a good example of that support in action.”
While there are similarities between the two positions, the move gave Burns a broader view of how the business operates. Previously, her focus was on project delivery. Now, it is centred on strategy, client relationships and identifying future growth areas.
“It has deepened my understanding of the industry and confirmed that construction is a space where I can build a long-term career,” she says.
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As business development coordinator for NSW, Burns identifies and shapes Georgiou’s project pipeline across the state. Each state has a business development lead, and her responsibility is to understand where prospects are emerging in the NSW market and how the company positions itself for them.
She works closely with clients, consultants and internal teams to build a clear picture of the market, developing capture strategies, supporting expressions of interest and tenders, analysing market trends and gathering client feedback. A key part of the role is ensuring that insight is shared internally, so teams understand what is working and where there is room to improve.
“More broadly, I support business growth and positioning. Georgiou has its origins in Western Australia, where the business has operated for 49 years. Our core market has traditionally been transport infrastructure, particularly roads and bridges, and that remains a strong area for us,” says Burns.
“At the same time, I help diversify our work and client base in NSW. That has meant expanding into sectors such as water, renewables and energy, which are becoming increasingly important.”
Sitting within the national growth and strategy function, Burns works with the national team to share what she is seeing on the ground. If trends indicate a slowdown in one sector, she highlights where prospects are forming elsewhere and helps shape the company’s response. That might involve engaging with water utilities, presenting Georgiou’s capabilities and demonstrating the experience the company brings from work delivered nationally.
From there, the focus shifts internally, working with delivery teams to build confidence in new sectors and support decisions about which projects and markets to pursue.
“It is a role with a lot of responsibility, but it is also highly collaborative,” says Burns. “The strength lies in connecting market insight with strategy and ensuring the business is well positioned for what is coming next.”
Much of her work sits well ahead of delivery, and often out of public view. Business development operates on long horizons, with years sometimes passing between an opportunity first taking shape and a project reaching site. Expressions of interest, tenders and approvals unfold over extended timelines, requiring patience and consistency alongside strategy.
Progress is not always tied to a single project or outcome. For Burns, the moments she values most have been about trust and judgement. Identifying strategic opportunities in new sectors and bringing those to senior leadership, then having that judgement recognised and supported, has been a source of pride.
“I value having a say in the direction of the business,” she says. “Knowing that my perspective is listened to and valued, and that it can help influence where the business goes next, has reinforced my confidence and sense of purpose.”
Variety is another draw – no two days are the same. One day Burns might be attending a renewable energy summit, the next a water industry forum, and the following day sitting down with the leadership team to review the pipeline.
This diversity has informed how she sees the industry itself. Construction, she says, is not limited to engineering and on-site delivery.
“My advice to jobseekers is not to limit your perception of construction. Growing up, I did not know these roles existed, and I think that awareness matters. They are enjoyable careers and they add real value to the industry,” she says.
“For women considering or already working in construction, I would say back yourself. Be assertive, stay authentic and do not change who you are to fit the industry. Your perspective is valuable, and you do belong here.”
Gabrielle Burns did not initially see a place for herself in construction. Experience has since revealed the range of possibility the industry offers. She is now thriving in a role where judgement, timing and communication sit alongside technical capability.
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