Project Controls Manager

Willdan is a leading nationwide provider of comprehensive energy and sustainability solutions. The exciting and growing energy sector provides Willdan employees an opportunity to contribute to the clean energy economy. Willdan Performance Engineering, a division of Willdan Group, inspires and empowers communities by creating transformational environments. Our clients include school districts, universities, city, county, and state governments, private enterprises, and healthcare facilities. The Project Controls Manager provides strategic leadership for the Project Controls function across the organization's construction portfolio, establishing the governance, systems, and standards that enable projects to be executed consistently, efficiently, and in compliance with contractual and regulatory requirements. This role is accountable for developing a scalable project controls framework that supports project execution from initiation through final closeout while improving operational visibility and organizational performance.

The Project Controls Manager partners closely with Construction Operations, Project Management, Finance, Procurement, and Executive Leadership to strengthen project financial performance, schedule management, document controls, compliance, reporting, and enterprise project management systems. As the business owner for Trimble ProjectSight and leader of the Project Compliance function, this position drives continuous improvement initiatives that enhance project delivery, standardize processes across operating regions, and provide leadership with meaningful portfolio-level insight for decision making.

Position Impact

The Project Controls Manager plays a critical role in improving the consistency, predictability, and overall performance of the construction portfolio. Success is demonstrated through standardized project execution, strong financial and schedule performance, improved compliance, reliable executive reporting, increased adoption of enterprise project controls systems, and continuous improvement initiatives that enhance project delivery and organizational effectiveness.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide Strategic Leadership: Lead the Project Controls function across all construction projects by establishing vision, governance, and organizational standards that promote consistent execution, accountability, and operational excellence.
• Develop Enterprise Standards: Develop, implement, and continuously improve standardized policies, procedures, templates, workflows, and best practices governing project controls, document management, financial controls, reporting, and project closeout.
• Lead Enterprise Systems: Serve as business owner for Trimble ProjectSight, overseeing administration, configuration, workflow development, user permissions, reporting, training, adoption, and long-term optimization while supporting future integration with enterprise business systems.
• Strengthen Financial Controls: Partner with Finance and Project Accounting to improve forecasting, committed cost management, change order administration, budget performance, cash flow visibility, and monthly portfolio reviews while ensuring financial reporting accurately reflects project status.
• Support Schedule Performance: Collaborate with Construction leadership to monitor project schedules, milestone achievement, resource planning, schedule risks, recovery strategies, and portfolio performance to improve project predictability and delivery outcomes.
• Oversee Documentation & Compliance: Establish standards for document management, contract administration, regulatory documentation, record retention, and compliance oversight, ensuring projects satisfy contractual obligations and remain audit ready throughout the project lifecycle.
• Develop Reporting & Analytics: Design and maintain executive dashboards, portfolio reports, and performance metrics that provide timely visibility into schedule, financial performance, risk, compliance, documentation quality, project health, and organizational trends.
• Lead & Develop Teams: Supervise, mentor, and develop Project Controls personnel while providing coaching, technical guidance, and project controls expertise to Construction Managers, Project Managers, and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Drive Continuous Improvement: Conduct project controls audits, evaluate organizational performance, identify opportunities for automation and process improvement, implement corrective actions, and champion initiatives that improve consistency, efficiency, and customer outcomes.
• Support Project Delivery: Partner with project teams throughout the project lifecycle by providing project controls expertise, facilitating successful project closeout, documenting lessons learned, supporting strategic initiatives, and performing additional leadership responsibilities as assigned.

Job Requirements / Qualifications

• Education & Experience

• Bachelor's in construction management, engineering, architecture, business administration, project management, or a related discipline; equivalent professional experience may be substituted.

• Minimum five years of progressive construction management experience or seven years of project controls experience supporting commercial construction projects.

• Experience supporting multiple concurrent projects and collaborating with operations, finance, procurement, and project management teams.

• Public sector construction, Design-Build, and ESCO experience preferred.

• Technical Knowledge

• Strong knowledge of project controls principles, cost management, forecasting, scheduling, procurement, contract administration, change management, document controls, and project closeout.

• Working knowledge of commercial construction practices, public contracting requirements, labor compliance, and project governance.

• Experience administering enterprise project management software; Trimble ProjectSight strongly preferred.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, advanced Excel, Power BI, and related reporting tools; experience with Microsoft Project, Primavera P6, Bluebeam, and SharePoint preferred.

• Leadership Competencies

• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships, influence cross-functional teams, and lead organizational change.

• Strong analytical, organizational, written, and verbal communication skills with the ability to present information to executive leadership.

• Ability to balance strategic planning with operational execution while managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

• Commitment to continuous improvement, customer service, accountability, and professional integrity.

• Other Requirements

• Ability to travel as business needs require.

• Ability to work effectively in both office and active construction environments.

• Preferred Certifications

• PMP, CCM, CCP, PSP, PMI-SP, OSHA 30, or comparable industry certifications preferred.

EEO Non-Discrimination and ADA Reasonable Accommodation Statement

Willdan is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, religious creed, color, age marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, citizenship status, national origin, ancestry, religion, military service or veteran status, disability, medical condition, childbirth and related medical conditions, genetic testing, reproductive status or any other classification protected by federal, state or local laws and ordinances. Willdan does not discriminate on the basis of physical or mental disability where the essential functions of the job can be reasonably accommodated. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify us.

Willdan Energy Solutions participates in E-Verify.