Senior Project Controls Lead

Position Summary

The Project Controls Manager is responsible for the leadership and governance of all project controls functions for large, complex capital construction projects. This role provides enterprise‑level oversight of cost, schedule, change, risk, and performance management from project award through closeout.

The Project Controls Manager establishes and maintains project baselines, ensures accurate forecasting and performance reporting, and serves as a key advisor to project leadership and executive stakeholders. The position plays a critical role in driving disciplined execution, transparency, and informed decision‑making across one or more major capital projects or programs.

Description - External

The Project Controls Manager is responsible for the leadership and governance of all project controls functions for large, complex capital construction projects. This role provides enterprise‑level oversight of cost, schedule, change, risk, and performance management from project award through closeout.

The Project Controls Manager establishes and maintains project baselines, ensures accurate forecasting and performance reporting, and serves as a key advisor to project leadership and executive stakeholders. The position plays a critical role in driving disciplined execution, transparency, and informed decision‑making across one or more major capital projects or programs.

Duties

• Provide overall leadership and functional governance for project controls activities on large, complex capital construction projects, ensuring consistent application of company standards, procedures, and best practices across cost, schedule, risk, and performance management.
• Establish, maintain, and control the project cost and schedule baselines, ensuring alignment with approved scope, contract terms, and execution strategies. Oversee baseline change control and ensure integrity of approved budgets and schedules.
• Direct cost management and forecasting activities, including development of project control budgets, monitoring of actual costs, preparation of forecasts (EAC/ETC), variance analysis, and identification of emerging cost trends and risks.
• Oversee integrated schedule management, including review and approval of detailed and integrated master schedules, critical path analysis, progress measurement, and schedule risk assessments. Coordinate schedule interfaces across engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning.
• Lead project change and trend management processes, ensuring timely identification, evaluation, documentation, and reporting of scope changes, trends, and potential claims. Support commercial and project leadership teams with data‑driven impact assessments.
• Implement and manage performance measurement frameworks, including earned value management or equivalent methodologies, to assess productivity, schedule performance, and cost efficiency. Provide actionable insights into performance drivers and recovery strategies.
• Own project risk and opportunity management, including development and maintenance of risk registers, facilitation of risk workshops, integration of risk into cost and schedule forecasts, and tracking of mitigation and opportunity realization plans.
• Provide overall leadership and functional governance for project controls activities on large, complex capital construction projects, ensuring consistent application of company standards, procedures, and best practices across cost, schedule, risk, and performance management.
• Establish, maintain, and control the project cost and schedule baselines, ensuring alignment with approved scope, contract terms, and execution strategies. Oversee baseline change control and ensure integrity of approved budgets and schedules.
• Direct cost management and forecasting activities, including development of project control budgets, monitoring of actual costs, preparation of forecasts (EAC/ETC), variance analysis, and identification of emerging cost trends and risks.
• Oversee integrated schedule management, including review and approval of detailed and integrated master schedules, critical path analysis, progress measurement, and schedule risk assessments. Coordinate schedule interfaces across engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning.
• Lead project change and trend management processes, ensuring timely identification, evaluation, documentation, and reporting of scope changes, trends, and potential claims. Support commercial and project leadership teams with data‑driven impact assessments.
• Implement and manage performance measurement frameworks, including earned value management or equivalent methodologies, to assess productivity, schedule performance, and cost efficiency. Provide actionable insights into performance drivers and recovery strategies.
• Own project risk and opportunity management, including development and maintenance of risk registers, facilitation of risk workshops, integration of risk into cost and schedule forecasts, and tracking of mitigation and opportunity realization plans.
• Prepare and present accurate, timely project performance reports to project leadership, executive management, and external stakeholders. Ensure data quality, transparency, and consistency in all reporting.
• Partner closely with Project Managers, Project Directors, Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Finance, and Commercial teams to support informed decision‑making and proactive management of project outcomes.
• Provide governance and oversight during pre‑award and transition phases, including validation of estimates, schedules, and assumptions to support development of executable baselines following contract award.
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve project controls systems, tools, and procedures, ensuring alignment with industry best practices and scalability for large capital programs.
• Lead, mentor, and develop project controls staff, including project controls specialists, planners/schedulers, and analysts. Manage staffing plans, performance evaluations, training, and career development for both local and remote teams.
• Resolve conflicts between project priorities and functional controls requirements, ensuring disciplined application of project controls while supporting execution objectives.
• Ensure compliance with applicable company policies, contract requirements, and local, state, and federal reporting obligations.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of project and organizational objectives

Qualifications

• Minimum 12 years of experience in project controls, cost engineering, planning and scheduling, or related disciplines within the engineering and construction industry, demonstrating increasing responsibility and project complexity over time.
• Demonstrated progression from individual contributor roles (e.g., cost engineer, scheduler, analyst) to project‑level leadership roles, and ultimately to functional or program‑level management responsibility.
• At least 5-7 years in a leadership or supervisory capacity, managing project controls teams and overseeing cost and schedule functions on major projects.
• Direct experience supporting large, complex capital construction projects, preferably in EPC, EPCM, or self‑perform construction environments.

Preferred Experience

• Experience on very large capital projects or programs (multi‑phase, multi‑discipline, or programmatic portfolios).
• Proven experience interfacing with executive leadership, owners, lenders, or external stakeholders, providing transparent and defensible project performance reporting.
• Experience implementing or managing earned value management systems, integrated project controls platforms, or enterprise reporting tools.
• Advanced knowledge of project controls principles, including cost management, scheduling, forecasting, change management, risk management, and performance measurement.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen with the ability to assess cost, schedule, and risk impacts to project outcomes.
• Proficiency in project controls systems, data analysis tools, and enterprise reporting platforms; advanced Microsoft Excel skills required.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, influence, and build credibility with cross‑functional teams and senior leadership.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex project information clearly and concisely.
• Strong organizational and time management skills; ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in fast‑paced project environments.
• Proven track record of developing teams, standardizing processes, and driving continuous improvement.