About the Role
The Project Controls Manager leads the planning, cost control, progress measurement, reporting, risk, and change management functions to ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and in compliance with contractual and governance requirements. The role provides single-point accountability for integrated schedule–cost performance, enabling management to make timely, evidence-based decisions.
Key Responsibilities
1) Planning & Scheduling Develop and manage the Project Baseline Schedule (Level 1–4/5 as applicable) including WBS, calendars, constraints, and critical path. Lead the planning cycle: weekly/monthly updates, lookahead planning, and recovery/mitigation plans. Conduct critical path analysis, trend analysis, and what-if scenarios (crashing/re-sequencing) to address delays. Establish schedule governance: coding structures, activity rules, logic integrity, and reporting protocols.2) Cost Control & Forecasting Set up and manage cost control systems aligned to the contract and project WBS/CBS. Monitor budgets, commitments, actuals, accruals, and Estimate at Completion (EAC) with periodic re-forecasting. Coordinate with Commercial/Finance on cash flow, payment applications, and cost allocation. Demonstrated capability to maintain and revise approved/baseline schedules, implement periodic updates, and develop integrated resource- and cost-loaded schedules aligned to project WBS/CBS and reporting requirements.3) Progress Measurement & Performance Management Implement progress measurement methodology (earned value or weighted milestones) for engineering, procurement, and construction. Validate progress claims against site records, quantities, and deliverables. Produce KPIs: SPI/CPI, productivity metrics, EV curves, S-curves, histograms, and dashboards. Establish resource loading and leveling logic and provide resource planning recommendations aligned to budget, EAC/forecast, risk profile, and milestone criticality.4) Change Management, Claims & Forensics Support Manage a structured change control process: change log, approvals, impacts, and documentation trails. Quantify schedule and cost impacts for variations, acceleration, disruptions, and prolongation. Support claims strategy: time impact analysis, delay analysis, and substantiation using contemporaneous records.5) Risk & Opportunity Management Establish and maintain the Risk Register with mitigation plans, owners, and status. Run periodic risk workshops and integrate risk effects into schedule/cost forecasts. Identify opportunities for savings, acceleration, or improved productivity.6) Reporting & Governance Lead monthly reporting pack: progress narratives, dashboards, variance analysis, trends, risks, change status, and forward plan. Ensure data integrity and alignment across project functions (engineering, design, procurement, construction, QA/QC, HSE, commissioning). Present project controls status to senior leadership and client/consultant meetings when required. Prepare project reporting deliverables including baseline and updated Gantt schedules, S-curves, earned value/performance curves, and resource/cost histograms.7) Systems, Tools & Data Management Own project controls systems ( Primavera P6, MS Project, ERP, cost systems, Power BI, Excel models). Define and enforce controls: baseline change approvals, versioning, data standards, and audit trails. Build and maintain integrated trackers (submittals, procurement/long-lead, interfaces, constraints, deliverables).8) Leadership & Team Management Lead and mentor planners/cost engineers/reporting analysts; allocate workload and ensure competency development. Coordinate closely with Project Manager/Director, Commercial Manager, Package Managers, and site teams. Promote a culture of discipline, transparency, and early warning.
Key Deliverables Baseline and updated schedules (L1–L5) with logic integrity checks Weekly lookahead and constraints log Monthly progress report and dashboards Cost reports: budget vs commitments vs actuals; EAC and cash flow Change log with quantified impacts and substantiation packs Risk register with mitigation actions and status Recovery plans and scenario analyses
Minimum Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, or related field.12+ years in project controls on major projects (buildings, infrastructure, industrial, fit-out, mixed-use), with at least 5 years in a leadership role. Strong understanding of contracts and change management (EOT/VO), progress measurement, and project governance. Preferred Qualifications Professional certifications: PMP, PSP (AACE), CCP (AACE), or equivalent. Experience with fast-track delivery and multi-package interfaces. Exposure to claims/forensic schedule analysis and dispute support.
Required Competencies Advanced planning and cost control capability; strong analytical reasoning. Stakeholder management: can challenge constructively and drive accountability. High attention to detail with strong data discipline and reporting clarity. Ability to work under pressure with tight deadlines and incomplete information. Ethical, transparent, and confident in escalating risks early.
Tools & Systems (Typical) Primavera P6 / MS Project Excel (advanced), Power BICost control / ERP systems (SAP/Oracle/other) Document control systems (Aconex and Share Point )