Project Controls Manager

Job Description

The Project Controls Manager is responsible for establishing, leading, and maintaining all project controls functions across major electricity transmission and grid infrastructure projects. This includes planning and scheduling, cost management, risk management, change control, progress measurement, reporting, forecasting, and performance analysis.

The role supports successful project delivery by providing accurate, timely, and reliable project performance information to the project leadership team, clients, and key stakeholders. Candidates should have extensive experience delivering high-value transmission, substations, overhead line, cable, renewable energy connection, or wider grid infrastructure projects.

Key Responsibilities

Project Planning & Scheduling

• Develop and maintain integrated project schedules from concept through commissioning.
• Ensure schedules are logically linked, resource loaded where required, and aligned with project execution strategies.
• Monitor critical path activities and identify schedule risks and recovery opportunities.
• Coordinate planning activities across engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and client interfaces.
• Produce look-ahead programmes and schedule performance reports.

Cost Control

• Develop and manage project budgets and cost control systems.
• Monitor actual costs against budgets and forecasts.
• Analyse cost variances and recommend corrective actions.
• Produce regular cost reports and earned value analysis where applicable.
• Support commercial teams with forecasting and financial reporting.

Progress Measurement & Reporting

• Establish project KPIs and reporting frameworks.
• Produce weekly and monthly project performance reports.
• Monitor schedule, cost, productivity, and progress metrics.
• Develop executive dashboards for project and client reporting.
• Ensure reporting accuracy across all project disciplines.

Risk & Opportunity Management

• Facilitate project risk identification workshops.
• Maintain project risk and opportunity registers.
• Monitor mitigation actions and assess schedule and cost impacts.
• Quantify project contingency requirements where appropriate.

Change Management

• Implement and manage project change control procedures.
• Assess schedule and cost impacts of proposed changes.
• Maintain comprehensive change logs and supporting documentation.
• Support contractual entitlement through accurate records and analysis.

Governance & Assurance

• Develop and implement project controls procedures and standards.
• Ensure compliance with client, organisational, and regulatory requirements.
• Conduct project controls audits and assurance reviews.
• Support internal and external reporting requirements.

Stakeholder Management

• Work closely with Project Managers, Engineering Managers, Commercial Managers, and Construction teams.
• Present project performance information to senior leadership and clients.
• Support decision-making through data-driven analysis and forecasting.

Team Leadership

• Lead and mentor project controls personnel including planners, cost engineers, and reporting analysts.
• Promote best practice project controls methodologies.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives across the business.

Essential Experience

• Significant experience in Project Controls on major infrastructure or energy projects.
• Demonstrable experience delivering electricity transmission and distribution projects.
• Experience working on National Grid, transmission owner, utility, or EPC projects.
• Proven background in substations, overhead lines, underground cable, HVDC, renewable energy connections, or grid reinforcement projects.
• Strong understanding of project lifecycle governance.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary project controls teams.
• Experience working within NEC and/or FIDIC contract environments.
• Strong client-facing communication and stakeholder management skills.

Essential Qualifications

• Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Project Management, or a related discipline.
• Professional certification in Project Management or Project Controls (desirable).
• Membership of a recognised professional institution (APM, PMI, ICE, RICS, or equivalent) is desirable.

Technical Skills

• Primavera P6 (advanced)
• Microsoft Project
• Microsoft Excel (advanced)
• Power BI
• Cost management systems
• Earned Value Management (EVM)
• Risk management software (e.g., Primavera Risk Analysis, Active Risk Manager)
• Document control platforms (e.g., Aconex, SharePoint, BIM 360)

Knowledge & Competencies

• Planning and scheduling methodologies
• Cost forecasting and budget management
• Earned Value Management
• Critical path analysis
• Risk and opportunity management
• Change control
• Project governance
• Performance reporting
• Data analysis and visualisation
• Contract administration awareness
• Grid infrastructure delivery
• Transmission and substation construction methodologies

Additional Information

NOTICE TO CANDIDATES ON RECRUITMENT FRAUD - We are committed to safeguarding candidates from fraudulent activity associated with our recruitment process. Please note that we will never offer specialist CV writing services, request payment or ask for sensitive personal information during the recruitment process.

We are committed to equal treatment of candidates and promote, as well as foster all forms of diversity within our company. We believe that bringing together people with different backgrounds and perspectives is essential for creating innovative and impactful solutions. Skills, talent, and our people’s ability to dare are the only things that matter !. Bring your unique contributions and help us shape the future.