Project Controls Director

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Job Description: Parsons is looking for an amazingly talented Project Controls Director to join our team! The Project Controls Director will lead all aspects of cost, schedule, risk, and change management across a complex development program. This role requires extensive experience, strong leadership capabilities, and deep technical knowledge of project controls best practices.

The Director will ensure robust governance, accurate forecasting, transparent reporting, and high-performance execution to support successful project delivery while maintaining schedule certainty and financial control.

What You'll Be Doing;

• Establish, manage, and enforce the overall project controls strategy, systems, procedures, and reporting frameworks across the program.

• Develop project control plans, governance models, and performance measurement systems aligned with client and program objectives.

• Ensure integration of cost, schedule, risk, and change management across all phases of the project lifecycle.

• Implement best practices, policies, and standards for project controls across all project packages and delivery teams.

• Oversee the preparation, review, and approval of the integrated master schedule, ensuring alignment across engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and handover activities.

• Monitor schedule progress and performance, identifying delays, potential impacts, and mitigation strategies.

• Evaluate contractor schedules to ensure compliance with contractual obligations and project milestones.

• Implement advanced scheduling methodologies such as critical path analysis, schedule risk assessment, and resource-loaded scheduling.

• Provide schedule forecasts and recovery strategies to support proactive project management.

• Direct all cost engineering functions including cost estimating, cost control, cash flow forecasting, and budget monitoring.

• Establish project cost baselines and ensure accurate tracking of expenditures against approved budgets.

• Lead monthly cost reporting, forecasting, and variance analysis to ensure financial transparency and control.

• Analyze cost trends and recommend corrective actions to maintain financial performance.

• Ensure alignment with performance measurement frameworks such as Earned Value Management (EVM).

• Lead the development and implementation of comprehensive project risk management frameworks.

• Facilitate risk identification workshops, qualitative and quantitative risk assessments, and mitigation planning.

• Oversee schedule and cost risk modeling to support decision-making and contingency allocation.

• Monitor risk exposure, mitigation effectiveness, and escalation of critical risks to senior leadership.

• Maintain an active risk register and ensure proactive management of project uncertainties.

• Direct the management of project changes and variations to ensure proper evaluation, documentation, and integration into project baselines.

• Establish and maintain structured change control processes and governance.

• Facilitate Change Control Board (CCB) meetings and ensure transparent decision-making.

• Collaborate with commercial and contract teams in evaluating claims, entitlement assessments, and negotiation strategies.

• Ensure accurate tracking of project trends, early warning notices, and potential claims exposure.

• Oversee preparation of executive-level reports, dashboards, and key performance indicators (KPIs).

• Ensure consistent, transparent, and timely reporting of project performance, risks, and opportunities.

• Present complex project performance data in clear and actionable formats for executive leadership and stakeholders.

• Provide strategic insights to support informed decision-making at program level.

• Lead the evaluation, implementation, and optimization of project controls systems and digital platforms.

• Promote continuous improvement through automation, advanced analytics, and performance monitoring tools.

• Ensure data accuracy, consistency, and integrity across all project controls systems.

• Establish standardized processes and documentation practices to maintain audit readiness.

• Introduce innovative technologies and methodologies to enhance forecasting accuracy and reporting efficiency.

• Lead and manage a multidisciplinary project controls team including planners, schedulers, cost engineers, risk specialists, and reporting analysts.

• Build and maintain high-performing teams focused on collaboration, accountability, and technical excellence.

• Conduct performance evaluations and support professional development and training initiatives.

• Foster a culture of data accuracy, continuous improvement, and operational discipline.

• Collaborate closely with engineering, construction, procurement, contracts, finance, and operational teams to ensure alignment across the project lifecycle.

• Coordinate with senior stakeholders, project partners, contractors, and consultants.

• Proactively identify and resolve project issues to ensure seamless integration of project controls strategies.

• Ensure effective cross-functional communication and coordination across all project delivery teams.

What Required Skills You'll Bring;

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, or a related discipline.

• Master’s degree in Project Management, Engineering, or Business Administration is preferred.

• Minimum 25 years of experience in project controls within major capital projects.

• At least 15 years in senior leadership roles managing large project controls teams.

• Extensive experience in cost control, planning & scheduling, risk management, and performance reporting.

• Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-contractor programs with significant budgets.

• Expert proficiency in Primavera P6, cost management systems, and project performance analytics tools.

• Strong understanding of project lifecycle management, construction sequencing, and design-development processes.

• Proven leadership capabilities managing large multidisciplinary teams.

• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills with strong attention to detail.

• Excellent organizational and decision-making abilities.

• Strong communication and presentation skills, particularly in executive-level reporting.

• Comprehensive understanding of contract management, procurement processes, and claims evaluation.

• Professional certifications such as PMP, PSP, CCP, EVP, PMI-SP, RMP, or equivalent.

• Experience leading project controls functions on large and complex programs.

• Expertise in digital project controls platforms and data visualization tools such as Power BI or Tableau.

• Experience working under international contract frameworks such as FIDIC.

• Strong business acumen with the ability to interpret project performance data and guide strategic decisions.

• Ability to operate effectively in fast-paced, high-pressure environments with multiple stakeholders.

Parsons equally employs representation at all job levels no matter the race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability or genetic information.

We truly invest and care about our employee’s wellbeing and provide endless growth opportunities as the sky is the limit, so aim for the stars! Imagine next and join the Parsons quest—APPLY TODAY!

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