Job Details

The Project Controls Specialist is responsible for supporting the planning, budgeting, scheduling, tracking, and reporting functions that ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget. This role works closely with project managers, technical staff, accounting, and leadership to prepare cost estimates, establish project budget and schedule baselines, analyze variances, and provide timely, accurate controls data to support decision-making. This position requires strong communication, attention to detail, analytical capability, and the ability to work in a fast-paced, multi-project environment.

Job Responsibilities

Project Planning & Setup

• Develop proposals and establish project budgets.
• Assist with project kickoff activities, including schedules, deliverable tracking, and subcontractor agreement development.
• Enter and maintain project data in ERP/PM systems (Deltek Vantagepoint).

Schedule & Progress Tracking

• Develop and maintain project schedules, timelines, and milestones.
• Track task progress and percent complete; update schedules accordingly.
• Identify schedule risks, delays, and impacts to critical path.

Cost Control & Forecasting

• Monitor and track labor, expenses, subcontractor costs, and overall project burn rates.
• Produce regular cost reports, variance analyses, and projections of estimate-to-complete (ETC) and estimate-at-completion (EAC).
• Invoice review including validation of time sheets and expense back up to ensure subcontractor billing aligns with project budgets.
• Support change order processes and update budgets when scope changes occur.

Reporting & Analytics

• Provide weekly, monthly, and ad-hoc reporting dashboards (budget vs. actual, KPIs, schedule performance, risks).
• Prepare financial summaries for leadership, PMs, and clients.
• Analyze trends and flag potential overruns before they occur.

Compliance & Documentation

• Ensure project records, files, and reporting comply with contractual requirements and internal standards.
• Creating SOPs for implementation of Project Controls.

Cross-Functional Support

• Coordinate closely with accounting, AP/AR, and subcontractors.
• Support invoice preparation, review, and reconciliation.
• Participate in project meetings and provide data-driven guidance to PMs.
• Serve as trusted resource merging the gap between Project Management and Accounting Requirements.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, finance, management, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 2–5+ years of experience in project controls, project accounting, scheduling, or PM roles.
• Strong Excel/financial analysis skills.
• Experience with project management systems (Deltek Vantagepoint, SAP, Oracle, Primavera, MS Project, etc.).
• Ability to interpret contracts, budgets, and financial data.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage competing deadlines.
• Strong communication skills and comfort working directly with PMs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience in engineering, construction, environmental consulting, energy or infrastructure.
• Experience working in Deltek VantagePoint.
• Strong communication skills and comfort working directly with clients.

Required Core Competencies

• Detailed oriented
• Analytical thinking and problem solving
• Data accuracy
• Proactive Controls issue identification and communication to PMs
• Collaboration with cross-functional teams
• Maintains accountability for deliverables through to final resolution
• Ability to manage sensitive financial/project data
• Ability to identify and manage competing priorities