Project Controller

Akkodis; Harwell; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Akkodis Aerospace is recruiting a Programme / Project Controller to join our ESA Harwell team on site in the United Kingdom. The role focuses on cost control, scheduling, risk management and reporting to support project decisions across the programme lifecycle.

You will work closely with the Project Manager, Business Unit Controller and contractors to maintain cost plans, manage procurement activities and produce dashboards and KPI reports using ESA ERP systems.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Engineering or MBA or equivalent.
• 4+ years of experience in project or programme control, preferably in aerospace.
• Proficient with MS Office, especially Excel, and SAP modules ECC/SRM.
• Experience with ESA or aerospace reporting and procurement processes is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Support project and activities cost, scheduling, risks and project management processes.
• Prepare management reports and dashboards highlighting status and actions.
• Manage procurements from tendering to contract closure and conduct financial planning.
• Provide input for negotiations with industrial contractors and support project decisions.
• Maintain risk registers and assist in reporting to stakeholders.

Skills

MS Office

Excel (advanced)

Project controls

Education

Master's degree in Engineering or MBA

Tools

SAP ECC

SAP SRM

ESA-p

Job description

We are looking for a Programme / Project Controller to join our Akkodis Aerospace team, working onsite at the European Space Agency in Harwell, United Kingdom.

Akkodis has proudly supported the Aerospace & Defence industry in the Netherlands for decades. Our partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA) has been one of the many success stories allowing our people to expand their career horizons. Akkodis experts are contributing to some of the most important technical advances in Aerospace and Defence which impact the way we live our lives today, through specialised engineering expertise and other required skillsets. This could be your future. Become part of our successful team!

Specific tasks to be performed:

• Supporting identified manager(s), on all activities related to project and activities cost, high level schedule and risks as well as project management processes and administrative functions.
• Discharging responsibilities in the preparation, procurement and monitoring of procurements, from tendering to closure of contracts, and for management, financial, planning, controlling and industrial return aspects.
• Identify and report on forward thinking measures, current status with deviations and identify recovery actions.
• Prepare management reports including dashboards to highlight status, outlook and actions to be taken in the area of project control and management support.
• Managing multiple interfaces, provide input to support the project manager with negotiations with industrial contractors and provide key input support to identified manager(s) in programmatic decision-making.
• Close co-operation with the Business Unit Controller as needed for the Directorate’s internal and external reporting.
• Typical project control duties and activities will include: preparing, developing, and maintaining the overall programmatic aspects of the project/missions/ activities. The programmatic aspects include cost, financial matters, work breakdown structure, schedule, configuration, documentation, progress control and geographical return, as well as general project administration.
• Preparing and maintaining cost plans covering industrial and operating (including workforce-related) costs implementing and operating planning and control procedures to provide full visibility over the progress of all activities using established procedures and information systems; this includes maintenance in the ESA ERP system of project-related data active monitoring and forecasting (forward thinking) is expected, identifying and reporting trends, deviations from plans, potential problem areas and proposing remedial actions in coordination with the Project Manager.
• Compliance with budgetary provisions and financial regulations are also expected. supporting preparation of AC and IPC papers as well as Programme Board status reports provide support to change Control/Review Boards participation in TEBs as an expert, if needed and evaluation of proposals and business plans,
• Preparing information and input required for project manager for subsequent contract negotiations and participating in all tasks related to the placing of contracts, including providing input to project manager for negotiations with industry.
• Supporting the closure of industrial contracts and the financial year closure exercise Maintaining risk and opportunities management, proposing mitigation actions, and preparing risk reports as required.
• Supporting project managers and Department/Directorate risk coordinators in preparing and maintaining the Projects Risk Register advising project managers on project control best practices, methods, processes, and procedures. assisting in the preparation of ARTES work plans participating in the definition, maintenance and improvement of Project Control procedures controlling systems including digitalization sharing knowledge within the Section and Directorate providing relevant periodic or ad hoc management reporting including Key Performance Indicators (KPI) on scheduling, cost, and risk to various internal and external stakeholders Supporting input to Head of the Project Control & Management Support Section and Senior Financial Controller regarding specific project.

To successfully perform the above mentioned tasks, the following background / experience is required:

• Masters in Engineering or equivalent or MBA or equivalent University degree from a recognised institution of secondary studies or equivalent qualification in Business Administration, with at least 4 years of relevant experience.
• Experience in controlling and/or management of activities and resources in aerospace industry.
• For some tasks knowledge of Finance/Accounting may be required.
• Highly proficient in the use of MS Office and in particular advanced use of Excel.
• Experience as user of SAP and in particular ECC and SRM modules and familiarity with relevant ESA corporate applications (e.g. ESA-p) is an asset.
• Ability to rapidly understand and adapt to ESA specific context and environment including ESA corporate IT applications.
• Past experience with ESA in relevant activities is an asset.
• The job will require substantial interaction with other key stakeholders inside ESA such as Finance and Procurement Services, and also outside of the Agency like for example our industrial partners.
• Knowledge of another official ESA language is an asset.

About ESA ECSAT

The European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications (ECSAT) is ESA’s new facility in the United Kingdom. It is based at the Harwell Science, Innovation and Business Campus in Oxfordshire.

ECSAT is the most recent addition to ESA’s operational sites across Europe. First opened in 2009, ECSAT will be developed by ESA following agreements reached between the UK and ESA in November 2012. ECSAT will support activities related to telecommunications, integrated applications, climate change, technology and science.