Senior Project Controls Engineer Defence

TURNER & TOWNSEND; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend is seeking a Senior Project Controls Engineer to lead cross‑discipline teams on medium risk defence projects. The role involves defining scope, establishing WBS, and delivering accurate performance baselines with robust change control.

You will coordinate with suppliers, manage cost/schedule/risk integration, and mentor team members while ensuring governance and auditable outputs. UK MoD clearance eligibility is required.

Qualifications

• Proven track record delivering projects in highly regulated sectors such as defence or infrastructure.
• Experience across multiple Project Controls disciplines (Planning/Scheduling, Cost, Risk, or Reporting).
• Ability to make risk-based decisions in uncertain environments and lead diverse teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-discipline Project Controls teams on medium-risk, medium-complexity projects.
• Define scope with exclusions, interfaces and dependencies to enable WBS establishment.
• Develop a robust Performance Measurement Baseline and manage change control.

Skills

Project Controls

Planning & Scheduling

Cost Estimation

Cost Control

Risk Management

Performance Reporting

Earned Value Management

Communication

Leadership

Defence/Regulated sector experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field

PMI/APM membership

Tools

Primavera P6

MS Project

Excel

Job description

Company Description

At Turner & Townsend, we're passionate about making the difference. That means delivering better outcomes for our clients, helping our people to realise their potential, and doing our part to create a prosperous society. Every day, we help our clients deliver ambitious and highly technical projects in 64 countries using our global team of over 23,000 people.

Within the UK, Turner & Townsend has a wide range of key clients across a broad spectrum of sectors, including Health, Local Authorities, Higher Education, Highways, Utilities, Rail, and Defence. Our diverse portfolio of clients provides our team members with unique and rewarding opportunities to gain experience across a broad range of major programmes and projects.

We play a crucial role in supporting the defence of the United Kingdom as a key provider of project and programme management services to the Ministry of Defence and strategic Defence suppliers.

Due to growing demand for our services, we are actively looking to expand the team with talented individuals who wish to support our Defence client portfolio and further their career by working on a range of complex and challenging commissions.

We are seeking like-minded passionate people to join our organisation who have a positive outlook, are seeking development opportunities, have a strong foundation of technical understanding and experience within the Defence or other highly regulated industries.

Important: Before applying, due to the sensitive nature of these projects, you must be a SOLE UK National who is able to achieve and maintain UK MoD Security Clearance (SC). See Security Clearance Section.

Job Description

As a Senior Project Controls Engineer, the role will involve :

• Leading a cross-discipline Project Controls teams on medium risk, medium complexity, and medium value projects or programmes or being a member of a team on higher risk, complexity and value projects or programmes.
• Defining the scope through the use of exclusions, assumptions, interfaces, and dependencies, and coordinating the scope’s decomposition to enable the establishment of a Work Breakdown Structure.
• Working with the Integrated Project Team to establish a robust, accurate Performance Measurement Baseline and manage the change control process.
• Collaborating with suppliers to integrate and analyse their performance data in accordance with Supplier Project Controls contractual requirements.
• Ensuring scope, cost, risk and schedule integration and alignment.
• Analysing performance data, including Earned Value Management, to provide insight and to facilitate delivery decisions.
• Liaising with Finance to generate Cost and Cash Estimate to Complete and Estimate At Complete profiles.
• Ensuring effective risk management through the appropriate identification, quantification, treatment and oversight of project risk.
• Supporting Project Managers in the deployment of resource in-line with the resource-loaded schedules.
• Establishing effective governance processes to enable structured and auditable decision making.
• Assuring the quality, accuracy, and integrity of the Project Controls team’s output.
• Building strong working relationships to facilitate delivery recovery planning.
• Working with the Integrated Project Team to communicate and contextualise delivery performance and influence stakeholders.
• Promoting learning from experience and influence process improvements.
• Mentoring and coaching team members to ensure continuous capability improvement.

Qualifications

As a Senior Project Controls Engineer, you will;

• Have a proven track record of delivering projects in highly regulated sectors such as defence or infrastructure.
• Have Project Controls experience across a significant proportion of the Project lifecycle.
• Have experience in the application of two or more Project Controls disciplines of Planning and Scheduling, Cost Estimation, Cost Control, Risk Management or Performance Reporting and their associated software / tools.
• Have a good understanding of the way in which the Integrated Project Controls disciplines operate.
• Hold a proactive, curious and 'can-do' attitude, as well as being an individual who is comfortable in uncertain and unclear project environments.
• Be a good communicator with ability to influence outcomes.
• Promote empowerment and team contribution.
• Have a passion to build a community and support network beyond your delivery role.
• Have an undergraduate degree in a relevant technical or management field or suitable equivalent qualifications and experience.
• Are a member of a relevant professional body e.g. Association for Project Management, Project Management Institute.
• Have the ability to make risk-based decisions where the parameters are unclear, and judgement is needed.
• Adapt your leadership style depending upon the audience and be flexible when working with uncertainty.
• Be competent in using the software needed to perform the role.
• Have a desire to work within various sectors and with a range of clients.

Additional Information

Working in teams/site attendance:

• This role comes with the opportunity to work alongside our clients on site, fostering strong partnerships, and delivering successful outcomes through face-to-face collaboration. As such, there is an expectation of client and/or Turner & Townsend office attendance 2-3 days a week, with the possibility of UK travel and overnight stays.

Security Clearance

Important: Before applying, due to the sensitive nature of these projects, you must be a Sole UK National who is able to achieve and maintain UK MoD Security Clearance (SC).

Many of the clients and projects we support are subject to MoD security clearance and Trade Control restrictions. This means that your eligibility for certain roles may be affected by your place of birth, nationality, current or former citizenship, and any residency you hold or have held. Further details are available at United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Our inspired people share our vision and mission. We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change, such as to current processes through networks such as our maternity steering groups.

SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.

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