Senior Project Planning & Controls Manager

KEO International Consultants; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consultancy firm in Riyadh is seeking a Senior Project Planning & Controls Manager to oversee critical infrastructure projects. The role entails leading scheduling and cost control initiatives, ensuring data-driven decisions and integrating project controls systems. The ideal candidate will have 20 years of work experience, including 8 years focused on project controls, and a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering. Competitive benefits and a supportive work culture are offered.

Benefits

Hybrid working arrangements

Study assistance sponsorship

Employee referral rewards

Mentoring and coaching programs

Qualifications

• 20 years of work experience, including 8 years focused on Project Controls in infrastructure projects.
• Prior experience in large-scale infrastructure like highways, utilities, or aviation.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning, scheduling, cost control, and performance reporting for major infrastructure.
• Establish baseline schedules and conduct schedule variance analysis.
• Oversee cost control, forecasting, cash flow analysis, and budget performance.

Skills

Primavera P6

EVM

Schedule risk analysis

Cost control methodologies

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or equivalent

Job description

Overview

KEO is a creative enterprise, where innovation is a way of life. We are uniquely resourced with end-to-end services to take clients from inspiration – through conceptualization – to realization of planning, design or project delivery in the built and natural environments. For over 60 years we’ve led with vision, contributing to many of the world’s most ambitious projects, iconic places, remarkable experiences and prosperous communities.

As a highly integrated and agile AEP/PMCM firm, KEO is recognized by ENR as one of the Top 225 International Design Firms and one of the Top 20 International PM/CM Firms. We are also ranked by World Architecture as the 57th largest global architecture firm and the #1 Firm in the Middle East Region in their 2023 WA100 Survey.

We invite you to join us. Why?

When you join KEO, you’ll discover more than just a job – you’ll find a supportive environment that fosters your professional development through internal global mobility and career development and does so within a culture that supports company-wide health and well-being through on-demand counselling services and regular workplace clinics. You will be invited to celebrate community events such as sports days, fun-runs, in-house sports teams and beach clean ups. In addition to your competitive package and benefits you will have access to a suite of policies that include hybrid working arrangements, individual athletic sponsorship, study assistance sponsorship, employee referral rewards, mentoring and coaching programs and extensive in-house on demand learning courses.

Responsibilities

Our newest opportunity is for a Senior Project Planning & Controls Manager. This critical role will lead the planning, scheduling, cost control, and performance reporting for a major infrastructure programme in Riyadh. The role is responsible for developing integrated project controls systems, ensuring data-driven decision-making, guiding project teams, and providing strategic support to the client. This is a senior leadership position requiring deep expertise in programme planning, earned value management, risk analysis, and controls for large-scale, complex infrastructure developments.

• Leading the development, integration, and ongoing management of the programme master schedule using Primavera P6.
• Establishing baseline schedules, monitor progress, and conduct schedule variance analysis.
• Reviewing contractor schedules for logic, sequencing, resource loading, and alignment with programme requirements.
• Identifying critical path activities, opportunities, risks, and mitigation strategies.
• Developing, implementing, and manage robust project controls systems (scope, cost, schedule, risk, change).
• Driving earned value management (EVM) across the programme and ensure consistent use of KPIs.
• Overseeing cost control, forecasting, cash flow analysis, and budget performance.
• Establishing reporting dashboards and ensure high-quality, data-driven reports to senior stakeholders.
• Serving as the primary point of contact for all planning and controls matters with the client.
• Presenting schedule and cost performance updates to senior leadership and steering committees.
• Providing strategic advice on schedule acceleration, mitigation, and recovery plans.
• Coordinating across multidisciplinary teams to ensure cohesive programme delivery
• Ensuring all planning and controls processes comply with the consultancy’s global standards and local requirements.
• Producing weekly, monthly, and ad-hoc project performance reports.
• Maintaining audit-ready project documentation and ensure integrity of project controls data.

Qualifications

To be successful in this dynamic opportunity, we envision that your career journey to date will include 20 years work experience partnered with a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or equivalent 8 years of your career will have been focused purely on Project Controls in infrastructure projects.

• Strong proficiency in Primavera P6, EVM, schedule risk analysis, and cost control methodologies.
• Prior experience working for a global consultancy or Tier-1 contractor.
• Experience in large-scale infrastructure (e.g., highways, rail/metro, utilities, aviation, or mixed-use developments).
• Strong understanding of project delivery models and contract structures (e.g., EPC, Design & Build, PMC).

KEO’s performance is founded upon integrity, results, innovation, safety and our people. We embrace diversity and recognise its’ contribution to client success wherever we work.

We are excited to hear how you can partner with our award-winning team and treat all expressions of interest confidentially.