Principal Project Controls Specialist – Cost

Premier Resources Group; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 124,000 - 179,000; Full time

Job summary

Premier Resources Group is seeking a Principal Project Controls Specialist to lead cost management for a major EPC power generation construction project in Charlotte, NC, with initial on-site duties and future field mobilization.

The role requires expert-level cost forecasting, Earned Value Management, and strong integration of cost, schedule, and reporting data across vendors, contractors, and project teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with 10+ years experience or HS diploma with 14+ years experience
• Lead-level project controls on complex EPC projects
• Power generation construction experience (Combined Cycle, Simple Cycle, Solar, Battery)
• Expert-level cost forecasting and controls
• Experience with Earned Value Management, variance analysis, budgeting, reporting
• Experience cost-schedule integration
• Advanced Excel and project cost systems
• Experience with EcoSys, Primavera P6, Maximo
• Mobilization to field site as construction progresses

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain project cost baselines, budgets, forecasts
• Lead cost forecasting for large-scale construction projects
• Perform Earned Value Management, variance and trend analysis
• Develop project cost estimates and manage monthly accruals
• Monitor contingency, risk reserves, and overall cost performance
• Integrate vendor, contractor, and field data into cost reporting
• Maintain cost systems and monthly cost reports
• Identify cost trends, risks, and impacts to performance
• Integrate cost and schedule data to support planning
• Coordinate with schedulers to align cost/schedule performance
• Review changes for cost and schedule impacts
• Provide project controls information to PMs and Directors

Skills

Lead-level project controls

Earned Value Management

Cost forecasting

Cost reporting

Project leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/PM/Finance/Business Admin or related

High School Diploma/GED with 14+ years experience

Tools

EcoSys

Primavera P6

Maximo

Microsoft Excel

Power BI

LoadSpring

Acumen Fuse

Job description

Location: Charlotte, NC with Future Field Mobilization
Employment Type: Contract
Work Arrangement: Full-Time, Onsite
Future Project Site: Within approximately one hour of Charlotte, NC

Position Overview

We are seeking a Principal Project Controls Specialist to provide lead-level cost management and project controls support for a major power generation construction project. This position will be responsible for establishing, maintaining, and analyzing project cost controls while integrating cost, schedule, contracts, WBS, resources, and project performance data.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience leading project controls on complex EPC power generation projects, with expert-level capabilities in cost forecasting, Earned Value Management (EVM), cost-schedule integration, and large-scale construction project controls.

The position will initially support the project from Charlotte and will require future mobilization to the field site as construction progresses.

Key Responsibilities

Cost Management & Forecasting

• Establish and maintain project cost baselines, budgets, and forecasts
• Lead cost forecasting for large-scale construction projects
• Perform Earned Value Management, variance, and trend analysis
• Develop project cost estimates and manage monthly accruals
• Monitor project contingency, risk reserves, and overall cost performance
• Integrate vendor, contractor, and field data into project cost reporting
• Maintain project cost systems and generate monthly cost reports
• Identify cost trends, risks, and potential impacts to project performance

Project Controls Integration

• Integrate cost and schedule data to support project planning and critical path decisions
• Support phased project funding and roll-up of estimates into project cost reports
• Coordinate with project schedulers to align cost and schedule performance
• Review change orders and evaluate associated cost and schedule impacts
• Coordinate with contractors and vendors to gather and validate project controls information
• Support project forecasting, risk management, change control, and baseline management
• Maintain accurate project controls data throughout project execution

Reporting & Communication

• Develop monthly project controls reports and project-specific documentation
• Communicate cost performance, forecasts, variances, trends, and risks to project leadership
• Lead project controls reviews and status presentations
• Support project funding requests with detailed cost and schedule analysis
• Provide clear and actionable project controls information to Project Managers and Project Directors

Leadership & Technical Support

• Lead and coordinate site project controls activities
• Serve as a Project Controls Subject Matter Expert
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to Project Controls team members
• Lead implementation of project controls methodologies, standards, and best practices
• Support and potentially supervise junior Project Controls professionals
• Collaborate across engineering, construction, scheduling, finance, vendors, and project leadership

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Project Management, Finance, Business Administration, or related discipline with 10+ years of relevant experience
• Alternatively, High School Diploma/GED with 14+ years of relevant experience
• Lead-level project controls experience on complex EPC projects
• Experience supporting power generation construction, including Combined Cycle, Simple Cycle, Solar, and/or Battery projects
• Expert-level cost forecasting and project controls capabilities
• Strong experience with Earned Value Management, variance analysis, budgeting, and cost reporting
• Experience integrating project cost and schedule data
• High proficiency with Microsoft Excel and project cost management systems
• Experience with EcoSys, Primavera P6, and Maximo
• Experience evaluating project changes for cost and schedule impacts
• Ability to lead complex project controls assignments with minimal supervision
• Valid driver's license
• Ability and willingness to mobilize to the field project site

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced EcoSys administration, configuration, and management experience
• Experience developing EcoSys training materials and training project teams
• Power BI and Web BI data migration experience
• Experience with LoadSpring
• Experience with Acumen Fuse
• Master's degree in Project Management, Finance, Business Administration, or related discipline
• AACE-CCC, AACE-EVP, PMP, AACE-CEP, AACE-PSP, PMI-SP, CAPM, or similar certification
• Experience with MS Project, Business Objects, Prolog, Passport, Visio, Powerplant, PeopleSoft, or similar project controls applications

Candidate Must-Haves

• 10+ years of relevant experience with a bachelor's degree, or 14+ years without a degree
• Lead-level Project Controls experience
• Complex EPC power generation construction experience
• Combined Cycle, Simple Cycle, Solar, and/or Battery project experience
• Advanced cost forecasting and cost controls expertise
• Earned Value Management and variance analysis experience
• Cost-schedule integration experience
• Advanced Microsoft Excel capabilities
• Experience with EcoSys, Primavera P6, and Maximo
• Ability to transition from Charlotte to the field project site as construction progresses
• Valid driver's license