Program Controls Manager

AtkinsRéalis; Vestavia Hills (AL); On-site; USD 170,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

401(k) with employer match

Paid Time Off

Job summary

AtkinsRéalis is seeking a seasoned Program Controls Manager to lead cost and schedule oversight for a major pharmaceutical campus project in the United States. You’ll own EVM, forecasting, risk management, and the development of robust controls from design through closeout, while mentoring a project controls team and collaborating with senior stakeholders.

The role emphasizes extensive experience in large-scale programs, with a focus on cost control, schedules, and data-driven decision making.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Accounting, Finance or a related field.
• 20+ years professional experience in project controls or program management.
• Experience on multi‑billion‑dollar programs.
• Pharmaceutical industry experience or related heavy process industries.
• Experience building teams and processes from scratch.
• Excellent communication with executive-level clients.
• Strong cost management, scheduling, planning, and estimating.
• Proficient with Primavera, MS Project, ERP systems and advanced Excel.
• Ability to collaborate with external firms and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Manage staff coordination and mentor the project controls team.
• Maintain detailed cost estimates and forecasts across all project phases.
• Track budgets, commitments, actuals, accruals, and forecasts.
• Develop and improve project controls systems and tools.
• Establish a project work breakdown structure.
• Analyze bid costs and ensure cost controls in contracts.
• Coordinate with scheduling to develop integrated schedules.
• Manage risk process with identification, evaluation, mitigation.
• Ensure contract deliverables and deadlines are met.
• Provide senior-level project management support.

Skills

Leadership

Cost management

Risk analysis

Budgeting

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Accounting, Finance or related field

Tools

Primavera

Microsoft Project

ERP systems

Excel

Dashboards

Job description

Job Description

Overview

We are seeking a Program Controls Manager to join our team in TX, AL, VA, PA, OH, IN, and WI.

Our Pharmaceutical team is growing! The Program Controls Manager delivers independent, owner-aligned cost and schedule oversight via EVM, predictive forecasting, change order governance, and long lead item tracking. This role maintains a proactive risk register — quantified through Monte Carlo analysis and a risk-adjusted baseline — to escape issues before they hit the critical path, all derived from the Owner’s Representative’s own assessment rather than EPC self-reporting. This is a lead role at an exciting mega campus site for a pharmaceutical client in Alabama/Virginia with the opportunity to direct a career‑making program on a greenfield campus. We are offering a full‑time position with AtkinsRéalis that comes with the opportunity to prove your true potential, provide expert services on world class projects, collaborate, and grow with professional services experts, and receive an attractive compensation package with robust benefits.

Your role

• Manage staff co‑ordination and workload and directly supervises and mentors the project controls team as a subject matter expert.

• Manage, revise, and maintain status of the detailed project cost estimate/forecast to include all phases of project execution from design/engineering, material/equipment procurement and deliveries, construction contracts through start‑up activities and closeout.

• Track and analyze the project costs including budgets, commitments, actuals, accruals, and forecasts using strategized methodology. Analysis includes forecast and variance analysis (Cost and Schedule), trends, Risk Analysis with evaluation of contingency reserve and developing and maintaining an Issue log.

• Participate in the development and improvement of project controls systems. Recommend improvements in systems, tools, and methods of project controls and project management.

• Establish a project work breakdown structure in line with industry best practices.

• Assist in analyzing project control requirements as part of the bid review process to insure all cost control requirements are incorporated into individual contracts and purchase orders.

• Interact with other project groups in relation to cost codes, purchase order commitments, change orders.

• Assist in creating detailed project budgets from estimates and in the development of cash flow projections.

• Works with scheduling staff to develop, manage, revise, and update integrated detailed project schedules including all phases of project execution.

• Manage risk management process including driving the identification, evaluation, mitigation and management process of the risk management.

• Work with the senior project management staff in ensuring all contract deliverables and deadlines are met.

• Provide senior level general project management support as necessary.

• Assist in early identification of long lead items, resource constraints, and required project start dates.

• Produce forecasts of total project costs, annual costs, and monthly cash flow costs and provides variance analysis and explanations.

About you

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Accounting, Finance or a related field.

• 20+ years professional experience in project controls or program management.

• Experience working on multi‑billion‑dollar programs.

• Pharmaceutical industry experience; also will consider experience in other heavy process industries such as semiconductor/high tech, chemical, EV battery, and oil and gas.

• Experience building teams and processes/systems from scratch.

• Excellent communications skills and comfort with executive level client interface.

• Strong expertise in cost management, scheduling, project planning, and estimating.

• Experience evaluating project status using A/E and Construction Management cost and schedule data.

• Demonstrated experience developing budgets, cash flow forecasts, financial analyses, and project schedules.

• Demonstrated ability to work independently while also leading, mentoring, and managing cross‑functional project teams.

• Highly articulate with strong analytical problem‑solving and decision‑making skills; able to clearly communicate complex insights through effective presentations and stakeholder engagement.

• Deep understanding of contract types and project risk implications, with hands‑on expertise in Primavera, Microsoft Project, ERP systems, and advanced Excel for data analysis, dashboards, and performance reporting; proficient in standard business and IT tools (Microsoft Office, Adobe, Windows environments).

• Proven ability to communicate and collaborate with external engineering, architectural, and construction firms, suppliers, management teams, and client stakeholders.

Rewards & benefits

At AtkinsRéalis, our values—Safety, Integrity, Collaboration, Innovation, and Excellence—are more than just words. They are the foundation of who we are and how we work. These principles shape our culture, guide our decisions, and inspire us to create an environment where every team member feels empowered to grow, succeed, and make a meaningful impact.

Depending on your employment status, AtkinsRéalis benefits may include medical, dental, vision, company‑paid life and short‑ and long‑term disability benefits, employer‑matched 401(k) with 100% vesting, employee stock purchase plan, Paid Time Off, leaves of absences options, flexible work options, recognition and employee satisfaction programs, employee assistance program, and voluntary benefits. You can review our comprehensive benefits page here.

About AtkinsRéalis

We’re AtkinsRéalis, a world‑class engineering services and nuclear organization. We connect people, data and technology to transform the world’s infrastructure and energy systems. Together, with our industry partners and clients, and our global team of consultants, designers, engineers and project managers, we can change the world. We’re committed to leading our clients across our various end markets to engineer a better future for our planet and its people.

Find out more.

Additional information

Expected compensation range is between $170,000 - $200,000+ annually depending on skills, experience, and geographical location.

AtkinsRéalis is an equal opportunity, Drug-Free employer EOE/Veteran/Disability

Please review AtkinsRéalis’ Equal Opportunity Statement here.

AtkinsRéalis cares about your privacy and is committed to protecting your privacy. Please consult our Privacy Notice on our Careers site to know more about how we collect, use and transfer your Personal Data. By submitting your personal information to AtkinsRéalis, you confirm that you have read and accept our Privacy Notice.

Worker Type

Employee

Job Type

Regular

At AtkinsRéalis, we seek to hire individuals with diverse characteristics, backgrounds and perspectives. We strongly believe that world‑class talent makes no distinctions based on gender, ethnic or national origin, sexual identity and orientation, age, religion or disability, but enriches itself through these differences.