Project Controller

Selby Jennings; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Selby Jennings is seeking a Project Controller for an industrial client in Portland, OR. The role partners with project leadership to forecast costs, monitor schedules, and manage cost accounting and earned value for multi-million dollar initiatives.

You will integrate with engineering, production, procurement, and finance to deliver accurate project reporting, risk assessments, and executive summaries across complex manufacturing, defense, and capital programs.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in project controls, program finance, cost accounting, project management, or related fields.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Engineering, Project Management, or a related discipline.
• Experience in industrial, defense, manufacturing, engineering, or production-driven environments.
• Experience with project forecasting, budgeting, cost tracking, and schedule management.
• Experience with Earned Value Management (EVM).
• Strong analytical and financial modeling skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with project managers and operational leadership.

Responsibilities

• Monitor project budgets, forecasts, and cost performance across multiple initiatives
• Develop and maintain Estimates at Completion (EACs) and project financial forecasts
• Analyze cost and schedule variances, identify risks, and provide recommendations to leadership
• Track material, subcontractor, and procurement expenditures against budget
• Support earned value management (EVM) reporting, variance analysis, and performance metrics
• Coordinate with engineering, operations, supply chain, quality, and finance teams to ensure accurate project reporting
• Assist with change management, scope modifications, and documentation of cost and schedule impacts
• Prepare project performance reports, dashboards, and executive summaries
• Facilitate project review meetings and track action items, risks, and key deliverables

Skills

Project controls

Financial modeling

Forecasting

Communication

Cost accounting

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Finance/Engineering/PM

Tools

EVM

Job description

Our client is a growing industrial firm looking for a Project Controller to oversee support engineering and cost accounting functions. This role will partner closely with project leadership to drive visibility into project performance, forecast costs, monitor schedules, and support execution from planning through completion.

The ideal candidate will have experience supporting large-scale projects in manufacturing, defense, engineering, construction, aerospace, shipbuilding, or other technically complex environments. They should be comfortable performing cost analysis, forecasting project performance, managing earned value metrics, and working cross-functionally with engineering, production, procurement, and finance stakeholders. Candidates with experience supporting projects ranging from several million dollars to large capital programs combined with strong analytical and communication skills will be successful in this role.

Key Responsibilities:

• Monitor project budgets, forecasts, and cost performance across multiple initiatives
• Develop and maintain Estimates at Completion (EACs) and project financial forecasts
• Analyze cost and schedule variances, identify risks, and provide recommendations to leadership
• Track material, subcontractor, and procurement expenditures against budget
• Support earned value management (EVM) reporting, variance analysis, and performance metrics
• Coordinate with engineering, operations, supply chain, quality, and finance teams to ensure accurate project reporting
• Assist with change management, scope modifications, and documentation of cost and schedule impacts
• Prepare project performance reports, dashboards, and executive summaries
• Facilitate project review meetings and track action items, risks, and key deliverables

Key Qualifications:

• 7+ years of experience in project controls, program finance, cost accounting, project management, or related fields
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Engineering, Project Management, or a related discipline
• Experience in industrial, defense, manufacturing, engineering, or production-driven environments
• Experience with project forecasting, budgeting, cost tracking, and schedule management
• Experience with Earned Value Management (EVM)
• Strong analytical and financial modeling skills
• Ability to communicate effectively with project managers and operational leadership