Project Controls Cost Senior Advisor

Terravanta Inc; Pomona (CA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Opportunity for advancement

Paid time off

Competitive salary

Job summary

Terravanta Inc is looking for an experienced Project Controls Lead to support significant energy and infrastructure projects based in California. The chosen candidate should have a solid background in finance and cost management, ensuring accurate project performance insights and effective communication with stakeholders.

Responsibilities include managing project budgets, preparing forecasts, and performing complex analytics. Candidates require a Bachelor’s Degree and extensive financial experience, particularly in utility cost controls, with potential flexible work-from-home options.

Qualifications

• 7+ years’ experience in financial cost controls for utilities.
• Knowledgeable of California Public Utilities Commission practices.
• Experience in cost determination for Capital and O&M.

Responsibilities

• Prepare cost estimates and maintain project budgets.
• Set up cost monitoring and reporting systems.
• Analyze monthly variances and perform trend analysis.
• Develop operating plans for O&M and capital activities.
• Present project costs and advise management on variances.

Skills

Strong Communication Skills

Adaptable

Proactive

Critical Thinking

Commitment to Excellence and Continuous Improvement

Strong Judgement and Decision Skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Financial/Accounting profession or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Business Intelligence

SAS

SAP

Excel with Power Query

Power BI with DAX programming

Job description

Benefits

• Opportunity for advancement
• Paid time off
• Competitive salary

About this role

Terravanta is seeking an experienced Project Controls Lead to support complex energy and infrastructure projects. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in cost management, budgeting, forecasting, and project controls within the energy/infrastructure industry, with a proven finance/accounting background and ability to deliver accurate, timely, and actionable project performance insights.

Duties

• Works closely with Transmission and Distribution stakeholders to prepare cost estimates, develop and maintain project budgets, forecasts, and cash flows for T&D operations.
• Sets up cost monitoring and reporting systems
• Applies extensive technical expertise and full knowledge of other related financial disciplines. Challenges are atypical and require the regular use of critical thinking, creativity, and resourcefulness.
• Ensures the development and maintenance of accurate cost variances which support tracking of actual spend and volume units
• Ability to present clearly to Senior Management and advise/consult when recorded costs are either overrun or underrun as compared to the approved budget
• Prepares monthly, and year-end forecasts and advises management and stakeholders on risks and opportunities in meeting performance targets.
• Analyzes monthly variances from budget and latest forecast and identifies key cost and unit completion trends. Performs trend analysis and actively evaluates monthly project cost performance.
• Develops Operating plans for O&M (Operations & Maintenance) and Capital activities.
• Coordinates discussions with stakeholders to propose solutions for gaps to year-end and operating plan performance targets.
• Stays up to date on industry trends, regulatory changes, and emerging technologies in cost engineering and construction management.
• Leads review process to ensure project costs are accurate and structured in a manner that meets major and multi-year projects or program requirements (e.g., work breakdown structure, Continuous Property Records, FERC/CPUC jurisdictional splits, and cost elements/drivers)
• Performs highly complex analytics and prepares and presents results, alternatives, and recommendations to support business decisions, manage project costs and schedules, and mitigate potential risks
• Leads or prepares project controls data request responses and work papers in supporting corporate/Organizational Unit governance (e.g. Business Oversight Team and Capital Review Team), internal/external audits, General Rate Cases, and any pertinent regulatory filings.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in applicable Financial/Accounting profession, business, technical discipline or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• 7+ years’ experience in financial cost controls for utilities
• Knowledgeable of California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC); understanding of accounting practices of Capital and O&M cost determination
• Experience using Microsoft Office software, Business Intelligence, SAS, and SAP
• Expert Excel experience, including Power Query
• Intermediate Power BI experience, including DAX programming

Skills

• Strong Communication Skills
• Adaptable
• Proactive
• Critical Thinking
• Commitment to Excellence and Continuous Improvement
• Strong Judgement and Decision Skills

Flexible work from home options available.