Project Controls Lead - Transmission and Distribution Projects

Sargent Lundy; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Sargent & Lundy seeks a Project Controls Lead in a hybrid arrangement with 3 days on-site in Houston. You will head all project controls within the PMO for transmission and distribution capital projects, guiding cost engineers, schedulers, and admin staff, while interfacing with client management and site personnel.

You will drive processes, best practices, and deliverables—cost management, scheduling, forecasting, and risk management—through collaboration with PMO and project teams, with travel

Qualifications

• 10+ years of total capital project experience in energy transmission and distribution.
• ABET-accredited BS degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or equivalent.
• Experienced in Earned Value Management and project controls methodologies.
• Strong leadership, budget and schedule decision making with multiple complex projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead development, maintenance, and improvement of Project Controls and related processes.
• Oversee cost management, forecasting, reporting, and accruals for capital projects.
• Coordinate schedule development, status, risks, and mitigation plans with PMO.
• Manage invoicing, requisitions, and contract tracking; present financials and progress.
• Mentor the Project Controls staff and align metrics with PMO/client leadership.

Skills

Capital Projects

Earned Value Management

Leadership

Budgeting

Scheduling

Education

Bachelor of Science in Engineering/Construction Management (ABET Accredited)

PMP Certification (preferred)

CCP Certification (preferred)

Tools

MS Excel

PowerBI

Primavera P6 (familiarity)

SAP/Powerplan (familiarity)

Job description

Responsibilities

This role offers a hybrid work arrangement. You'll spend three days a week in the office, allowing you to work remotely two days.

This role will lead all project controls functions within a Project Management Office (PMO) supporting transmission and distribution Capital Projects. The role will guide project controls personnel, including cost engineers, scheduling staff, and financial administrative staff. The work will include collaboration with PMO team members, such as Project Managers and Program Managers, and direct interface with client management and site personnel.

The Project Controls Lead will:

• Be responsible for the development, implementation, oversight, and management of capital projects processes, procedures, and administrative services to ensure the Project Controls functions are delivered with consistency and quality
• Collaborate with the PMO team to achieve the client's business objectives
• Lead the development, maintenance, and continuous improvement of Project Controls best practices and deliverables, including but not limited to:
  • Cost management, forecasting, cost analysis, and reporting
  • Progress tracking, construction readiness tracking, risk identification and mitigation
  • Schedule development, maintenance, analysis, and reporting
  • Contract requisition and purchase order tracking, invoice and payment application management, and accrual allocation
  • Report and present project financials, schedule status, risks and mitigation plans, contract backlogs, project status, and staffing plans
  • Communicate variances against monthly work plan projections, monitor performances against the plan, and develop recovery plans when applicable
  • Ensure appropriate metrics are defined and communicated to PMO and client leadership
  • Ensure the success of the Project Controls staff through mentoring and training
• There is the potential for you to travel to client offices or site locations, as required

Qualifications

We do not sponsor employees for work authorization in the U.S. for this position.

Essential skills and experience:

• 10 or more years of total Capital Project experience, preferably in the energy transmission and distribution industry
• Bachelor of science degree with emphasis in Engineering, Construction Management, or equivalent; preferably from an ABET Accredited program
• Experience in Earned Value Management and the application of Project Controls methodologies
• Comfortable in a project leadership role and making decisions concerning project budget and schedule
• Experience in managing multiple complex projects with full responsibility for the project controls functions
• Prioritize work and work under pressure to meet deadlines
• Eager to cultivate program and project knowledge to make a valuable impact on the PMO team operation. Willing to engage with others to understand PMO team and client needs.
• Committed to delivering high-quality, accurate deliverables with attention to detail
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a proven ability to interact and multitask with project team members, clients, and vendors of varying position levels
• Working knowledge of MS Office tools, with emphasis on the advanced use of MS Excel and PowerBI

Valued but not required skills and experience:

• Familiarity with scheduling software, preferably Primavera P6
• Familiarity with finance and accounting systems, preferably SAP and Powerplan
• PMI Project Management Professional (PMP) certification
• AACE Certified Cost Professional (CCP) certification

Technology & Innovation

Sargent & Lundy values the appropriate use of technology to improve how work gets done and deliver high-quality outcomes for our clients. Depending on the role, employees may use data, automation, artificial intelligence, and other digital tools to support research, analysis, engineering and design activities, workflow improvement, or other aspects of their work. We value candidates who demonstrate an interest in learning and effectively using emerging technologies where relevant to their role. Employees remain accountable for their work and are expected to apply appropriate professional judgment and review when using technology-assisted tools. Experience with AI, automation, programming, or similar technologies is valued where relevant but is not required unless specifically identified elsewhere in the job description.

About Sargent & Lundy

At Sargent & Lundy, we care about the health and well-being of our employees. Our commitment extends beyond the workplace, offering comprehensive healthcare plans and generous paid time off to support our team members in every aspect of their lives. We understand the importance of work-life balance, which is why we are proud to provide competitive, award-winning benefits. Our dedication to employee satisfaction has earned us the prestigious Top Workplaces Culture Excellence Award for compensation and benefits in 2022, 2023, and 2024.