Senior Project Controller

ICM Inc; Colwich (KS); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

ICM Inc. in Colwich, Kansas seeks a Senior Project Controller to design and implement a proactive project controls function across Operations. You will build standards, dashboards, and processes that translate data into actionable insight.

You will work hands-on with schedules, cost reports, change logs, and risk registers, bridging the gap between data and leadership decisions to improve forecast accuracy and project outcomes.

Qualifications

• 5–10 years of progressive, hands-on experience in project controls and related fields.
• Experience with cost forecasting, scheduling, variance analysis, change control, and progress reporting.
• Familiarity with ERP/project accounting systems and reporting tools (Power BI, Excel).
• Ability to build standards, dashboards, and governance for project controls.

Responsibilities

• Build the project controls operating system with standards for setup, cost codes, baselines, and reporting rhythms.
• Create cost and schedule visibility across budgets, commitments, actuals, forecasts, and milestones.
• Turn performance data into early action using variance analysis, trends, and forecast reviews.
• Own change management processes from identification to baseline updates with visibility of impacts.
• Maintain risk registers, opportunity logs, and escalation triggers for timely trade-offs.
• Strengthen data and document discipline across schedules, cost reports, and closeout records.
• Deliver concise, decision-ready reports and leadership updates.

Skills

Hands-on project controls

Financial judgment

Project lifecycle knowledge

Data visualization

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/related

AACE CCP/CEP/PSP/EVP or PMI credentials

Tools

Dynamics 365 Finance & Ops

Microsoft Project

Primavera P6

Power BI / Excel / SharePoint

Job description

WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS

This is an opportunity to help design a project controls function, not simply inherit one. ICM is moving toward proactive project control: earlier signals, cleaner data, stronger handoffs, better forecasts, faster escalation, and fewer surprises. The person in this role will help define what reliable project performance management looks like across Operations.

WHO WILL THRIVE IN THIS ROLE

This role is well suited for someone who enjoys building order out of complexity. The ideal candidate is experienced enough to know what good project controls look like, practical enough to adapt those practices to a developing environment, and hands‑on enough to work directly in schedules, cost reports, change logs, dashboards, and project data. This is not an entry‑level position, and it is not a role for someone who only wants to manage from a distance.

• You see a weak forecast, unclear baseline, missing change log, or unreliable schedule as a problem worth solving.
• You are comfortable challenging assumptions with facts and helping teams move from explanation to corrective action.
• You can operate between the details and the big picture: reconciling data one moment and briefing leadership the next.
• You want to build something that lasts, standards, dashboards, rhythms, and habits that make projects easier to control over time.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND BASIC DUTIES

The Senior Project Controller will bring clarity, discipline, and forward‑looking insight to complex project execution. This role turns project data into action by building practical controls, surfacing risks early, and helping teams make better decisions before cost, schedule, or margin are impacted.

Key responsibilities include:

• Build the project controls operating system. Establish practical standards for project setup, cost codes, schedules, baselines, reporting rhythms, change control, risk tracking, document control, and closeout so project teams have a clear, repeatable way to control the work.
• Create cost and schedule visibility. Maintain budgets, commitments, actuals, forecasts, margin outlooks, integrated schedules, milestones, critical path, lookaheads, and recovery plans that show where projects really stand and where they are headed.
• Turn performance data into early action. Use variance analysis, earned value concepts, trends, progress measurement, productivity indicators, and forecast reviews to identify issues early and help teams move from explanation to corrective action.
• Control change before it controls the project. Own the change management process from identification through pricing, schedule impact, approval, documentation, and baseline updates so scope, cost, and schedule impacts are visible and managed.
• Make risk, opportunity, and capacity visible. Maintain risk registers, opportunity logs, mitigation plans, contingency assumptions, resource demand views, and escalation triggers that help leaders see constraints and make timely trade‑off decisions.
• Strengthen project data and document discipline. Help ensure schedules, cost reports, change records, risk logs, action items, drawings, customer deliverables, and closeout records are accurate, version‑controlled, retrievable, and maintained in approved systems.
• Deliver decision‑ready reporting. Prepare concise project and portfolio reports, dashboards, and leadership updates that clearly communicate status, forecasted outcomes, key variances, risks, decisions needed, and corrective actions.
• Improve systems, tools, and adoption. Use and help improve Microsoft Dynamics 365, scheduling tools, Power BI or similar reporting platforms, Excel, Teams, SharePoint, and related workflows while coaching project teams on consistent project controls practices.
• Build lessons learned into the next project. Support closeout, root cause reviews, and post‑project analysis to capture recurring issues, improve standards, and make each project easier to plan, control, and deliver than the last.

Education / Certification

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, Business, Finance, Operations, or a related discipline required. Equivalent project controls experience may be considered for highly qualified candidates.

Preferred certifications include AACE CCP, CEP, PSP, EVP, PMI‑SP, PMP, or comparable credentials in cost engineering, scheduling, project management, risk management, or earned value management.

Required Knowledge & Experience

5–10 years of progressive, hands‑on experience in project controls, project management, cost control, scheduling, engineering project delivery, construction, manufacturing, industrial projects, EPC, capital projects, or a related project‑based environment required. Candidates must be able to contribute quickly with limited ramp‑up while remaining willing to perform the foundational work required to build reliable project controls.

Demonstrated experience with cost forecasting, project schedules, variance analysis, change control, progress reporting, and stakeholder‑facing project performance communication required.

Experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations or comparable ERP/project accounting systems preferred; experience with Microsoft Project, Primavera P6, Power BI or similar reporting tools, Microsoft Excel, Teams, SharePoint, and structured document management practices also preferred.

Skills / Abilities

• Hands‑on project controls practitioner who is comfortable developing standards, analyzing performance, updating schedules, validating cost data, maintaining logs, and preparing leadership‑ready reports.
• Strong financial, analytical, and operational judgment; able to connect cost, schedule, scope, risk, and resource data into practical business decisions.
• Strong understanding of project lifecycle practices including estimating, baseline development, procurement, engineering deliverables, fabrication, construction, commissioning, closeout, and lessons learned.
• Advanced spreadsheet, data management, reporting, and visualization skills; ability to design dashboards and reports that are simple, accurate, and useful.