Senior Project Cost Controls Analyst

SOLV Energy, Inc.; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 87,000 - 109,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) plan with vacation, sick and-h

Job summary

SOLV Energy, Inc. is seeking a Senior Project Cost Controls Analyst to deliver data-driven financial analysis across solar, storage, and substations.

The role supports decision-making, performance tracking, and forecasting, with flexibility for remote work in the West region or a hybrid arrangement requiring regular in-office presence in San Diego, CA. The ideal candidate has 3–5 years in project controls or FP&A, strong Excel, and experience with Power BI, Python, or SQL.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Finance, Economics, Data Science, or a related analytical field.
• 3–5 years of experience in project controls, FP&A, or data-driven roles.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel; experience with Power BI, Python, and/or SQL is highly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain project-level cost forecasts with project managers and field ops.
• Monitor changes in assumptions; identify cost drivers, risks, and opportunities.
• Lead monthly cost reporting with variance analyses for executive reviews.
• Assist in internal controls over financial reporting to ensure SOX compliance.
• Develop analytics models to forecast future project costs based on historical data.
• Support budget mapping and ensure fiscal accuracy across the department.
• Analyze performance trends and drivers of variance across cost, schedule, and resources.
• Conduct root-cause analyses on deviations and inform mitigation strategies.
• Create cost-tracking systems and provide insights to project teams.
• Identify cost savings and process improvements from analysis.
• Translate data into executive-ready narratives and recommendations.
• Engage in field visits to understand issues and build trust with teams.
• Identify risks and early warnings using data, benchmarks, and trends.
• Perform scenario planning to build robust contingency plans.
• Communicate data-driven stories to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Define metrics to manage project health and continuous improvement.
• Lead data quality audits and resolve coding or cost discrepancies.
• Contribute analytics to lessons-learned and portfolio trends.
• Upskill analysts to increase team impact.
• Train and supervise analysts for effective cost analysis.

Skills

Excel

Power BI

Python

SQL

Analytical thinking

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Finance/Economics/Data Science

Job description

SOLV Energy is a leading provider of infrastructure services to the power industry, designing, building and maintaining utility scale solar, battery storage and high voltage substation projects nationwide.

Job Description Summary: The Senior Project Cost Controls Analyst will deliver data-driven financial and strategic analysis that supports decision‑making, performance tracking, and forecasting across projects. This role can be fully remote within the West Region or hybrid, with regular in‑office presence in San Diego, CA. Specific location details and expectations will be discussed during the interview process.

Job Description: *This job description reflects management's assignment of essential functions; it does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned

Position Responsibilities and Duties:

• Build and maintain project-level cost forecasts by working cross-functionally with project managers, and field operations.
• Monitor changes in assumptions and proactively identify cost drivers, risks, and opportunities.
• Lead the monthly reporting process, producing accurate cost performance summaries, variance analyses, and data-driven insights used in executive reviews.
• Assist in the development, documentation, and maintenance of internal controls over financial reporting to ensure compliance with the Sarbanes‑Oxley (SOX) Act.
• Implement analytics models to forecast future project cost based on historical data and key project parameters enabling proactive cost management strategies.
• Assist with the budget mapping process, ensuring fiscal responsibility and accuracy across the department.
• Analyze project performance trends and identify key drivers of variance across cost, schedule, and resource usage.
• Conduct root‑cause analyses on cost and schedule deviations and partner with leadership to inform mitigation strategies and corrective actions.
• Develop and maintain cost tracking and reporting systems to ensure accurate operational reporting.
• Collaborate with project teams and other stakeholders to gather cost data and provide insights into trends.
• Identify opportunities for cost savings and process improvements through analysis.
• Synthesize complex datasets into clean, compelling storylines and build executive‑ready decks that highlight trends, performance metrics, and strategic recommendations.
• Translate variance drivers into clear business narratives and recommendations for senior leadership.
• Actively engage in field improvements by going out to the field to understand struggles, work on solutions, build trust, and be seen as a resource for project teams.
• Identify risks and early warning signals using historical data, benchmarks, and trends.
• Conduct scenario planning to explore various future scenarios and assess their potential impact on project outcomes. By simulating different scenarios and evaluating their implications, develop robust contingency plans and adapt to changing circumstances effectively.
• Convey a data-driven story to technical and non-technical audiences around key business insights, in collaboration with key cross-functional partners.
• Define and analyze key metrics to manage project health, mitigate risks, demonstrate impact and enable continuous improvement.
• Lead data quality audits, resolve coding, or cost discrepancies with field teams.
• Contribute analytics to project lessons‑learned reviews and portfolio trend reports.
• Grow analytics expertise around you, upskilling analysts, and others, to increase overall team impact.
• Train and supervise analysts to ensure efficient and effective project cost analysis.

Minimum Skills or Experience Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Finance, Economics, Data Science, or a related analytical field. 3–5 years of experience in project controls, FP&A, or data-driven roles Proficiency in Microsoft Excel; experience with Power BI, Python, and/or SQL is highly preferred. Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with a structured approach to modeling and interpretation. Experience partnering with internal stakeholders to identify objectives and work cohesively together to complete identified objectives. Highly effective communicator who can translate complex technical data into business terms for senior leadership. Data driven and analytical mindset. Strong data management skills and creativity in business problem solving. Proven ability to build clean, professional presentation decks that influence decision‑making. Detail‑oriented, motivated self‑starter. Ability to travel as needed to successfully fulfill responsibilities and duties. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. without requiring employer sponsorship now or in the future.

SOLV Energy Is an Equal Opportunity Employer

At SOLV Energy we celebrate the power of our differences. We are committed to building diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces that improve our communities. SOLV Energy prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind against an employee or applicant based on race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, or ethnicity, mental or physical disability, veteran status, parental status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Benefits:

• Employees (and their families) are eligible for medical, dental, vision, basic life and disability insurance.
• Employees can enroll in our company’s 401(k) plan and are provided vacation, sick and holiday pay.

Compensation Range: $86,903.00 - $108,629.00 Pay Rate Type: Salary

Job Number: J13869

If you’re interested in a meaningful career with a brighter future, join the SOLV Energy Team. SOLV Energy is a leading provider of infrastructure services to the power industry. We design, build and maintain utility scale solar, battery storage and high voltage substation facilities across the United States. Our teams support projects from early engineering through long term operations and maintenance, giving employees opportunities to contribute across the full energy lifecycle. Our mission centers on strengthening communities and advancing the energy workforce. We focus on delivering projects that support long term economic growth and create pathways for skilled careers across the country. That commitment guides how we work with customers and how we support one another, rooted in our core values of Safety, Quality, Innovation and Teamwork. As a national organization, we offer broad opportunities to grow your career. Whether you work in the field or in an office role, you’ll find space to develop your skills, explore new directions and build a career that makes an impact. No matter where you begin, you join a capable team driving energy forward and helping build the foundation for the next generation of power in the U.S. Learn more at solvenergy.com SOLV Energy Is An Equal Opportunity Employer At SOLV Energy we celebrate the power of our differences. We are committed to building diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces that improve our communities. SOLV Energy prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind against an employee or applicant based on race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin or ethnicity, mental or physical disability, veteran status, parental status, or any other characteristic protected by law.