Project Controls Manager

Job Description

Role Summary

The PMC Project Controls Manager is the project's principal authority for schedule management, cost engineering, quantity surveying, estimating, reporting, forecasting, and document control. Serving as the independent assurance function between the Owner and EPC Contractors, the role provides the project leadership team with accurate, timely, and actionable information to support decision-making and successful delivery of a complex brownfield or greenfield project while safeguarding cost, schedule, and execution performance.

Role Purpose

The Project Controls Manager is the senior PMC project controls representative at site and is responsible for establishing, managing, and assuring all project controls functions.

The role provides independent oversight and assurance of EPC contractor performance relating to schedule, cost, progress measurement, quantity management, change control, forecasting, estimating, reporting, and document management, ensuring alignment with project objectives and Owner requirements.

Operating within a PMC environment, the Project Controls Manager does not perform the EPC contractor's project controls function but provides governance, validation, challenge, analysis, and recommendations to support informed decision-making by the PMC and Owner.

A key responsibility is ensuring the successful delivery of the project within approved schedule and budget constraints while managing the complexities of a brownfield expansion integrated into an operating smelter facility.

Key Accountabilities

The Project Controls Manager is accountable for:

• Development and implementation of the PMC Project Controls Framework.
• Independent validation of EPC contractor schedules and cost forecasts.
• Accurate reporting of project status and performance.
• Cost and schedule assurance.
• Progress measurement and productivity analysis.
• Change management and forecasting.
• Quantity surveying oversight.
• Cost estimating support.
• Document control governance.
• Early identification of project risks and opportunities.
• Delivery of timely and reliable information to project leadership.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Project Controls Leadership and Governance

• Establish and manage all project controls systems and processes.
• Develop project controls procedures, standards, and reporting requirements.
• Lead and coordinate the planning, cost, quantity surveying, estimating, reporting, and document control functions.
• Ensure consistency across all project controls activities.
• Provide project leadership with reliable and accurate performance data.
• Establish project controls KPIs and performance metrics.
• Lead project controls reviews with EPC contractors and Owner representatives.

2. Planning and Schedule Management

• Schedule Assurance

Act as the PMC custodian of project schedule performance.

Responsibilities include:

• Review and validate EPC contractor baseline schedules.
• Assess schedule logic, critical path, float analysis, and resource loading.
• Verify alignment between engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning activities.
• Monitor adherence to approved project milestones.
• Evaluate contractor recovery schedules and acceleration plans.
• Identify schedule risks and recommend mitigation measures.
• Verify schedule updates and progress status.
• Analyze schedule trends and forecast completion dates.

• Specific Focus Areas

Monitor progress and schedule performance for:

• Engineering completion
• Long-lead equipment procurement
• Rotary kiln fabrication and erection
• Electric furnace installation
• Transformer installation
• High-voltage power distribution
• Utility systems
• Refractory installation
• Shutdown and tie-in activities
• Mechanical completion
• Commissioning readiness

• Brownfield Schedule Management

Particular focus shall be placed on:

• Operational shutdown milestones
• SIMOPS activities
• Utility integration works
• Critical tie-ins
• Energization activities
• Interface milestones with operating facilities

3. Cost Engineering and Cost Control

Provide independent monitoring and assessment of project cost performance.

Responsibilities include:

• Review EPC contractor cost reporting systems.
• Validate project expenditures and commitments.
• Monitor approved budgets and cost allocations.
• Analyze trends, variances, and emerging cost risks.
• Develop and maintain project cost forecasts.
• Monitor contractor productivity impacts.
• Review contingency utilization.
• Assess impacts of changes and emerging issues.
• Forecast final project cost (Estimate at Completion).

• Key Cost Control Activities

• Budget management
• Commitment tracking
• Actual cost monitoring
• Cost forecasting
• Cash-flow forecasting
• Trend management
• Contingency management
• Management reporting

4. Change Management

Lead the PMC review and governance process for project changes.

Responsibilities include:

• Maintain project change management systems.
• Review contractor variation requests.
• Assess schedule and cost impacts of proposed changes.
• Validate entitlement and supporting evidence.
• Ensure appropriate approvals are obtained.
• Maintain change logs and forecasting models.
• Support commercial and contract administration teams during change negotiations.

Key areas include:

• Scope growth
• Design changes
• Regulatory changes
• Operational interface requirements
• Site conditions
• Productivity impacts
• Delay events

5. Cost Estimating

Provide estimating support throughout project execution.

Responsibilities include:

• Develop independent cost estimates for project changes.
• Review and benchmark contractor estimates.
• Support contingency assessments.
• Prepare estimates for emerging scope.
• Validate cost assumptions used in project forecasts.
• Support business case evaluations where required.
• Participate in value-engineering reviews.

Estimating activities may include:

• Civil works
• Structural steel
• Mechanical equipment
• Refractory systems
• Electrical systems
• Instrumentation and controls
• Infrastructure works
• Temporary facilities

6. Quantity Surveying and Measurement

Lead oversight of quantity surveying activities across the project.

Responsibilities include:

• Verify installed quantities.
• Monitor quantity growth and quantity trends.
• Validate progress claims.
• Review contractor measurement methodologies.
• Assess earned value and installed work progress.
• Support commercial validation of payment applications.
• Monitor productivity trends against installed quantities.
• Identify quantity-related risks and anomalies.

Typical quantity categories include:

• Earthworks
• Concrete
• Structural steel
• Piping
• Mechanical equipment
• Electrical cable
• Instrumentation
• Refractory materials

7. Progress Measurement and Reporting

Develop and maintain project performance reporting systems.

Responsibilities include:

• Establish project progress measurement methodology.
• Verify contractor-reported progress.
• Develop integrated progress reports.
• Produce weekly and monthly performance reports.
• Monitor engineering, procurement, and construction progress.
• Maintain project dashboards.
• Present project performance to senior management.

Typical reporting includes:

• Schedule Performance

• Critical path status
• Milestone achievement
• Schedule variance
• Schedule performance index

• Cost Performance

• Budget status
• Cost variance
• Cost performance index
• Forecast at completion

• Construction Performance

• Productivity trends
• Installed quantities
• Workforce trends
• Mechanical completion status

• Risk Reporting

• Schedule risks
• Cost risks
• Change trends
• Contractor performance issues

8. Document Control Management

Lead the project document control function and ensure robust management of project information.

Responsibilities include:

• Establish project document control procedures.
• Manage document numbering and revision control.
• Oversee document transmittals and approvals.
• Ensure accurate and auditable document records.
• Monitor contractor document performance.
• Ensure timely processing of engineering deliverables.
• Maintain project correspondence registers.
• Ensure turnover documentation requirements are met.

Key document categories include:

• Engineering deliverables
• Vendor documents
• Site instructions
• Technical queries
• Design change notices
• Contractual correspondence
• Construction records
• Completion dossiers

9. Risk Management Support

Support the project risk management process through quantitative and qualitative analysis.

Responsibilities include:

• Participate in risk workshops.
• Analyze schedule and cost exposure.
• Develop risk-adjusted forecasts.
• Monitor effectiveness of mitigation plans.
• Assess impacts of emerging project threats.
• Identify opportunities for schedule and cost improvement.

Particular focus areas include:

• Brownfield execution risks
• Shutdown risks
• Procurement delays
• Logistics constraints
• Contractor performance
• Productivity impacts
• Commissioning readiness

10. Contractor Performance Monitoring

Monitor and evaluate EPC contractor project controls performance.

Responsibilities include:

• Review contractor planning processes.
• Assess reporting accuracy.
• Evaluate forecasting quality.
• Monitor progress measurement methodology.
• Review resource loading assumptions.
• Challenge unsupported schedule and cost forecasts.
• Recommend corrective actions where performance deteriorates.

Qualifications

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Project Controls, or related discipline.

Professional Certifications (Preferred)

• AACE International Certification (CCP, PSP, CEP)
• RICS Membership
• PMI-SP
• PMP
• MRICS
• Certified Cost Professional (CCP)
• Earned Value Professional (EVP)

Experience

• Minimum 15 years of project controls experience on major capital projects.
• Minimum 8 years in a senior Project Controls Manager or Project Services Manager role.
• Experience on major mining, metals, smelting, refinery, power, oil & gas, or heavy industrial projects.
• Demonstrated experience with EPC and PMC project delivery models.
• Strong brownfield project experience.
• Experience overseeing planning, cost control, estimating, quantity surveying, and document control functions.
• Nickel smelting or pyrometallurgical plant experience highly desirable.
• Experience in Indonesia or Southeast Asia preferred.

Technical Competencies

Project Controls

• Primavera P6 scheduling
• Critical path analysis
• Schedule risk analysis
• Cost engineering
• Earned Value Management (EVM)
• Cost forecasting
• Trend analysis

Commercial and Financial

• Budget control
• Quantity surveying
• Change management
• Cost estimating
• Claims awareness
• Contract administration support

Reporting and Systems

• Power BI
• Project reporting systems
• Document management systems
• Data analytics
• Progress measurement systems

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic thinking
• Analytical capability
• Commercial awareness
• Influencing and negotiation
• Team leadership
• Stakeholder management
• Attention to detail
• Decision-making under pressure

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Schedule

• Accuracy of schedule forecasting.
• Achievement of major project milestones.
• Early identification of schedule risks.
• Timely recovery planning.

Cost

• Accuracy of cost forecasts (EAC).
• Effective contingency management.
• Timely identification of cost variances.
• Reliable cash-flow forecasting.

Reporting

• Timely issue of weekly and monthly reports.
• Accuracy and credibility of project data.
• Effective dashboard and management reporting.

Change Management

• Timely assessment of changes.
• Control of scope growth.
• Accurate impact assessments.

Document Control

• Timely processing of project documentation.
• Maintenance of document integrity.
• Successful handover of project records.

Stakeholder Satisfaction

• High confidence from Project Director and Owner.
• Effective support to construction and commissioning teams.
• Strong contractor engagement and challenge process.

Additional Information

Our inspired people share our vision and mission. We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change.

We want our people to succeed both in work and life. To support this we promote a healthy, productive and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance. 

Turner & Townsend is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

Please find out more about us at www.turnerandtownsend.com/

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