Position Title: Project Controls & Planning Lead
Position Overview
The Project Controls & Planning Lead is responsible for driving the planning, scheduling, monitoring, and reporting requirements across all projects within the PJM department. This role ensures structured project execution by implementing robust project controls, maintaining accurate project baselines, and supporting leadership with critical insights for decision-making.
The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, analytically strong, and experienced in managing complex project portfolios.
Key Responsibilities
1. Planning & Scheduling
- Develop, manage, and maintain detailed project schedules and master schedules across the portfolio.
- Define project work breakdown structures (WBS) and ensure alignment with project scope and deliverables.
- Monitor schedule progress and provide periodic updates with variance analyses.
- Ensure schedule baselines are established and change-controlled effectively.
2. Project Controls Management
- Develop and implement project control systems, tools, templates, and reporting structures.
- Track key project metrics such as cost performance, schedule performance, risk exposure, and resource utilization.
- Ensure consistent planning and control methodologies across all PJM projects.
- Establish and maintain forecasting models for schedule, cost, and resource requirements.
3. Cost Control & Forecasting
- Work closely with finance and project managers to monitor project budgets, expenses, and cash flows.
- Prepare cost reports, cost-to-complete analyses, and variance reports.
- Support development of cost baselines and ensure adherence to approved budgets.
4. Risk & Issue Management
- Facilitate risk identification, assessment, and mitigation planning.
- Maintain risk registers and ensure timely updates and escalations.
- Conduct what-if scenario planning to assess the impact of risks, delays, or changes.
5. Reporting & Governance
- Prepare weekly, monthly, and quarterly project dashboards for leadership review.
- Generate executive-level reports summarizing schedule performance, cost status, key risks, and milestones.
- Lead planning and review meetings with project managers and functional heads.
- Ensure adherence to project governance frameworks and compliance requirements.
6. Stakeholder Collaboration
- Work with project managers, engineering, procurement, finance, and other functions to ensure accurate data flow.
- Facilitate communication and alignment between cross-functional teams.
- Provide insights and recommendations to support data-driven decision-making.