Project Controller

LIGHTERA

$95K — $115K *
Real Estate & Construction
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in finance, Accounting, Engineering, or Construction Management.
  • 5 to 8 years of experience in cost control or project accounting on large-scale capital projects ($50M+).
  • Certification as a Certified Cost Professional (CCP) or Project Management Professional (PMP), or CMA/CPA preferred.
  • Mastery of project management tools like Primavera P6, Deltek, or ERP systems (SAP PS, Oracle Projects).
  • Expert-level Excel skills, including macros and data analysis capabilities.

Responsibilities

  • Establish and maintain the project's original financial baseline and cash flow schedules.
  • Calculate Estimate-at-Completion (EAC) and Estimate-to-Complete (ETC) based on site progress.
  • Map out future monthly cash requirements for heavy equipment funding.
  • Monitor actual spending against budgeted lines and highlight variances early.
  • Financially evaluate proposed project modifications and their dollar impacts before approval.
  • Blend schedule progress with actual costs to assess project efficiency through Earned Value Management.
  • Review contracts and invoices for EPC contractors to ensure compliance with payment terms.

Benefits

  • Access to continuous training and professional development opportunities.
  • Engagement in diverse, large-scale projects that enhance career growth.
  • Opportunities to work closely with project directors and engineering teams.
  • Participation in a collaborative and innovative work environment.
  • Leadership opportunities in managing financial audits and governance reporting.
Full Job Description
POSITION SUMMARY:

The Project Controller serves as the financial co-pilot to the Project Director on large-scale capital investments. This role bridges the gap between engineering and finance.

Rather than just recording historical costs, the Project Controller looks forward to identifying financial risks, predicting total completion costs, and ensuring strict budget control before overruns happen.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
  1. Financial Planning, Budgeting, and Forecasting
  • Baseline Maintenance: Establish and maintain the project's original financial baseline and cash flow schedules.
  • Predictive Forecasting: Calculate the Estimate-at-Completion (EAC) and Estimate-to-Complete (ETC) based on live site progress.
  • Cash Flow Management: Map out future monthly cash requirements to ensure corporate treasury can fund heavy equipment payments.
  1. Cost Control and Variance Analysis
  • Track Variances: Monitor actual spending against budgeted lines, highlighting cost variances early.
  • Change Order Management: Financial evaluates all proposed project modifications, scoping out their dollar impact before approval.
  • Earned Value Management (EVM): Blend schedule progress with actual costs to measure the project's real efficiency.
  1. Vendor, Contract, and Contingency Management
  • Contract Oversight: Review milestones, payment terms, and invoices for major Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractors.
  • Contingency Tracking: Manage the project's emergency fallback funds, ensuring contingency draws are fully justified.
  • Audit Support: Lead regular physical and financial audits of material deliveries and vendor billing records.
  1. Reporting and Governance
  • Executive Dashboards: Prepare clear monthly financial health reports for the Project Steering Committee.
  • Risk Mapping: Maintain the financial risk register, assigning dollar impacts to potential supply chain or construction delays.

Required Skills and Qualifications

Education & Experience
  • Degree: Bachelor's degree in finance, Accounting, Engineering, or Construction Management.
  • Experience: 5 to 8 years of cost control or project accounting experience, specifically managing large-scale ($50M+) capital infrastructure or industrial projects.
  • Certification: Certified Cost Professional (CCP), Project Management Professional (PMP), or CMA/CPA is highly preferred.

Technical Skills
  • Project Management Tools: Mastery of scheduling and cost systems like Primavera P6, Deltek, or specialized ERP project modules (SAP PS, Oracle Projects).
  • Advanced Data Analysis: Expert-level Excel capabilities (including macros, index/match, and power query) or Power BI dashboard building.
  • EVM Methodology: Deep knowledge of Earned Value Management principles (CPI, SPI, and variance metrics).

Behavioral Skills
  • Assertive Communication: The confidence to challenge project directors and engineering leads when spending deviates from the plan. • Cross-Functional Fluency: The ability to read engineering milestones and translate technical delays into concrete financial risks.

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