Cushman & Wakefield

Senior Director, Project Controls (Scheduling)

Cushman & Wakefield$150K — $180K *
Real Estate & Construction
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, or related field.
  • 15+ years of experience in planning and scheduling for large-scale capital programs.
  • Leadership experience at a program or portfolio level, preferably client-facing.
  • Strong background in advanced tech, mission-critical, or data center projects.
  • Expertise in Primavera P6; experience with additional planning tools preferred.
  • Ability to lead teams in complex, matrixed environments and influence senior stakeholders.
  • Exceptional communication skills for engaging with executive audiences.

Responsibilities

  • Lead development and implementation of enterprise-level schedule management frameworks for major capital programs.
  • Act as the primary planning and scheduling advisor to client leadership, offering strategic guidance on program risks.
  • Develop and manage integrated master schedules that align across various project phases.
  • Drive alignment among internal teams, contractors, and third parties for cohesive schedule integration.
  • Establish robust program-level reporting structures and executive dashboards to track performance and risks.
  • Conduct scenario planning and quantitative risk assessments for informed program decision-making.
  • Identify critical path impacts, schedule risks, and potential mitigation strategies.
  • Oversee schedule quality and data integrity for all projects within the program.
  • Collaborate with cost management teams to sync schedules with financial objectives.
  • Build and mentor scheduling teams, fostering a culture of accountability and improvement.
  • Support business development through proposal contributions and client presentations.

Benefits

  • Health, vision, and dental insurance options.
  • Flexible spending and health savings accounts.
  • Retirement savings plans available.
  • Life and disability insurance programs.
  • Paid and unpaid time away from work.
Full Job Description

Job Title

Senior Director, Project Controls (Scheduling)

Job Description Summary

This Senior Director-level role will serve as the strategic lead and primary client interface for all planning and scheduling functions across large-scale capital programs, with a strong focus on data center delivery. The individual will operate as a trusted advisor to executive stakeholders, shaping program strategy through the development of high-level integrated schedules, resource plans, and delivery frameworks from early planning through execution and closeout.

The Senior Director will lead the establishment of best-in-class scheduling standards, governance, and reporting while building and mentoring high-performing teams. This role requires a balance of strategic insight and technical expertise, with the ability to influence outcomes, drive alignment across complex stakeholder groups, and ensure successful program delivery.

Job Description

Responsibilities

  • Lead the development and implementation of enterprise-level schedule management frameworks across major capital programs, including tools, processes, governance, and reporting standards.
  • Serve as the primary planning and scheduling advisor to client leadership, providing strategic guidance on program phasing, sequencing, and delivery risks.
  • Develop and oversee integrated master schedules aligning design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and operations across complex programs.
  • Drive alignment across internal teams, contractors, designers, and third parties to ensure integration into a single source of truth schedule.
  • Establish program-level reporting structures, KPIs, and executive dashboards to communicate schedule performance, risks, and trends.
  • Lead scenario planning, what-if analysis, and quantitative risk assessments to support key program decisions.
  • Identify and communicate critical path impacts, schedule risks, and mitigation strategies at both project and program levels.
  • Oversee schedule quality, data integrity, and consistency across all projects within the program.
  • Partner with cost, commercial, and project management leads to align schedule with financial and operational objectives.
  • Build, lead, and mentor a team of schedulers and planners, establishing a culture of accountability, development, and continuous improvement.
  • Support business development efforts by contributing to proposals, client presentations, and thought leadership related to project controls and scheduling.
  • Act as a visible leader within both the client organization and internal teams, reinforcing best practices and driving delivery excellence.

Education / Experience

  • Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, or related field.
  • 15+ years of experience in planning and scheduling for large-scale capital programs, including design and construction phases.
  • Demonstrated experience operating at a program or portfolio level, ideally in a client-facing leadership capacity.
  • Strong experience in advanced tech, mission critical and/or data center projects required, with an understanding of delivery, fast-track schedules, and commissioning requirements.
  • Expertise in Primavera P6 (required); experience with additional planning tools and data visualization platforms preferred.
  • Proven ability to lead teams within complex, matrixed environments and influence senior stakeholders.
  • Strong commercial awareness with the ability to connect schedule performance to cost, risk, and business outcomes.
  • Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to present to executive audiences and translate complex data into clear insights.




Cushman & Wakefield also provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health, vision, and dental insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life, and disability insurance programs, and paid and unpaid time away from work. In addition to a comprehensive benefits package, Cushman and Wakefield provide eligible employees with competitive pay, which may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, total hours worked, job type, business line, and applicability of collective bargaining agreements.


The compensation that will be offered to the successful candidate will depend on factors such as whether the position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement, the geographic area in which the work will be performed, market pay rates in that area, and the candidate’s experience and qualifications.


The company will not pay less than minimum wage for this role.


About Cushman & Wakefield

Cushman & Wakefield plc is a global commercial real estate services firm. The company's corporate headquarters is located in Chicago, Illinois. Cushman & Wakefield is among the world's largest commercial real estate services firms, with revenues of US$9.4 billion in 2021. The company operates from approximately 400 offices in 60 countries, has around 50,000 employees and manages about 4,100 million sq ft of commercial space. It is one of the "Big Three" commercial real estate services companies, alongside CBRE and JLL.
Learn more about Cushman & Wakefield
Size
50,000 employees
Market Cap
$2.6 billion
Industry
Net Income
-$220.5 million
Founded
1917
5 Year Trend
+8.6%
Revenue
$7.8 billion
NASDAQ

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