Project Controls Specialist
Summary
Supports project managers at an employee-owned engineering services firm by setting up projects (WBS, budgets), building labor-hour and cost budgets, tracking actuals and forecasts, monitoring schedules, and preparing reports. Core tools are Excel plus project management/ERP systems, with Unanet preferred; 3-5 years of project controls experience expected.
About Us
ARSEAL is a small but growing team. We work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and take great pride in providing high quality engineering solutions to our clients. Joining ARSEAL comes with perks that support you in your personal and professional journey:
- Make an impact: Our pace of work enables fast learning and fosters an environment where you can stretch yourself and make an impact
- Teamwork: Be inspired and encouraged by senior engineers and teammates to set goals and quickly develop within the company
- Excellent health benefit and retirement investment programs
- Flexible work schedules, hybrid home/office options
- Paid time off
- 100% Employee Owned
Position Summary
Supports project managers in planning, budgeting, scheduling, and monitoring engineering design projects. Provides accurate project information, identifies potential overruns, and helps maintain consistent project controls from project setup through closeout.
Reports to: Director of Projects
Key Responsibilities
- Project setup: Establish project codes, work breakdown structures (WBS), budgets, and contract fee lines in the project management system.
- Budget development: Work with project managers to translate approved proposals into labor-hour and cost budgets by discipline, phase, and deliverable.
- Cost monitoring: Track actual hours, costs, and commitments against approved budgets; flag variances and potential overruns.
- Forecasting: Coordinate regular updates to remaining hours, estimate to complete, and forecast cost at completion.
- Schedule tracking: Maintain project schedules and monitor deliverable dates, milestones, and overdue activities.
- Resource planning: Consolidate staffing forecasts and help identify workload conflicts or capacity gaps across projects.
- Change control: Maintain a change log, track potential additional services, and incorporate approved changes into project budgets and schedules.
- Project reporting: Prepare concise reports showing budget performance, schedule status, forecast results, and issues requiring action.
- Project reviews: Coordinate recurring project review meetings, document action items, and follow up with responsible team members.
- Accounting coordination: Work with the accounting teamproject accountant to reconcile project information and support billing reviews and project closeout.
- Process improvement: Maintain standard templates and improve the consistency and accuracy of project controls.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in business, engineering, construction management, finance, or a related field; equivalent experience considered.
- Typically 3-5 years of experience in project controls, project coordination, project accounting, or a similar role.
- Strong Excel skills and experience with project management or ERP systems; Unanet experience preferred.
- Understanding of labor-hour budgets, project cost reporting, and time-and-materials and fixed-fee contracts.
- Experience in an engineering or professional services firm preferred.
Core Competencies
- Strong attention to detail and data accuracy.
- Analytical skills and ability to explain project variances clearly.
- Proactive communication and timely escalation of concerns.
- Organization and follow-through across multiple projects.
- Ability to collaborate with technical staff, project managers, and accounting.
- Sound judgment and willingness to question incomplete or inconsistent information.
Measures of Success
- Project budgets and setup completed accurately and on time.
- Forecasts and reports updated by established deadlines.
- Potential cost overruns and schedule delays identified early.
- Approved changes incorporated promptly.
- Project review action items tracked through completion.