Project Controls Manager (Mega Projects)

Key Accountabilities:

• Establish and maintain the integrated project controls framework (cost, schedule, risk, change, and performance management) across FEL, execution, commissioning, and closeout.
• Own the project baseline strategy, including estimate maturity, schedule philosophy, progress measurement, forecasting methodology, and contingency management.
• Act as a strategic advisor to the Project Director and client leadership on project health, trends, and emerging risks.
• Lead the development of a high-performing project controls organization, including cost, scheduling, estimating, and reporting resources.
• Provide independent assurance of project performance, including readiness, forecast credibility, and governance compliance.

Core Responsibilities:

• Project Controls Leadership
• Design and implement the overall project controls execution plan aligned with project scale, risk profile, and client governance.
• Define standards for estimating, scheduling, cost control, change management, risk management, and performance reporting.
• Ensure full integration between engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning controls.
• Cost, Forecasting & Change Management
• Lead development and stewardship of Class estimates, Basis of Estimate, and phase funding packages.
• Own forecasting, change control, and contingency drawdown strategies.
• Ensure disciplined management of approved changes, trends, and pending scope in alignment with client expectations.
• Challenge assumptions and forecasts to maintain a credible, risk-adjusted view of final outcomes.
• Schedule & Progress Performance
• Establish the integrated master schedule philosophy and progress measurement system.
• Ensure schedule logic, critical path integrity, productivity measurement, and scenario analysis are actively managed.
• Lead recovery planning, mitigation development, and executive-level schedule reporting.
• Risk & Investment Assurance
• Implement and maintain a risk-integrated cost and schedule management system.
• Lead quantitative risk analysis, Monte Carlo modeling, and contingency adequacy assessments.
• Support stage-gate reviews, FEL assurance, and independent project assessments.
• Reporting, Insight & Governance
• Deliver executive-level performance reporting that goes beyond metrics to provide insight, options, and recommendations.
• Chair periodic cost, schedule, and forecast reviews.
• Ensure alignment with client governance, audit requirements, and funding approvals.
• Team & Capability Development
• Build, mentor, and lead a major-projects project controls team.
• Establish procedures, tools, and training that strengthen Nexus’ long-term project controls capability.

Experience & Expertise:

• 15+ years in project controls leadership roles on major capital projects and programs.
• Demonstrated experience designing and governing end-to-end project controls systems.
• Proven capability supporting large, complex project and programs (data centers, power, industrial, or major infrastructure).
• Deep experience with: Class estimating and cost assurance; Integrated master scheduling; Forecasting and change management; Risk-adjusted cost and schedule analysis; Executive and board-level reporting, and; Track record working directly with owners, investment teams, and senior project leadership.

Professional Attributes:

• Strategic thinker with strong commercial and investment awareness
• Comfortable challenging assumptions and influencing senior stakeholders
• Highly credible with both technical teams and executive leadership
• Calm, structured, and decisive under project-level pressure

Education/Credentials:

• Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Economics, or equivalent
• MRICS or CCP or equivalent credentials strongly preferred