Department Leader Nuclear Project Controls

About the role

The Nuclear Project Controls Department Leader at Arizona Public Service (APS) is responsible for leading project controls and program execution for complex nuclear modification projects. This role ensures effective integration of scope, schedule, and cost, driving transparency, accountability, and achievement of key milestones.

Responsibilities

• Leads and oversees project and program execution, ensuring alignment across scope, schedule, and budget objectives.
• Directs and supports staff in the delivery of IT and operational project implementations, ensuring business requirements are effectively translated into outcomes.
• Oversees integration of schedule, cost, and scope to support disciplined project controls and accurate performance tracking.
• Sets and prioritizes workstream activities, ensuring quality, timeliness, and alignment with program goals.
• Evaluates and improves project controls processes, tools, and execution methodologies.
• Maintains integrated project schedules aligned with scope and execution plans.
• Monitors schedule performance, including critical path, key milestones, and schedule health indicators to identify risks and delays.
• Ensures alignment between schedule and cost systems to support accurate forecasting (monthly, annual, and long-range) and performance tracking.
• Maintains budget adherence, forecast accuracy, and cost variances.
• Identifies performance gaps and drives corrective actions and recovery strategies to maintain project objectives.
• Partners with program and functional leaders to align team objectives with overall program priorities.
• Facilitates coordination across project managers, construction managers, project controls, engineering, and procurement to ensure integrated execution.
• Establishes and reinforces consistency in project controls practices, standards, and reporting.
• Communicates and escalates key risks and issues impacting scope, schedule, and budget to Director and Executive leadership in a timely and actionable manner.
• Develops and sustains new hire orientation and role-specific training curricula for project managers, construction managers, and project controls.
• Manages an annual training plan and recurring training calendar aligned with program needs and performance trends.
• Uses project performance data to identify capability gaps and define targeted development goals.
• Builds, develops, and retains a high-performing team of project controls and subject matter experts (SMEs).
• Ensures appropriate staffing levels and skill alignment to support program objectives and evolving business needs.
• Provides leadership, coaching, and performance management to drive team effectiveness, accountability, and career development.

Requirements

• A four-year Bachelor's Degree in Business, Finance, Engineering, Construction Management, or other job-related field from an accredited college or university AND eight (8) years of relevant experience in operations, construction, engineering, finance, and/or project management.
• In lieu of a Bachelor's degree, a high school diploma/GED AND 12 years of experience in operations, construction, engineering, finance, and/or project management.
• Three (3) years of experience in a supervisory/management role.

Nuclear Requirements

• Nuclear Operations management certification or above.
• Nuclear or utility experience.

Export Compliance / EEO Statement

This position may require access to and/or use of information subject to control under the Department of Energy's Part 810 Regulations (10 CFR Part 810), the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) (15 CFR Parts 730 through 774), or the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) (22 CFR Chapter I, Subchapter M Part 120) (collectively, 'U.S. Export Control Laws'). Therefore, some positions may require applicants to be a U.S. person, which is defined as a U.S. Citizen, a U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident (i.e. 'Green Card Holder'), a Political Asylee, or a Refugee under the U.S. Export Control Laws. All applicants will be required to confirm their U.S. person or non-US person status. All information collected in this regard will only be used to ensure compliance with U.S. Export Control Laws, and will be used in full compliance with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of national origin and other factors. For positions at Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Stations (PVNGS) all openings will require applicants to be a U.S. person. Pinnacle West Capital Corporation and its subsidiaries and affiliates ('Pinnacle West') maintain a continuing policy of nondiscrimination in employment. It is our policy to provide equal opportunity in all phases of the employment process and in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. This policy of nondiscrimination shall include, but not be limited to, recruiting, hiring, promoting, compensating, reassigning, demoting, transferring, laying off, recalling, terminating employment, and training for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, disability, age, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, protected veteran status, or any other classification or characteristic protected by law. For more information on applicable equal employment regulations, please refer to EEO is the Law poster. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of every person hired to work in the United States, refer to E-Verify poster. View the employee rights and responsibilities under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). In compliance with the Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988, the Company is committed to a work environment that is free from the effects of alcohol and controlled substances, and free from the abuse or inappropriate use of prescribed and over-the-counter medications. The Company requires employees to be subject to drug and alcohol testing that is job-related and consistent with business necessity, regulatory requirements and applicable laws. Onsite: Requires work to be performed in the field and/or at an APS facility. Depending on the responsibilities of the role, this may include, but is not limited to, working at a power plant, job site, or in the community. Employees are expected to reside in Arizona. Role types are subject to change based on business need. Any PVGS employees may be called upon for random Fitness for Duty (FFD) testing during scheduled working hours. Employees, if off-site, must report to FFD at Palo Verde as soon as reasonably practicable, but no more than 120 minutes after being notified. Employees who are onsite when notified will have no more than 60 minutes to report after being notified.