Principal Project Controller - Remote, USA

About the role

The Principal Project Controller leads the integrated control framework for major renewable energy projects, ensuring full alignment across cost, schedule, risk, scope, and performance. This senior role provides strategic oversight, governance, and direction to project teams, acting as the key authority for project performance management across engineering, procurement, and construction phases.

Responsibilities

• Lead the implementation of project controls methodologies across assigned projects, ensuring consistency with global PPC&RM standards.
• Act as the primary decision-maker for cost, schedule, and risk control matters, advising Project Directors and senior leadership on performance strategies.
• Ensure all technical, contractual, and execution assumptions supporting baselines are validated and documented.
• Mentor and guide project controllers and analysts, promoting capability development and best practices.
• Approve and maintain integrated cost baselines, ensuring alignment with engineering deliverables and contractual scopes.
• Direct the monitoring of project expenditures, commitments, and forecasts; validate cost-to-complete and earned value assessments.
• Identify cost optimization opportunities and drive cost-effective solutions with engineering, procurement, and construction teams.
• Ensure timely reporting of cost deviations and corrective action plans.
• Oversee development of integrated project schedules, including engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and energization activities.
• Validate the critical path, logic ties, resource allocations, and milestones for accuracy and feasibility.
• Lead schedule performance reviews, variance analysis, and scenario planning for mitigation and recovery strategies.
• Lead the development and maintenance of project risk registers and mitigation plans.
• Facilitate structured risk workshops with engineering, safety, procurement, and construction leaders.
• Identify opportunities for schedule acceleration, cost optimization, and design efficiency improvements.
• Ensure risk-adjusted forecasts are incorporated into project decision-making and reporting.
• Provide executive-level dashboards integrating cost, schedule, risk, engineering progress, and construction performance.
• Ensure accurate, timely reporting to Project Directors, Leadership, and corporate functions.
• Provide strategic recommendations backed by analytical and technical assessments.
• Ensure alignment between engineering design packages, procurement timelines, logistics, and construction sequences.
• Support procurement in supplier evaluations, bid alignment, and commercial negotiations through cost/schedule insights.
• Ensure project controls compliance with corporate governance, contract management processes, and audit requirements.
• Capture lessons learned from project execution and lead initiatives to implement improvements in processes, templates, and tools.
• Drive adoption of digital tools and analytics to enhance project performance monitoring.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or related technical discipline (mandatory).
• Minimum 7+ years of experience in project controls, project management, or equivalent roles for large-scale or multi-project portfolios.
• Demonstrated leadership in managing integrated cost, schedule, and risk functions.
• Strong technical background and familiarity with engineering drawings, construction processes, and EPC contract structures.
• Experience working in a global matrix organization and leading cross-functional project teams.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Proven ability to lead project controls functions across large multidisciplinary teams.
• Advanced capability in interpreting engineering documents and integrating technical considerations into project forecasts.
• Strong influencing skills at all organizational levels, including executive leadership.
• Expertise in cost control, schedule analysis, earned value management, and integrated performance measurement.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and negotiation skills.
• Strong ability to drive accountability and decision-making across project teams.
• Able to perform effectively in a complex global matrix environment.
• Proficient in MS Office, MS Project/Primavera, ERP systems (SAP preferred), SharePoint, Power BI.
• Fluent in English; Spanish or Italian is a plus.

Qualifications

The minimum qualifications for this role are:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or related technical discipline.
• Minimum 7+ years of experience in project controls, project management, or equivalent roles for large-scale or multi-project portfolios.
• Demonstrated leadership in managing integrated cost, schedule, and risk functions.
• Strong technical background and familiarity with engineering drawings, construction processes, and EPC contract structures.
• Experience working in a global matrix organization and leading cross-functional project teams.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Proven ability to lead project controls functions across large multidisciplinary teams.
• Advanced capability in interpreting engineering documents and integrating technical considerations into project forecasts.
• Strong influencing skills at all organizational levels, including executive leadership.
• Expertise in cost control, schedule analysis, earned value management, and integrated performance measurement.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and negotiation skills.
• Strong ability to drive accountability and decision-making across project teams.
• Able to perform effectively in a complex global matrix environment.
• Proficient in MS Office, MS Project/Primavera, ERP systems (SAP preferred), SharePoint, Power BI.
• Fluent in English; Spanish or Italian is a plus.

Skills

• Project Controls
• Project Management
• Cost Control
• Schedule Analysis
• Earned Value Management
• Risk Management
• Leadership
• Technical Background
• Interpersonal Skills
• Communication Skills
• Negotiation Skills
• Global Matrix Organization Experience

Benefits

Commensurate with experience.

Pay

$137,597.73 - $206,396.59 annually.

Schedule

Varies.