Principal Project Controls Specialist – Anderson Combined Cycle Project

This is a field-based position supporting the Anderson Combined Cycle construction project in Anderson, SC. Relocation assistance may be offered depending on the candidate's current geographic location.

About the role

The Principal Project Controls Specialist serves as the Site Project Controls Lead for the Anderson Combined Cycle Project and is responsible for overall project cost management, forecasting, reporting, and integration of project controls functions during active EPC construction. This position focuses on project cost management, forecasting, earned value management, contractor cost tracking, change management, and project controls integration.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain project cost baselines, budgets, forecasts, and performance measurements for large-scale EPC construction projects.
• Lead earned value management (EVM) analysis, variance reporting, and trend analysis.
• Develop and maintain Estimate at Completion (EAC) forecasts and cost performance metrics.
• Integrate cost data with contractor progress, field activities, and vendor deliverables to ensure accurate financial reporting.
• Manage project contingency, risk reserves, and forecasted drawdown requirements.
• Develop cost estimates, monthly accruals, and cash flow forecasts.
• Review and validate contractor costs, forecasts, invoices, and earned value performance metrics on behalf of the project team.
• Maintain project cost systems and generate monthly cost reports and project controls documentation.
• Serve as the Site Project Controls Lead for the project.
• Understand phased project funding and manage roll-up of estimates and forecasts into project controls reports.
• Provide cost-schedule integration analysis to support execution planning and critical path decision-making.
• Partner closely with project schedulers to analyze schedule impacts and associated cost implications.
• Review and assess EPC contractor change orders and associated cost and schedule impacts.
• Coordinate with contractors and vendors to gather and verify cost and schedule updates through submittals, field walkdowns, and direct communication.
• Support project funding requests and forecast updates through detailed cost and schedule analysis.
• Ensure alignment and integration across cost, schedule, change management, risk, and reporting functions.
• Generate monthly reports and site-specific documentation for Project Managers and Project Directors.
• Lead project controls reviews and status presentations.
• Support project funding submittals with detailed cost and schedule analysis.
• Communicate forecast changes, cost variances, risks, and project performance trends to project leadership.
• Support development of executive-level reporting and project performance summaries.
• Serve as the primary project controls point of contact for the project site.
• Provide functional leadership and coordination of project controls activities across the project team.
• Partner with Project Managers, Project Directors, field construction leadership, contractors, and project stakeholders to support project execution.
• Serve as the project's subject matter expert for cost management, forecasting, and project controls best practices.
• Provide mentorship and technical guidance to project controls personnel as appropriate.
• Support implementation and continuous improvement of project controls methodologies, processes, and reporting standards.
• Support multiple projects simultaneously as required.

Requirements

• Direct EPC construction project controls experience.
• Hands-on experience with cost management, forecasting, earned value management, contractor change management, and project controls execution during active construction.
• Demonstrated experience supporting active EPC construction execution.
• Demonstrated experience with cost forecasting, earned value management (EVM), accruals, Estimate at Completion (EAC) forecasting, contractor change management, contingency management, and project performance reporting.
• Demonstrated experience developing and maintaining contractor forecasts, commitments, accruals, and Estimate at Completion (EAC) projections.
• Working knowledge of schedule integration and project controls best practices.
• Ability and willingness to mobilize to the Anderson Combined Cycle Project site in Anderson, SC.
• Valid driver's license.
• 15-25% travel required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, or related technical discipline and 6+ years of relevant related work experience, or High School diploma/equivalent and 10+ years of relevant related work experience in lieu of a degree.
• Relevant EPC construction project controls, cost engineering, or cost management experience supporting power generation, industrial, energy, heavy civil, or other large capital construction projects.

Skills

• Demonstrated experience serving as the lead cost management or project controls resource on active EPC construction projects, including ownership of forecasting, EVM, contingency management, contractor change management, and executive project performance reporting.
• Strong cost management and forecasting expertise, including EAC development, accruals, cash flow forecasting, and cost performance analysis.
• Experience evaluating contractor change orders, assessing cost and schedule impacts, and supporting commercial and change management processes.
• Working knowledge of schedule integration, risk management, and project controls best practices.
• High proficiency in advanced Microsoft Excel, cost forecasting models, and project cost management systems.
• Familiarity with Primavera P6 and schedule-cost integration.
• Power generation construction experience (Combined Cycle, Simple Cycle, Solar, Battery, Nuclear, or similar industrial construction) strongly preferred.

Desired Qualifications

• 15+ years of EPC construction project controls, cost engineering, or cost management experience.
• Experience serving as a Site Project Controls Lead, Cost Lead, Cost Manager, Lead Cost Engineer, Senior Project Controls Specialist, or equivalent senior project controls role on major EPC construction projects.
• Power generation construction experience (Combined Cycle, Simple Cycle, Solar, Battery, Nuclear, or similar industrial construction environments).
• Experience supporting project controls activities through engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and startup phases.
• Experience with project controls systems including ECOSYS, Primavera P6, Power BI, Web BI, LoadSpring, Acumen Fuse, or similar enterprise project controls applications.
• Master's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, Business Administration, or related field.
• Professional certifications such as AACE-CCC, CCP, EVP, CEP, PSP, PMP, PMI-SP, or equivalent industry certifications.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including development and maintenance of complex cost models, forecasting tools, and reporting dashboards.
• Strong collaborative team member with proven ability to work across project management, construction, engineering, procurement, contractor, and startup organizations.

Work Location & Conditions

• Field-based role embedded within the project construction team at the Anderson Combined Cycle Project in Anderson, SC.
• Daily interaction with construction management, EPC contractors, field engineering, project schedulers, and project leadership is expected.
• Work will be performed primarily from the project site, and mobilization is required when field work commences.
• Regular presence in construction areas, project offices, contractor coordination meetings, and field execution planning meetings is expected.
• This role is not a Visa Sponsored Position and requires the ability to work lawfully in the U.S. without employment-based immigration sponsorship, now or in the future.