Manager/Director, Project Controls

• Our client is a rapidly growing developer of next-generation data center infrastructure supporting AI, high-performance computing, and other mission-critical workloads is seeking a Manager / Director of Project Controls to establish and lead the project controls function.
  
  

About The Company

• Our client is a rapidly growing developer of next-generation data center infrastructure supporting AI, high-performance computing, and other mission-critical workloads.
• The organization operates in a highly complex, capital-intensive environment, coordinating across land, power, design, capital, and construction partners to deliver large-scale, high-reliability infrastructure.
  
  

The Opportunity

• Our client is seeking a Manager / Director of Project Controls to establish and lead the project controls function.
• Reporting directly to the CFO, this role will serve as the link between project execution and corporate finance, with ownership of cost tracking, budget management, change control, forecasting, and project-level financial reporting.
• This is a high-impact opportunity for a project controls leader who can bring structure, discipline, and executive-level visibility to a growing development portfolio.
  
  

What You'll Do

• Lead project budgeting from initial development through closeout, including original budgets, approved changes, and forecasted final costs
• Track committed costs, purchase orders, subcontracts, and invoices against approved budgets, identifying variances in real time
• Develop and maintain cost-at-completion and cost-to-complete analyses across active projects
• Manage the change order process across the portfolio, ensuring changes are evaluated, priced, negotiated, and approved in accordance with contract terms
• Partner with project and construction management teams to assess scope changes and their financial impact before execution
• Prepare regular project cost reports, variance analyses, and cash flow projections for executive leadership
• Build dashboards and reporting tools that provide real-time visibility into portfolio cost performance and financial exposure
• Coordinate with FP&A to ensure project actuals and forecasts are accurately reflected in corporate financial models and investor reporting
• Align schedules with cost forecasts and cash flow requirements in partnership with development and construction teams
• Monitor earned value metrics and milestone completion to identify cost and schedule risks early
• Review contractor pay applications, lien waivers, and billing against contract terms and work-in-place documentation
• Support procurement and legal teams in evaluating contract structures, retention terms, and payment milestone frameworks
• Implement and manage project controls tools, reporting templates, coding structures, and scalable processes across the portfolio
  
  

What They're Looking For

• 7-10 years of experience in project controls, cost engineering, construction finance, or a related discipline
• Background in complex infrastructure, real estate development, industrial, or similar project environments
• Strong knowledge of construction cost structures, contract types, change management processes, and lien/payment requirements
• Experience with earned value management, cost forecasting, and budget variance analysis
• Ability to work effectively across construction, development, procurement, legal, and finance teams in a fast-paced, multi-project environment
• Proficiency with project controls and cost management platforms such as Procore, Oracle Primavera, SAP, or similar systems
• Advanced Excel skills
• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Finance, or a related field
• PMP, AACE, or MBA preferred
• Data center, hyperscale, or mission-critical infrastructure experience strongly preferred
  
  

The compensation for this position ranges from $180,000.00 - $220,000.00. Actual compensation will be dependent upon the specific role, office location as well as the individual’s qualifications, experience, skills and certifications.

To all staffing agencies: PKF O’Connor Davies TalentConnect (“PKFOD TalentConnect”) will not be utilizing agencies to staff this position. Please do not forward resumes to PKFOD TalentConnect recruiters, partners and/or employees at any of our locations regarding this position. Please be reminded, PKFOD TalentConnect is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes. All unsolicited resumes will become the property of PKFOD TalentConnect.