Job Title: Principal Project Controls
Duration: 18months Contract
Location: Charlotte, NC 28202
**Wednesday is a required in-office day. Other days (2) can be chosen by the individual.**
Charlotte, NC 28202, multiple sites across the Carolinas service area
Office/hybrid, with site visits
Utility experience- Required
Planet Group is seeking a Principal Project Controls Specialist a senior-level professional with advanced analytical and technical expertise in cost and project controls. This role leads the development of reporting systems and performs complex analysis for large-scale or high-risk projects. The individual operates with minimal supervision and plays a key role in mentoring and developing junior project controls staff.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the development and maintenance of project controls reporting systems for complex projects
- Perform advanced project forecasting, cost analysis, and variance analysis
- Align project costs with schedules and support integrated project planning efforts
- Develop and analyze unit costs, budgets, trends, and burn rates
- Manage cost control processes, including change control and financial tracking
- Apply basic accounting principles to support accurate financial reporting
- Provide reporting and insights at program and portfolio levels
- Identify risks, issues, and opportunities, and recommend effective solutions
- Lead, coach, and mentor Cost Analysts and junior Project Controls Specialists
- Collaborate with internal teams and external vendors/suppliers
- Evaluate vendor change orders and support contract administration activities
- Work with large data sets and adapt quickly to new software and tools
Project Scope
- Typically assigned to large, complex projects classified as “Green III” or “Brown” per Project Management Center of Excellence standards
- May also oversee multiple smaller projects (e.g., “Green II”)
- Requires experience supporting multi-million-dollar or high-risk projects
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Project Management, Engineering, or a related field
- Minimum of 9 years of project controls experience
- OR 11 years of project controls experience in lieu of a degree
- Advanced to expert proficiency in Microsoft Excel
- Experience working in a PMO, project controls team, or project management environment
- Strong ability to analyze large data sets and learn new systems quickly
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s degree in Business, Finance, Project Management, or related field
- Professional certifications such as PMP, CAPM, PMI-SP, or AACE (CCC, PSP, CEP, EVP)
- Experience with vendor change order evaluation
- Proficiency with tools such as:
- MS Project, MS Office Suite
- Business Objects, Prolog, Passport
- Visio, Access
- Maximo or other EAM systems
- PeopleSoft
- Experience with risk management tools and Monte Carlo analysis
- Strong collaboration and leadership skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
