Manager - Project Planning & Controls

Overview

Lead project controls functions for complex, high-value programmes as a specialist advisor, managing client engagements and leading multidisciplinary project control teams within the Project & Programme Services team at the Global Technology Centre in India.

What you'll do

• Develop, lead and manage comprehensive project schedules using Primavera P6, ensuring compliance with the Client/Region specific guidelines/standards.
• Plan and sequence project activities across all phases, including design, procurement, and construction.
• Conduct Critical Path Analysis (CPA) and propose mitigation measures to maintain project timelines.
• Prepare detailed 4-week and 8-week lookahead programs and integrate them into the master schedule.
• Perform regular updates and integrity checks on project schedules, ensuring alignment with Client/Region specific Schedule Management Manual & DCMA criteria.
• Identify key dependencies and assess project risks to develop mitigation strategies.
• Ensure integration of cost, schedule, and resource plans and track milestones and key delivery timelines.
• Identify schedule variances and recommend corrective actions.
• Guide team in preparation of S-curves, EV reports, dashboards, and schedule analytics.
• Support project teams with cost-loaded schedules and conduct Earned Value Analysis (EVA) to track project performance.
• Incorporate risk mitigation strategies, including quantitative risk analysis (e.g., Monte Carlo simulations).
• Implement and manage change control processes as per NH guidelines to adjust Performance Measurement Baselines (PMB) for scope or schedule variations.
• Support delay analysis, impact assessment, and time extension claims.
• Develop, lead and manage budgeting, forecasting, cost monitoring, and financial reporting activities.
• Establish and manage Cost Breakdown Structures (CBS) aligned with the WBS.
• Provide detailed cost reports highlighting discrepancies between actual costs and forecasted budgets, and inform project stakeholders promptly.
• Analyze cost variances and trends to recommend corrective actions.
• Prepare earned value assessments and monthly cash flow forecasts.
• Standardize and automate tools for pricing, estimation, and cost tracking.
• Generate financial dashboards and visual reports presenting cost trends, savings, potential risks, and areas requiring attention.
• Ensure compliance with organizational cost governance processes and support early warnings, change orders, and client negotiations.
• Produce and review weekly, monthly, and ad-hoc project performance reports, including Schedule Narratives, Key Milestone Variance Reports, and Program Review Reports (PRR).
• Develop, track, and report KPIs across cost, schedule, quality, and risk.
• Generate Power BI dashboards for progress visualization and stakeholder communication.
• Prepare and submit Monthly Progress Reports, Program Attributes List, Change logs, S Curves and CPA Reports, Variance Reports, Trend Analysis reports, and EVM dashboards.
• Present project performance insights to senior management and clients, and convert large dataset insights into actionable recommendations.
• Act as subject matter expert, lead, mentor, and manage a team of planners, schedulers, cost controllers, and analysts, and drive capability development.
• Conduct performance reviews, ensure quality assurance and sign-off for all project control deliverables, and build succession plans.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, project managers, engineering teams, contractors, and clients, and serve as primary point of contact for project planning and project controls discussions.
• Participate in client meetings, steering committees, and cross-functional reviews.

What you'll need

• Minimum 12–18 years of project delivery experience in engineering consultancy, design, or project management environments.
• Bachelor's/Master's degree in Engineering: Civil, Mechanical, Construction Management, Building Technology, or related field.
• Excellent communication, client-facing, presentation, and report-writing skills.
• Strong organizational skills, ability to work under pressure and adapt to change.
• Strong project management acumen and experience in cost & schedule governance.
• Ability to propose innovative solutions, processes, and working methods.
• Subject matter expertise in planning / project controls.
• Advanced proficiency in Primavera P6 and MS Project.
• Experience in delay analysis, impact assessments, and baseline development.
• Proficiency in Cost Management tools.
• Deep knowledge of Earned Value Management (EVM), CBS, budget control, cash flow, contingency management, and change control.
• Experience in baseline creation, progress tracking, and CL31, CL32 & CL62 schedule analysis.
• Advanced Power BI development, including dashboards, data models, DAX, and custom analytics.
• Ability to analyze large datasets and convert insights into actionable recommendations.
• Experience with ETL design, automation, and BI system optimization.
• SQL proficiency for data retrieval and transformation.

Nice to have

• Experience with global (UK, US, Middle East) transportation, infrastructure, E&M projects.
• Knowledge of NEC3/NEC4 contracts.
• Experience in large-scale Enterprise Project Management environments.
• Proficiency in EcoSys.
• Experience in automation using VBA, Python, or web technologies.
• Strong understanding of O365 productivity suite.
• Relevant certifications such as PMP, AACE's Certified Cost Professional (CCP), or PMI's Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP); Primavera / EcoSys certifications; chartered status or equivalent (e.g., RICS, PMP); other relevant project controls or construction management credentials.

Details

• Location: Pune office (SNC-Lavalin Atkins Pune Office).
• Work arrangement: flexible and hybrid work solutions; remote work opportunities outside of country.
• Employee type: Employee; job type: Regular.