Director, Project Controls

Director, Project Controls

MP Materials (NYSE: MP) is rebuilding American industrial capability for a new era of autonomy, robotics, and electrification. We are the only U.S. company with a fully integrated rare earth supply chain—from mining and refining to advanced metal and magnet manufacturing. Our products include both the critical materials used to make permanent magnets and the finished magnets themselves—enabling next-generation technologies in robotics, automation, aerospace, transportation, defense, and energy systems. These materials are the foundation of physical AI—the convergence of computation, movement, and control.

We hire ambitious, mission-driven people who want to tackle complex challenges and shape the future of strategic industries. Our culture is rooted in teamwork, resiliency, and integrity, with a deep commitment to operational excellence and national purpose. MP is rapidly evolving from a materials producer into a leading U.S. manufacturer—and our people are driving that transformation.

The Director, Project Controls is a strategic leadership role responsible for integrating and overseeing cost control, schedule control, and document control functions across a portfolio of greenfield capital projects. This individual will develop and implement systems, processes, and tools that ensure transparency, accountability, and performance alignment from project initiation through commissioning. This is a rare opportunity to help build the project controls infrastructure for a new advanced manufacturing platform—supporting the delivery of strategic facilities that will define the future of American manufacturing.

Position Responsibilities

• Cost Control
  • Lead financial planning and forecasting for capital projects, including budget development, cost tracking, and variance analysis.
  • Oversee implementation of cost management systems (e.g., Ares Prism, EcoSys), ensuring data integrity and alignment with SAP.
  • Collaborate with finance and accounting teams to manage accruals, capital appropriation requests, and PP&E compliance.
  • Provide executive-level reporting on project financial health, earned value metrics, and cost performance indicators.
• Schedule Control
  • Direct the development and maintenance of integrated project schedules using tools such as Primavera P6, MS Project, or Smartsheet.
  • Monitor schedule progress, identify critical path risks, and support recovery planning with project managers and contractors.
  • Ensure compliance with contractual schedule requirements and coordinate milestone tracking across engineering, procurement, and construction phases.
• Document Control
  • Oversee the development and implementation of document control systems aligned with ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 standards.
  • Ensure secure, traceable, and compliant management of project documentation, including drawings, records, and standardized forms.
  • Coordinate with engineering and operations teams to maintain document integrity from receipt through deployment and archival.
  • Support training matrix development and onboarding documentation for capital project personnel.
• Leadership and Integration
  • Manage and mentor a team of project controls professionals, fostering collaboration and continuous improvement.
  • Serve as a strategic partner to project managers, enabling proactive issue resolution and performance optimization.
  • Develop dashboards and reporting tools that provide real-time visibility into project status, risks, and KPIs.
  • Participate in end-of-project reviews to capture lessons learned and drive future improvements.

Other Functions

• Occasional travel to subcontractor locations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Finance, Construction Management, or related field.
• 7+ years of experience in project controls for capital-intensive industrial projects.
• Proven expertise in cost, schedule, and document control systems and methodologies.
• Proficiency in SAP, Ares Prism, Hexagon Ecosys, Primavera P6, and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.

Desired Qualities

• Excellent leadership, people management, communication, and influencing skills.
• Ability to effectively manage, collaborate with, and influence key stakeholders.
• PMP, CCP, or similar certification.
• Experience with greenfield manufacturing or infrastructure projects.
• Familiarity with AACE and PMI best practices.
• Advanced Excel and data visualization skills.
• Experience with document control systems such as COREWORX, PROCORE, OMNEX, or HEXAGON EcoSys.

MP Materials is proud to be an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Underrepresented groups/women/disabled/veterans are encouraged to apply. Candidates whose disabilities make them unable to meet the position's requirements will still be considered qualified if they can perform the essential functions of the job with reasonable accommodation.

Your right to work. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment verification document form upon hire.

For assistance with application—alternative methods of applying for employment are available to individuals unable to submit an application through this site because of a disability. Contact Human Resources Department at View phone number on click.appcast.io; 1700 South Pavilion Center Dr. 8th Floor, Las Vegas, NV 89135 to discuss reasonable accommodation.