Project Controls Director

Turner & Townsend is a global professional services company with over 22,000 people in more than 60 countries. 

Working with our clients across real estate, infrastructure, energy and natural resources, we transform together delivering outcomes that improve people’s lives. Working in partnership makes it possible to deliver the world’s most impactful projects and programs as we turn challenge into opportunity and complexity into success. 

Our capabilities include program, project, cost, asset and commercial management, controls and performance, procurement and supply chain, net zero and digital solutions. 

We are majority-owned by CBRE Group, Inc., the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, with our partners holding a significant minority interest. Turner & Townsend and CBRE work together to provide clients with the premier program, project and cost management offering in markets around the world.

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced Director, Project Controls, to lead the delivery of project controls services across major capital programs in the energy, natural resources, and utility sectors.

This role is ideally suited to a project controls leader with a strong estimating foundation and demonstrated experience providing strategic oversight of cost, schedule, risk, and reporting functions on complex projects. The successful candidate will act as a trusted advisor to clients and project teams, providing independent challenges, governance, and assurance throughout the project lifecycle.

The Director will lead multidisciplinary project controls teams while supporting business growth, client development, and the continued advancement of project controls best practices within the organization.

Key Responsibilities:

SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.  

Project Controls Leadership

• Lead project controls services across major capital projects and programs.
• Provide executive-level oversight of cost management, estimating, planning and scheduling, risk management, and performance reporting.
• Establish project controls frameworks, governance structures, and performance measurement systems.
• Support project reviews, independent assessments, and assurance engagements.
• Develop and implement project controls standards, procedures, and best practices.

Estimating Leadership

• Lead the development and review of conceptual, preliminary, and detailed capital cost estimates.
• Provide independent estimate validation and challenge contractor submissions.
• Review estimate methodologies, assumptions, productivity factors, escalation, contingency, and risk provisions.
• Facilitate estimate benchmarking and probabilistic cost analysis.
• Support business cases, funding submissions, stage-gate approvals, and investment decisions.

Client & Commercial Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key client stakeholders.
• Act as a senior advisor on capital project performance and project controls strategy.
• Support proposal development, positioning activities, and client presentations.
• Identify growth opportunities and contribute to business development initiatives.

Team Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop project controls professionals across estimating, scheduling, cost management, and risk disciplines.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performance culture.
• Support recruitment, workforce planning, and professional development initiatives.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Project Management, Finance, or a related discipline.
• 15+ years of project controls experience supporting major capital projects.
• 7+ years in a leadership or management role.
• Strong background in capital cost estimating and estimate validation.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary project controls teams.
• Proven experience within one or more of the following sectors:
  • Energy
  • Nuclear
  • Utilities
  • Industrial
  • Transportation
  • Major Infrastructure

Technical Expertise

Demonstrated expertise in:

• Capital cost estimating
• Cost management
• Planning and scheduling
• Risk management
• Earned value management
• Change management
• Forecasting and performance reporting
• Project governance and stage-gate reviews
• Independent project assessments and assurance reviews

Preferred

Qualifications

• AACE certifications (CEP, CCP, EVP, PSP or equivalent)
• Experience supporting projects exceeding $500M in capital value
• Experience working in an owner's, EPCM, consultant, or owner's representative environment

Additional Information

*On-site presence and requirements may change depending on our client's needs*  

Our inspired people share our vision and mission. We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change.

We want our people to succeed both in work and life. To support this we promote a healthy, productive and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance. 

Turner & Townsend is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

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All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

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