Senior Project Controls Manager

Start designing tomorrow's future!

We are seeking a commercially minded and strategic Senior Project Controls Manager to join our US Project Operations team. This role can be based remotely within the United States with hybrid flexibility (preferably near one of our eastern standard time zone office locations as listed).

As a Senior Project Controls Manager, you will partner closely with Project Directors, Project Principals, Job Leaders, Discipline Leaders, Finance, Legal, and Project Operations colleagues to improve project financial performance, forecasting accuracy, commercial decision making, and operational consistency across our business.

This is an excellent opportunity for a project controls, project finance, commercial management, or project operations professional with experience in architecture, engineering, construction, design, or another project-based professional services environment. You will bring deep expertise in Deltek Vantagepoint, strong financial acumen, and the ability to turn complex project data into practical business insights and actions.

Your next role
Join us and help shape the future of project operations within a global, multidisciplinary consultancy. Working with leaders across the business, you will provide forward-looking commercial insight, improve consistency of project controls practices, and help project teams make better decisions through meaningful data, systems expertise, and process improvement.

You will play a key role in strengthening project financial performance, supporting operational excellence, and driving improvements in reporting, forecasting, risk management, and commercial governance.

Your key duties

Partner with Project Directors, Project Principals, Job Leaders, and Discipline Leaders to review project financial performance, identify risks and opportunities, and support informed commercial decisions

Lead and support project and portfolio reviews focused on profitability, forecasting, fee performance, project health, contingency, invoicing, debt management, resourcing, and commercial risk

Analyze project financial variances, identify root causes, recommend corrective actions, and escalation material concerns where appropriate

Serve as a subject matter expert for Deltek Vantagepoint, including project setup, planning, billing, reporting, forecasting, invoicing, and project finance workflows

Improve project data quality, reporting consistency, system utilization, and cross-functional collaboration between Project Operations, Finance, Legal, and project teams

Develop and enhance dashboards, reports, templates, trackers, and management review materials using Deltek Vantagepoint, Excel, Power BI, and related tools

Support the evolution of project reviews from retrospective reporting to proactive decision support focused on profit, risk, contingency, debt, invoicing, and resource planning

Build trusted relationships with project leaders and provide clear, practical guidance on financial performance and project controls

Coach and train project teams and Project Operations colleagues on forecasting, financial planning, invoicing, risk management, project controls, and effective use of project systems

Lead process improvement initiatives including workflow analysis, documentation, stakeholder engagement, implementation, and adoption

Identify opportunities to leverage automation, Power Platform solutions, and responsible AI tools to improve reporting, workflow efficiency, communication, and operational effectiveness

Provide technical leadership, mentorship, quality assurance, and development support across the Project Operations team

Your Skills And Experience

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, Engineering, Project Management, or a related discipline; equivalent experience will also be considered

8+ years of experience in project controls, project finance, commercial management, project accounting, project operations, or project delivery support

Experience within architecture, engineering, consulting, design, planning, construction, or another project-based professional services environment

Deep working knowledge of Deltek Vantagepoint, including project setup, project financial management, forecasting, planning, billing, reporting, and invoicing

Strong financial analysis skills with experience evaluating project profitability, utilization, revenue, forecasting, contingency, debt, invoicing, and commercial risk

Advanced Excel skills and experience using Power BI or similar business intelligence and data visualization tools

Demonstrated experience leading process improvement, workflow redesign, documentation, and change management initiatives

Strong communication, facilitation, customer service, and stakeholder management skills, including experience influencing senior leaders

Experience with automation tools, Power Platform, workflow technologies, AI-enabled solutions, or reporting automation is preferred

PMP, PMI-SP, CCP, CPA, CMA, or similar professional certifications are desirable

Ability to communicate complex financial and operational concepts clearly and effectively

Candidates are encouraged to apply even if they do not meet every listed requirement

What We Offer You

Generous benefits package

Annual discretionary bonus

Generous PTO (4 weeks) in addition to 10 paid holidays

401(k) with company match and student loan repayment assistance

Hybrid working and flexible work options

Summer hours

Reimbursement for certain professional licenses, renewals, certifications, and examination fees

Access to professional development and learning opportunities

Connection to a global network of experts and industry leaders

Opportunities to contribute to innovation, process improvement, and digital transformation initiatives

Connect with colleagues and build your network through our Employee Resource Groups, including the Young Employees Forum, Diversity & Inclusion Forum, Women's Network, Wellness Committee, and Black at Buro Happold

Compensation
Anticipated base annual salary: $100,000 – $130,000. The salary range listed for this position is intended as a general guideline and may vary based on factors such as location, education, skills, experience, and market conditions. We recognize that candidates bring diverse backgrounds and qualifications, and compensation may be adjusted accordingly. The posted range should not be viewed as a strict minimum or maximum limitation. Benefits and any additional compensation elements are separate from the base salary range listed.

A place for everyone
Buro Happold values an individual's flexible approaches to working patterns as an important part of how you work and achieve balance. We welcome applications from those who are seeking flexibility in their careers.

Our exceptional portfolio of projects is the result of the diversity of thought, identities, backgrounds, and experiences that shape us. Appreciating each other's differences is key, we want employees to feel they don't have to mask elements of their identity to thrive.

We are working to change the lack of representation of marginalised groups in the built environment. We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who feels they are underrepresented in the industry. We have much to learn from one another. Embracing differences allows us to develop the most innovative and elegant solutions.

Please let us know if there are any adjustments we could make to the application process to make it easier and more comfortable for you. Contact View email address on chicagocareersite.com so we can work with you to support you throughout your application.

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