Project Controls Specialist

We’re looking for a Project Controls Specialist to join our UK Projects team. In this pivotal role, you’ll work closely with senior leaders to drive effective project planning and pipeline management practices across a dynamic portfolio of projects.

Your next role

You will provide dedicated project planning and control support to Project Directors, focussing on establishing and maintaining robust project schedules, monitoring project progress, and contributing to accurate major project pipeline tracking. Working closely with the Project Directors, you'll develop and implement consistent project control processes across their project portfolio. You'll also proactively identify project timeline and resource risks and opportunities, informing decision‑making and supporting successful project delivery within agreed parameters.

Key Duties

• Project Pipeline Maintenance: Regularly review and maintain the accuracy of the project pipeline, ensuring it reflects current project status and anticipated future projects.
• Data Integrity: Ensure bid outcomes and project details are accurately recorded in the relevant systems, maintaining data integrity across the project portfolio.
• Workstage Structuring: Create comprehensive workstage structures for all disciplines involved in projects, facilitating accurate task allocation and progress tracking.
• Project and Project Director Support: Provide dedicated project control support to a designated business unit, with the flexibility to support other areas as required.
• Draft Plan Development: Populate draft project plans during the bid stage, incorporating input from relevant disciplines and maintaining these plans as dates evolve.
• Plan Validation: Collaborate with Job Leaders to validate the accuracy of project plans, ensuring alignment with project objectives and resource allocation.
• Project Record Management: Create and maintain accurate project records, including additional jobs as required.
• Contract Administration: Populate and maintain contract management information, including invoice schedules, contingencies, and fee allocation.
• Change Control: Support the completion of internal change authorisation forms.
• Time Management Support: Facilitate time allocation adjustments between project phases, liaising with relevant departments on behalf of Project Directors.
• Project Reviews: Organise and participate in monthly project reviews, providing insights on project performance and potential risks.
• Reporting and Analysis: Produce and distribute regular reports, including Time and Labor System and Project Value Analysis reports.
• Financial Management: Conduct financial reviews and scenario planning to support informed decision‑making.
• Invoice Management: Handle invoice reconciliations, ensuring accurate and timely payment processing.
• Financial Performance Monitoring: Review month‑end accounts to ensure disciplines are performing within expected profit margins, escalating any concerns.
• Project Closure: Manage contingency release, advise on profit share, and ensure project closure activities are completed effectively.
• Estimate to Complete Review: Review Estimates to Complete with Job Leaders, identifying potential cost overruns or underruns.
• Best Practice Advocacy: Support project leadership in implementing best practices for project finance and lifecycle management.
• Training Support: Provide training on project management systems and best practices.
• Data Analysis: Strong numeracy and ability to analyse large datasets, presenting insights clearly.
• Project Planning: Proven experience in scope definition, milestones, resource allocation; knowledge of CPM, Agile preferred.
• Project Control: Skilled in earned value, cost, risk, and change management.
• Communication: Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal skills; able to engage stakeholders at all levels.
• Problem‑Solving: Critical thinking and analytical ability to resolve complex project issues creatively.
• IT Skills: Proficient in ERP tools (e.g., VantagePoint), MS Project, Primavera P6, PowerBI, and MS Office Suite.
• Organisation: Strong time management, prioritisation, and ability to work independently.

Qualifications

• Degree in Business, Finance, Engineering, Project Management, or equivalent professional experience.

What we offer you

• Hybrid working arrangements.
• Attractive salary and benefits package including private medical insurance, life assurance and income protection.
• Holiday entitlement of 25 days per annum (exclusive of bank holidays) and flexible holiday arrangements.
• Generous company pension scheme.
• Flexible benefits including cycle scheme, dental insurance, optical cover, travel insurance, season ticket loans, and corporate discounts.
• Enhanced parenthood leave policies.
• 3pm finish on the last Friday of the month.
• A strong commitment to your continuous development. Whatever stage in your career, we have a learning and development programme that will enable and empower you.
• Entitlement to two memberships to professional bodies or subscriptions.
• A commitment to your wellbeing through a comprehensive employee assistance programme and wellbeing activities. A supportive and inclusive environment that will welcome you through social and outreach activities from the Young Employees Forum to mentoring.
• An international culture that wherever your career takes you at Buro Happold, you won’t be far from the exceptional.

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 recruitment@burohappold.com so we can work with you to support you throughout your application.

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