Manager, Project Controls

Position Summary:

The Manager of Project Controls role reports to the NAC’s Operations Department. The incumbent will provide leadership to project teams in areas of cost management, financial tracking, scheduling, and overall compliance with associated policies and procedures through all phases of a project.

Position Duties:

Project Controls & Financial Management

• Provide leadership and oversight of project-level cost control, budgeting, forecasting, job costing and financial reporting to support project and organizational objectives.
• Partner with Operations, Project Managers, Estimating, Accounting and other stakeholders to optimize project cash flow, billing structures and cost management.
• Monitor project performance, productivity, labour trends, variances, risks and opportunities, and provide timely analysis and recommendations to support decision-making.
• Provide finance and job-costing guidance to project teams and ensure project financial information is accurate, timely and aligned with contractual and organizational requirements.

Project Reporting & Forecasting

• Lead project audits, support quarterly forecast meetings and oversee the preparation and analysis of monthly project status reports, forecasts, cost reports, risk and opportunity reporting and other project controls reports.
• Following NAC ‘one-source-of-truth’, ensure project reporting is accurate, meaningful, consistent and completed within established timelines.
• Complete annual overhead allocation and provide project performance analysis to identify trends, risks and opportunities.

Contract & Change Management

• Manage and oversee project costing, contract administration and change management activities, including CRX Logs, Jonas change order reconciliations, Contract Adjustment Notice's (CANs) and NCPCs.
• Ensure project changes are accurately documented, tracked, reconciled and reported, with appropriate supporting documentation and timely follow-up.
• Support project teams in understanding and applying contractual requirements and identifying financial and commercial risks.

Claims & Delay Analysis

• Provide project claim support through cost analysis, schedule and delay analysis, time impact analysis and preparation of supporting documentation.
• Analyze labour and vendor escalation, project delays and associated costs, including general conditions, bonding, insurance, warranty, interest and escalation impacts.
• Apply appropriate industry methodologies, including the Eichleay Formula where applicable, to support claims and dispute resolution.

Scheduling & Scheduling Team Leadership

• Lead, manage and develop the Scheduling team by establishing performance expectations, supporting professional development, conducting performance reviews and providing ongoing coaching.
• Provide oversight of Primavera P6 and Microsoft Project, including baseline schedule development, standardized Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) and Cost Breakdown Structures (CBS),schedule updates, progress monitoring, and resource- and cost-loaded schedules.
• Ensure scheduling practices are consistent with NAC standards and project requirements and are maintained following industry best practices.

Data Analytics, Dashboards & Power BI

• Lead the development, maintenance, validation and effective use of Power BI dashboards and other project controls reporting tools.
• Analyze key project and organizational metrics, including labour productivity, AP/AR trends, Prompt payment, Estimates at Completion (EAC), cost and schedule variances (CPI/SPI) and other performance indicators.
• Identify trends, variances, risks and opportunities and provide actionable insights to support project performance and organizational decision-making.

Policies, Procedures & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain and continuously improve NAC's cost management and scheduling manuals, standard templates, processes and related training materials.
• Collaborate with Operations and Head Office departments to promote consistent application of NAC policies, procedures, systems and project controls standards.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, reporting, systems and operational effectiveness.

Training & Subject Matter Expertise

• Serve as a subject matter expert in defined areas of project controls, accounting, construction, purchasing, dashboards and related disciplines.
• Provide training, guidance and knowledge transfer to project teams and new employees to support effective use of NAC systems, processes and reporting tools.
• Maintain strong working relationships with project teams, owners, consultants and Head Office stakeholders.

Cross-Functional Support

• Work collaboratively with Finance, Purchasing, Estimating, Alternate Delivery, Administration, IT, Human Resources, Equipment, and HSE & Quality to support project and organizational objectives.
• Ensure effective coordination, communication and document control across project controls activities and maintain accurate and accessible project information.
• Perform other related duties and provide support as required to meet NAC's operational and organizational objectives.

Qualifications:

• 10+ years of dedicated project controls experience within the heavy civil engineering or heavy construction sectors.
• A minimum of 5 years leading a multi-person team preferably in a General Contractor environment.
• Direct experience managing complex municipal infrastructure projects, ideally including, pump stations, or major water/wastewater treatment facility upgrades is an asset.
• Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Business Administration, or an equivalent technical field preferred.
• AACE International Certifications: Certified Cost Professional (CCP) or Planning & Scheduling Professional (PSP) designation is preferred.
• PMI Certifications: Project Management Professional (PMP) or Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP) is preferred.
• Advanced expert-level proficiency in Primavera P6 Enterprise (EPPM), alongside deep integration experience with corporate ERPs (e.g., Viewpoint, Jonas, SAP, Oracle) and Power BI dashboards.
• Highly fluent in Canadian standard construction contracts, specifically CCDC 2, CCDC 18, and municipal procurement guidelines used throughout Ontario.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in cost management and purchasing practices, including financial analysis, budgeting, contract negotiations, procurement, and strategic planning.
• Demonstrated experience in forecasting, budgeting, cost control, and financial analysis.
• Experience reviewing construction tenders and establishing appropriate project billing structures.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong presentation, interpersonal, and organizational abilities.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with Operations, Project Management, Accounting, and other internal stakeholders while maintaining positive and productive professional relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to provide supportive leadership while exercising fair, firm, and sound judgment in decision-making.
• Strong project management skills, with demonstrated ability to lead, motivate, and develop teams.