Project Controls Manager - Aviation

STV is seeking a Project Controls Manager to join our Project Controls department at our Chicago office.

This leadership role will support major aviation capital improvement programs and airport infrastructure projects throughout the Midwest and across STV's national aviation portfolio. The Project Controls Manager will be responsible for leading all aspects of project controls including cost management, scheduling, risk management, forecasting, change management, performance reporting, and project analytics. The successful candidate will collaborate closely with airport authorities, owners, designers, contractors, and program management teams to ensure projects are delivered efficiently and successfully.

The ideal candidate will possess significant experience supporting complex aviation programs, airport expansions, terminal developments, airside improvements, baggage handling systems, landside infrastructure, and other large-scale aviation capital projects.

Responsibilities

Project Controls Leadership

• Lead project controls efforts across aviation infrastructure programs from planning through design, construction, commissioning, and closeout.

• Develop and implement project controls procedures, governance frameworks, standards, and best practices.

• Serve as the primary project controls liaison between project teams, clients, contractors, and executive leadership.

• Provide strategic oversight of cost, schedule, risk, forecasting, and reporting functions.

• Support program delivery teams with proactive identification and mitigation of project risks and issues.

Cost Management & Financial Controls

• Develop, monitor, and maintain project budgets, forecasts, and cost reports.

• Perform cost trending, earned value analysis, variance analysis, and estimate-at-completion forecasting.

• Monitor project expenditures and provide recommendations to mitigate potential budget impacts.

• Review contractor payment applications, change orders, and cost proposals.

• Support project teams in contingency management and financial planning activities.

Scheduling & Performance Management

• Oversee development and maintenance of detailed CPM schedules utilizing Primavera P6.

• Review contractor schedules and monitor schedule compliance.

• Analyze critical path activities, schedule risks, float consumption, and recovery opportunities.

• Develop integrated master schedules for complex multi-disciplinary aviation programs.

• Prepare schedule performance metrics and executive-level reporting.

Risk & Change Management

• Facilitate project risk identification, assessment, mitigation planning, and monitoring activities.

• Maintain risk registers and support quantitative and qualitative risk analyses.

• Evaluate project changes and assess schedule and cost impacts.

• Support claims avoidance, change management, and dispute resolution efforts.

• Assist project teams in implementing corrective action plans when performance issues arise.

Reporting & Stakeholder Coordination

• Prepare executive dashboards, monthly progress reports, and performance presentations.

• Deliver concise and actionable project insights to owners, program managers, and senior leadership.

• Support client meetings, governance reviews, and project status briefings.

• Coordinate project controls activities across multiple stakeholders and project teams.

Team Leadership & Business Development

• Mentor and develop project controls specialists, schedulers, and cost engineers.

• Support staffing, workforce development, and professional growth initiatives within the Project Controls group.

• Contribute to proposal efforts, strategic pursuits, and aviation market growth initiatives.

• Support implementation of digital project delivery tools, reporting systems, and analytics platforms.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, Architecture, Business, Finance, or a related discipline.

• 10+ years of progressive project controls experience supporting major infrastructure and capital programs.

• Minimum 5 years of experience supporting aviation projects including airports, terminals, airside facilities, baggage systems, aviation support facilities, or related infrastructure.

• Demonstrated expertise in:

  • Cost Engineering

  • CPM Scheduling

  • Forecasting & Cash Flow Analysis

  • Risk Management

  • Change Management

  • Earned Value Management (EVM)

  • Performance Reporting

• Advanced proficiency with Primavera P6.

• Strong knowledge of project controls principles, processes, and industry best practices.

• Experience reviewing contractor schedules, budgets, forecasts, and project controls deliverables.

• Excellent leadership, communication, presentation, and client-facing skills.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced project environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting large aviation capital improvement programs valued at $100M+.

• Experience working with airport authorities, airlines, aviation stakeholders, and alternative delivery methods.

• Professional certifications such as:

  • AACE Certified Cost Professional (CCP)

  • Planning & Scheduling Professional (PSP)

  • Project Management Professional (PMP)

  • PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP)

• Experience with Kahua, E-Builder, Oracle Primavera P6, Deltek Acumen, Primavera Risk Analysis, Power BI, and enterprise project controls systems.

• Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, or Business Administration.

Compensation Range:

STV offers the following benefits

• Health insurance, including an option with a Health Savings Account
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts (Healthcare, Dependent Care and Transit and Parking where applicable)
• Disability insurance
• Life Insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment
• 401(k) Plan
• Retirement Counseling
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Holidays
• Back-Up Dependent Care
• Parental Leave
• Continuing Education Program
• Professional Licensure and Society Memberships

STV is committed to paying all of its employees in a fair, equitable, and transparent manner. The listed pay range is STV’s good-faith salary estimate for this position. Please note that the final salary offered for this position may be outside of this published range based on many factors, including but not limited to geography, education, experience, and/or certifications.

Not sure this role is the perfect match? We encourage you to apply if STV’s work and values resonate with you. We know great candidates don’t always meet every qualification, and research shows women and people of color are less likely to apply unless they do. At STV, we believe strong talent comes from a wide range of backgrounds, and your skills and experience may align with this or another opportunity as we continue to grow.