Director of Project Controls

X-Energy•Oak Ridge, TN

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Project Controls provides strategic leadership and oversight for enterprise project planning, scheduling, cost control, estimating, risk management, resource planning, and change management across TRISO-X programs and capital projects. The role leads the development and continuous improvement of the project controls function within the TRISO-X Project Management Office (PMO), establishing governance systems, procedures, tools, and performance measurement standards aligned with organizational goals, business growth objectives, and regulatory requirements. The Director oversees earned value management (EVM) and other performance methodologies, and partners with executive leadership, program management, finance, and other organizations to define KPIs, forecasting methods, metrics, and reporting cadence. The role provides hands-on guidance and quality checks on project schedules, cost reports, forecasts, estimates, risk registers, trend logs, and change requests, helping leaders understand project status, performance detractors, and likely future outcomes based on current trends. The role advises executives on early project planning, investment decisions and gates, project execution plans, procurement strategy, tax benefit realization, and risk mitigation frameworks. It establishes project cost accounting frameworks and budgets, maintains project performance data and lessons-learned archives, and builds and develops a collaborative, cross-trained team of direct-report and matrixed project controls engineers and analysts. The position is based at 151 Lafayette Drive, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and requires five days a week in the office on a standard Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. ET schedule.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in management, business, engineering, science, or a related technical discipline from an accredited university or college.
At least 17 years of progressive experience in project controls, project management, or project engineering supporting large, complex capital projects and working in a PMO environment.
At least 5 years of leadership experience managing multidisciplinary project controls or project management teams at the enterprise or program level.
Demonstrated ability to lead development and implementation of enterprise-wide project controls frameworks, governance systems, risk management, and performance measurement tools.
Working knowledge of earned value management principles and their practical application.
Demonstrated ability to help project teams define and use KPIs and performance data to drive timely, effective decisions.
Strong strategic, analytical, and communication skills, including the ability to influence senior executives and drive organizational change.
Basic software application skills, including Microsoft Word and Excel.
Ability to work in the office five days per week in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree and/or MBA.
Proficiency using MS Project, Primavera P6, or other project software tools.

Responsibilities

Lead and continuously improve the project controls function across TRISO-X programs and projects, including planning and scheduling, cost control, estimating, risk management, resource and staff planning, and change management.
Oversee implementation of EVM and other project performance methodologies that meet client, regulatory, and PMO governance requirements.
Partner with executive leadership, program management, finance, and other organizations to define KPIs, metrics, forecasting methodology, and enterprise performance reporting cadence, and ensure teams follow established standards.
Develop project controls engineers and analysts through workload assignment, hiring and recruiting input, onboarding, performance management, coaching, and training, with an emphasis on cross-training.
Lead direct-report and matrixed employees to provide consistent, high-value support.
Provide hands-on guidance and quality checks on schedules, cost reports, forecasts, estimates, risk registers, trend logs, change requests, and other project controls outputs.
Interpret project data and reports to assess project status, identify performance detractors, and project future performance if current trends continue; assist with project performance report development.
Oversee the development, execution, and continuous improvement of project controls processes, procedures, templates, toolsets, and software implementation, scaled to project size and complexity and incorporating lessons learned.
Advise executive leadership on early project planning, strategic investment decisions and gates, project execution plans, procurement strategy, tax benefit realization, and risk mitigation frameworks.
Establish project cost accounting frameworks and budgets.
Maintain project performance data, knowledge management resources, and lessons-learned archives for analysis, reporting, and future planning.
Build and sustain a collaborative, accountable team culture focused on continuous improvement and aligned with TRISO-X values.
Ensure compliance with X-energy and TRISO-X corporate policies, procedures, and ethical standards.
Perform other duties as assigned by the manager.