Manager, Project Controls

Xcel Energy • Denver, CO

7d • Hybrid

About The Position

Xcel Energy is seeking a Manager, Project Controls to provide strategic leadership and direct program and project management activities for selected, highly complex projects. These projects may affect operations, business systems, processes, or customer-facing elements. The role balances customer needs with company standards and guidelines, and ensures consistent, accurate use of design and work management tools and processes. It coordinates multidisciplinary project teams and navigates business and regulatory processes while supporting innovative, cost-effective designs and technical matters across design, construction, and operations teams.

The manager leads and oversees highly skilled technical groups, establishes work priorities, and ensures quality and schedule requirements are met. The position supports planning and budgeting for distribution capital projects and construction and operations departments. It is also responsible for staff development and performance through evaluations, training, and coaching. Xcel Energy supports a hybrid work model; many roles are expected onsite three days per week, Tuesday through Thursday, though expectations vary by role, team, and business needs.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science degree in engineering, construction management, project management, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• At least 7 years of experience in the theory and practice of project management techniques.
• At least 5 years of experience in operations, process management, and process improvement.
• Experience in process improvement, including process optimization and process mapping.
• Experience managing multiple workstreams and matrixed teams with full-time and part-time resources.
• Strong change leadership, communication, and collaboration skills.

Nice To Haves

• At least 7 years of progressive project controls experience supporting complex capital, construction, utility, or infrastructure projects, with substantial scheduling and cost-control responsibility.
• Proficiency developing, maintaining, and analyzing integrated project schedules using Oracle Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, or comparable tools, including critical path analysis, baselining, forecasting, progress measurement, and schedule recovery.
• Experience with project budgets, commitments, actuals, accruals, forecasting, Estimate at Completion (EAC), variance analysis, and change management.
• Experience integrating cost and schedule information to assess performance, identify trends and risks, and support data-driven decisions.
• Familiarity with Earned Value Management (EVM), cash-flow forecasting, and performance measurement techniques.
• Experience establishing project controls standards, coordinating cost and schedule activities across multidisciplinary teams, and developing executive-level reporting, dashboards, and performance metrics.

Responsibilities

• Direct program and project management activities for selected, highly complex projects.
• Establish and manage project structures, including financial controls, detailed estimates, schedules, contracts, requests for proposals, and work plans.
• Lead key program governance meetings.
• Establish and champion business plans, goals, and objectives aligned with corporate and business unit strategies.
• Manage teams to achieve approved project scope and develop sequencing, milestone schedules, project-level cost tracking, project control techniques, and reconciliation processes.
• Manage resources with emphasis on safety, timeliness, cost containment, system reliability, customer satisfaction, asset utilization, and regulatory compliance.
• Build and maintain a multidisciplinary workforce; select, retain, motivate, and empower employees.
• Manage scope, cost control, change management, and risk mitigation in accordance with organizational best practices.
• Participate in efforts to streamline processes, improve safety, meet customer expectations, and reduce costs.
• Recruit employees, set performance expectations, manage performance, and provide training, coaching, feedback, and oversight.
• Provide input and leadership on bargaining unit issues, grievances, corrective actions, and employee development.
• Promote continuous learning and improvement of job and industry knowledge and skills.
• Build collaborative relationships with external entities and internal organizations to improve project efficiency, responsiveness, and resource allocation.
• Lead and champion change within the role’s scope and maintain partnerships across business units and departments.
• Support planning and budgeting for distribution capital projects and construction and operations departments.
• Provide technical expertise and support to design, construction, and operations teams; ensure quality and schedule requirements are met.

Benefits

• Annual Incentive Program
• Medical/pharmacy plan
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Dependent care flexible spending account
• Health care flexible spending account
• Health savings account (if enrolled in an eligible health plan)
• Limited-purpose flexible spending account (if enrolled in an eligible health plan and HSA)
• Transportation reimbursement account
• Short-term disability
• Long-term disability
• Employee Assistance Program
• Fitness center reimbursement (if enrolled in an eligible health plan)
• Tuition reimbursement
• Transit programs
• Employee recognition program
• Pension
• 401(k) plan
• Paid time off
• Holidays
• Volunteer Paid Time Off
• Parental Leave

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager