Project Controls Manager

Luster National•Los Angeles, CA

8d•$130,000 - $205,000

About The Position

Luster is building a talent pool for future Project Controls Manager roles supporting large, complex heavy-civil infrastructure programs, including highways, roads, bridges, bus and rail transit, international airports, and water/wastewater projects delivered through traditional and alternative methods. These roles bring together cost, schedule, risk, and change management to ensure that program baselines, forecasts, and reported performance are consistent and defensible. This is a future-hiring opportunity, not a currently available specific position. Candidates selected for the talent pool will be notified first when a project need arises. The Project Controls Manager oversees integrated program controls, validates contractor submissions, analyzes performance and forecasts, evaluates changes and claims, and coordinates controls across contracts and functional teams. The role may lead the monthly controls cycle and mentor controls staff. It also oversees data quality and traceability in program management information systems for funding agency reporting and external audits. The expected salary range is $130,000–$205,000 per year ($63–$99 per hour). The offered amount may vary based on the successful candidate’s experience, skills, education, certifications, licenses, geographic location, and other relevant factors. Luster describes its work environment as inclusive and diverse. Positions may be subject to background checks and drug tests after a conditional offer, consistent with applicable regulations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in construction management, engineering, finance, business, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
10+ years of project controls experience on large (>$500 million), complex heavy-civil infrastructure projects.
Experience integrating cost and schedule data using a common work breakdown and cost breakdown structure, including baseline management and change control.
Experience applying earned value methods and critical path schedule analysis to evaluate program performance and forecast outcomes.
Experience reviewing contractor cost and schedule submittals against contract requirements and verified progress.
Experience leading or directing project controls staff on a capital program.
Proficiency with industry-standard scheduling and program cost controls software, such as Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, Oracle Unifier, EcoSys, or e-Builder.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite/Office 365, including tools such as Outlook, Teams, Word, and PowerPoint.
Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
Excellent multitasking and organizational skills.
Collaborative mindset that fosters teamwork, trust, and positive relationships.
Curiosity, problem-solving abilities, and commitment to continuous improvement.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in construction management, engineering, finance, or business.
Active professional certifications such as CCP, PSP, or EVP (AACE), and/or PMP (PMI).
Experience leading the owner’s project controls function on a highway, bridge, transit and rail, aviation, or water and wastewater capital program exceeding $1 billion in construction value.
Experience establishing a project controls function on a new program, including procedures, coding structures, reporting cycle, and staffing plan.
Experience integrating a quantitative cost or schedule risk model with program baselines to set and defend a contingency position.
Experience supporting claims, delay analysis, or dispute resolution using time-phased cost and schedule records on a program exceeding $1 billion in construction value.
Experience configuring or administering controls modules of a program management information system, rather than only working within one.
Proficiency with Microsoft Power BI, Oracle Cloud Analytics, or other dashboard KPI reporting software.

Responsibilities

Oversee the program’s integrated controls system, including work and cost breakdown structures, coding standards, and baseline change procedures, ensuring cost and schedule data reconcile to a common source.
Review and validate contractor cost and schedule submittals—including baseline schedules, monthly updates, progress payments, and contingency drawdown requests—against contract requirements and verified field progress.
Analyze earned value, cost and schedule performance indices, and productivity trends, and identify variances that may affect the forecast.
Evaluate change proposals, delay claims, and time impact analyses for cost and schedule merit, and recommend a position to program leadership.
Oversee the program forecast, cash flow projection, and contingency and reserve position, and test their underlying assumptions.
Coordinate the risk register with cost and schedule baselines so quantified exposure is reflected in forecasts and contingency decisions.
May lead the monthly controls cycle and present cost and schedule status, trends, and recommended corrective actions to program leadership.
Coordinate controls across adjacent contracts and program interfaces to identify impacts crossing package boundaries before they lead to claims.
Coordinate controls across roadway and structures packages, systems and trackwork contracts, airfield phasing, and water and utility relocation work.
Coordinate with estimating, scheduling, engineering, contracts, document control, and finance so consistent data supports program decisions.
Oversee controls data in program management information systems and verify that cost, schedule, and change records are complete, correctly coded, and traceable for funding agency reporting and external audits.
May lead and mentor controls analysts and specialists, setting expectations for analysis quality, turnaround, and escalation of findings.