Project Controls Manager

Overview

KEO is a creative enterprise, where innovation is a way of life. We are uniquely resourced with end-to-end services to take clients from inspiration – through conceptualization – to realization of planning, design or project delivery in the built and natural environments. For over 60 years we’ve led with vision, contributing to many of the world’s most ambitious projects, iconic places, remarkable experiences and prosperous communities.

As a highly integrated and agile AEP/PMCM firm, KEO is recognized by ENR as one of the Top 225 International Design Firms and one of the Top 20 International PM/CM Firms. We are also ranked by World Architecture as the 57th largest global architecture firm and the #1 Firm in the Middle East Region in their 2023 WA100 Survey.

We invite you to join us. Why?

When you join KEO, you’ll discover more than just a job – you’ll find a supportive environment that fosters your professional development through internal global mobility and career development and does so within a culture that supports company-wide health and well-being through on-demand counselling services and regular workplace clinics. You will be invited to celebrate community events such as sports days, fun-runs, in-house sports teams and beach clean ups. In addition to your competitive package and benefits you will have access to a suite of policies that include hybrid working arrangements, individual athletic sponsorship, study assistance sponsorship, employee referral rewards, mentoring and coaching programs and extensive in-house on demand learning courses.

Responsibilities

Our newest opportunity is for a talented Projects Controls Manager to join our team based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

We envisage success in this role to include:

• Managing and providing leadership for the overall project controls function, ensuring effective control of programme, cost, risk, change, and reporting throughout the project lifecycle.
• Establishing and implementing project controls procedures, systems, processes, and reporting requirements in accordance with KEO and client standards.
• Leading the development, review, and monitoring of the overall project programme, ensuring alignment between project scope, schedule, resources, procurement, and delivery objectives.
• Managing the preparation and maintenance of detailed baseline and recovery programmes, ensuring timely identification of delays, critical activities, and potential programme risks.
• Monitoring project progress against approved programmes and identifying trends, variances, and potential impacts on project delivery.
• Overseeing cost control activities, including budget development, forecasting, expenditure tracking, commitments, cash flow, and cost reporting.
• Managing the preparation of accurate and timely project controls reports, dashboards, performance reports, and executive-level presentations.
• Establishing and maintaining effective Earned Value Management (EVM) and performance measurement systems where applicable.
• Monitoring project performance using appropriate KPIs and providing recommendations to improve project delivery and performance.
• Leading the identification, assessment, monitoring, and mitigation of project risks and opportunities.
• Managing the project change control process, ensuring that changes to scope, cost, and programme are properly assessed, documented, approved, and incorporated into the relevant project baselines.
• Reviewing contractor and consultant programmes, schedules, progress updates, cost reports, forecasts, and other project controls submissions.
• Providing analysis and recommendations on programme delays, cost impacts, variations, claims, and other project performance issues.
• Coordinating closely with project management, commercial, procurement, design, construction, and other technical teams to ensure accurate and integrated project controls.
• Ensuring effective integration between planning, cost control, risk management, change management, and reporting.
• Supporting the Project Director and senior management with reliable data, analysis, forecasting, and recommendations for informed decision-making.
• Identifying potential project issues at an early stage and developing appropriate mitigation and recovery strategies.
• Ensuring that project controls information is accurate, consistent, current, and readily available to support project decisions.
• Managing and mentoring the project controls team, promoting a collaborative and high-performance working environment.
• Representing KEO in project controls meetings with the client, consultants, contractors, and other stakeholders.
• Ensuring compliance with KEO policies, procedures, quality standards, and applicable Saudi Arabian regulations and project requirements.

Qualifications

To be successful in this dynamic opportunity, we envision that your career journey to date will include

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, Quantity Surveying, or a related discipline.
• Professional qualifications such as PMP, AACE, PMI-SP, CCP, or equivalent would be advantageous.
• 15+ years of professional experience, with significant experience in project controls and management.
• Proven experience as a Projects Controls Manager, Project Controls Lead, Senior Project Controls Manager, or similar senior position.
• Strong experience working within a PMC/consultancy environment on major and complex projects.
• Proven experience managing multidisciplinary project controls functions covering planning, scheduling, cost control, risk, change management, and reporting.
• Strong knowledge of planning and scheduling methodologies, project controls systems, cost management, forecasting, and performance measurement.
• Strong experience reviewing and challenging contractor programmes, schedules, progress updates, and performance reports.
• Advanced knowledge of Primavera P6 and other relevant project controls software.
• Strong understanding of critical path analysis, baseline management, delay analysis, progress measurement, earned value, forecasting, and project reporting.
• Experience with project controls and reporting systems such as Power BI would be advantageous.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong ability to present complex project information clearly to senior management and clients.
• Previous experience working on major projects in Saudi Arabia is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of Saudi Arabian project delivery practices and regulatory requirements would be an advantage.