Junior Project Controller

Job Introduction

Job Description for Junior Project Controller:

NNL is where your project management helps deliver our purpose. As part of our Project Management Authority, you’ll play a critical role in managing projects that deliver nuclear science to benefit society. Your project management skills and attention to detail will enable industry-leading scientists, engineers and analysts to work together to deliver unique projects using cutting edge technology. It’s a challenging role but it’s an opportunity to grow, adapt and develop new skills in a fast-moving area.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an early career enthusiastic Junior Project Controller to join the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) Project Controls function based at NNL’s Sellafield facility. The Project Controls function forms part of the Project Management Office (PMO) which is part of a wider Project Management Authority (PMA) responsible for all aspects of project delivery, governance, controls, standards and assurance across the full delivery lifecycle. The primary responsibilities of the PMO centre around the need to ensure that adequate controls are in place, embedded and being adhered to, to ensure that the delivery of NNL projects is achieved successfully and in a safe and secure manner to the levels of quality expected. Our Project Controls capability is a vital part of the overall PMO and provides bid, cost estimating and planning /scheduling support to our Project Management community but is also there to ensure that appropriate governance is built into schedules to provide robust schedules, accurate reporting outputs, and subject matter oversight & guidance. 

This role will involve working closely with more senior members of the Project Controls group and, in particular, the following activities:

• Development of project cost estimates & WBS; project performance reporting & data analysis, including production of earned value (EVM) statistics.
• Assisting with the production of project work schedules which consider all aspects of the NNL PMA governance requirements, project delivery frameworks, and management requirements.
• Provision of regular (typically monthly) performance output reports (Healthcheck Reports), plans, summary statements, etc, ahead of formal project reviews. 

Some experience of cost estimating and/or project scheduling would be advantageous but not critical as this is an ‘assistant’ level position. However, a general knowledge and experience of using Microsoft Office tools & systems to produce typical project performance data would be desirable, such as Microsoft Project (MSP), Excel, and/or Enterprise Project Management (EPM), or other enterprise systems.  

The location for this role is flexible and can be based at Sellafield and Workington.

Role Responsibility

Main Responsibilities for Junior Project Controller:

• Maintain compliance with approved processes, procedures and Project Execution Plans.
• Assist with the generation of fully detailed project forecast cost estimates, work breakdown structures (WBS), and establishment of ‘quantity tracking’ tools / mechanisms, to ensure projects are delivered within a robust project controls framework.     
• Assist with the development of bids and proposals for new work; providing advice on matters relating to cost estimates, work planning, and identification of risks and opportunities.  
• Generate monthly project progress reports outlining ‘earned value’ data, Estimate at Completions (EAC), accruals, SPI / CPI, deviations, progress against delivery milestones, procurement plans and risks, etc.
• Actively address anomalies to maintain work / project estimates and carry out data analysis to identify root causes of deviations, escalating any deviations from plan; critical points and/or trends, in a timely fashion to the Project Manager, with proposed recovery steps.  
• Analyse project plan data to identify potential project/programme risks and/or threats and work closely with Project Managers to develop risk mitigation options.
• Support the Project Manager in identifying and managing potential project change, ensuring that all changes which could affect the project baseline are quickly identified; appropriate courses of action agreed, and controls documentation updated and maintained as required.   
• Assist with the maintenance of cost control and planning databases and validate data across systems and ensure the accuracy of data communicated and reported to all stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with approved NNL and PMA processes and procedures across projects. 
• Maintain compliance with approved processes, procedures and Project Execution Plans.
• Assist with the generation of fully detailed project forecast cost estimates, work breakdown structures (WBS), and establishment of ‘quantity tracking’ tools / mechanisms, to ensure projects are delivered within a robust project controls framework.     
• General understanding and appreciation of Project Controls services and how they relate to project related work, and an understanding (to some degree) of the principles and approaches to the provision of cost estimating, change control, risk management, programme management support services. 
• Basic knowledge of NNL PMA / PMO operations, working principles and practices. 
• Some experience of project delivery within an engineering / technical environment.  
• Basic level of experience of utilising typical Project Controls tools, systems and IT-based data collection and reporting systems.

The Ideal Candidate

Essential Criteria for Junior Project Controller:

• NVQ Level 3 in project controls or equivalent.
• Demonstrable experience of successfully discharging Planning related services on Small – Medium scale projects. 
• Understanding and appreciation of Project Controls services and how they relate to project related work, and an understanding (to some degree) of the principles and approaches to the provision of cost estimating, change control, risk management, programme management support services.
• Some experience of project delivery within an engineering / technical environment.
• Basic level of experience of utilising typical Project Controls tools, systems and IT-based data collection and reporting systems. 
• Ability to obtain SC level security clearance (this includes but is not limited to identity, employment, financial and criminal record checks plus 5 years’ worth of UK residency).

Desirable Criteria for Junior Project Controller:

• Appropriate level of analytical skills for grade.
• Understanding of / experience of utilising MS Office systems, e.g. Microsoft Project / PPM (Project Online), along with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint (or other Project Controls software / systems).
• Basic appreciation of approaches to risk and financial management.
• Report writing skills and ability to generate data sets to provide quality outputs / reports for project managers and strategic decision-making purposes.

About the Company

Grounded in robust science and decades of experience, National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) is the authoritative voice in the UK and beyond for technological development within the nuclear power sector.

Our unparalleled understanding of the science, challenges and opportunities makes us an unrivalled authority and partner in the field, providing experts, technologies, and access to cutting-edge facilities to organisations around the world.

Harnessing potential technologies and translating them into to industry-ready solutions means our pioneering approach spearheads international improvement and technological progress.

We work on projects as small as drilling a hole to analyse underground wastes with our integrated micro drilling technology, or as large as developing state-of-the-art power systems for spacecraft, based on radioactive materials

NNL has a vision for Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (ED&I) where NNL aims to be an inclusive workplace that attracts diverse talent through transparent and equal policies and procedures. We want you and the diverse mix of people that we employ, customers that we service and stakeholders that we influence to feel valued. We encourage a workplace culture where everyone can thrive with a sense of belonging.

Recruitment Agency Notice

We operate a strict Preferred Supplier List (PSL) for the provision of recruitment services. Only agencies on our PSL may provide CVs and only when the role is released to them by our recruitment team. We will not accept unsolicited CVs from suppliers not currently on our PSL. We explicitly reserve the right to add candidate details from unsolicited CVs from non-PSL agencies into our own candidate database and to pursue/hire such candidate(s) without any obligation, financial or otherwise, to the agency concerned.

National Nuclear Laboratory