Project Controls Lead

Job Introduction

Job Description for Project Controls Lead:

There’s never been a more exciting time to be part of the nuclear sector.  New opportunities are being created all the time.  At NNL, you’ll be in the ideal place to capitalise on this momentum, face new challenges and develop a long, successful and meaningful career.

The NNL PMO team are looking for an individual who will be accountable for leading and managing the day-to-day operations, development, and support the growth of the Project Controls team.  Responsible for the provision of Project Controls support services on NNL projects and programmes.  The role will include stakeholder interface with the Project Management Authority to ensure smooth transition of information is supplied to establish effective reporting.  

The location for this role is flexible and can be based at Risley, Preston, Culham, Stonehouse, Sellafield or Workington.

Role Responsibility

Main Responsibilities for Project Controls Lead:

• Line management responsibility within the North Project Controls team, providing day-to-day leadership, mentoring and support as required ensuring that the portfolio PC services are being effectively discharged. 
• Support the development and embed a Project Controls framework (aligned to the UK PMA and Delivery Operations delivery strategies) and drive the correct behaviours across the PC team; to maintain an effective Project Controls service to the NNL PM community. 
• Oversee, motivate and monitor the performance of the Project Controls team, working with the ‘senior’ team to identify capability improvement and team development opportunities, addressing any performance gaps as required.
• Lead on Functional continuous improvement activities / initiatives relating to Project Controls operational governance procedures, processes, tools and systems.
• Attendance at, and provision of input into, Project Management Authority (PMA) Senior level management review meetings, and responsibility for the management of Project Controls related actions arising.
• Support and manage the Project Controls framework, systems and resources to deliver an effective cost control and reporting service to Project Managers and Sponsors within the portfolio.
• Provide senior-level Project Controls oversight on more complex NNL projects / programmes (Class 3&4) and Risk Reviews / workshops as required, providing assistance to Project Managers as required to discharge their duties; leading on schedule risk analysis activities, and development of risk mitigation strategies to increase the chances of successful project outcomes.
• Ensure the generation of fully detailed project forecast cost estimates, work breakdown structures (WBS), and ‘quantity tracking’ tools / mechanisms, to enable projects to be delivered within a robust project controls framework.
• Implement effective project control techniques (in line with best practice), including where appropriate monitoring of ‘earned value’; cost and schedule variance; estimates at completion (EACs); critical path analysis, and risk, to deliver projects effectively.
• Prepare, monitor and forecast expenditure profiles and provide accruals where needed.
• Prepare cost and progress reports, including earned value analysis, identifying critical areas and trends and recommend recovery options; ensuring the accuracy of data. 
• Communicate and report any current and potential issues to the Project Manager and key stakeholders (as required).

The Ideal Candidate

Essential Criteria for Project Controls Lead:

• Demonstrable experience of senior line management / leadership responsibility in a Project Controls delivery environment.
• Demonstrable experience of successfully delivering / leading Senior Project Controls services on complex projects/programmes/portfolios.
• Experience of involvement in strategic-level discussions and development of Functional / service delivery strategies. 
• Ability to confidently present and converse at all level of seniority within organisations.
• Commercial awareness to support the Defence Portfolio. 
• 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 Project Controls Lead:

• A relevant qualification associated with one of the cost engineering / project controls professional bodies, e.g. AACE, APM, APMG International, ACostE, ECITB, and PMI
• Demonstrable experience of developing systems of work; governance and/or delivery processes, tools & systems.
• Good level of understanding of schedule risk analysis techniques and interpretation of output data, and development of mitigation / recovery strategies.

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