Project Controls (00555) in Plymouth, Michigan at PMA Consultants

This role combines project management accountability with strong project controls discipline and hands-on scheduling capability. The individual is responsible for managing project scope, cost, and schedule while actively developing, analyzing, and maintaining project schedules and supporting cost controls processes.

Unlike a traditional Project Manager role, this position requires direct involvement in schedule development and analysis, along with a working knowledge of cost forecasting and performance tracking. The role operates at the intersection of project execution and project controls, ensuring projects are planned, monitored, and delivered with a high degree of accuracy and predictability.

The ideal candidate brings a project management mindset, strong scheduling capability in Primavera P6, and the ability to interpret cost and schedule data to drive project outcomes.

Project Management & Execution

• Manage small-to-medium projects or key workstreams of larger programs, ensuring alignment with scope, schedule, and budget.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for clients, contractors, and internal teams.
• Lead project meetings, drive action items, and ensure clear communication across stakeholders.
• Support contract administration, including review of change orders, RFIs, and submittals.
• Identify project risks and develop mitigation and recovery strategies.

Scheduling

• Develop, maintain, and analyze detailed project schedules using Primavera P6.
• Establish baseline schedules and track progress against key milestones and critical path.
• Perform schedule analysis, including variance tracking, delay identification, and recovery planning.
• Conduct what-if scenarios and time impact analyses to support decision-making.
• Review and validate contractor schedules, including cost- and resource-loaded schedules.

Project Controls & Cost Support

• Support cost tracking, forecasting, and budget management activities.
• Analyze cost and schedule performance to identify trends, risks, and variances.
• Assist in the development of cost reports, forecasts, and performance metrics.
• Integrate schedule progress with cost data to support overall project controls reporting.
• Contribute to earned value analysis and performance measurement where applicable.

Reporting & Stakeholder Communication

• Develop clear and concise project reports, including schedule updates, cost summaries, and performance insights.
• Communicate project status, risks, and recommendations to internal and external stakeholders.
• Support client-facing deliverables with a strong focus on accuracy and clarity.

Collaboration & Process Improvement

• Work closely with project controls teams, engineers, and field staff to validate project data.
• Identify opportunities to improve scheduling and project controls processes.
• Mentor junior staff in scheduling fundamentals and project controls practices.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in project management, project controls, or scheduling within construction or engineering environments.
• Strong hands-on experience with Primavera P6, including schedule development and analysis.
• Demonstrated understanding of:
• Critical Path Method (CPM) scheduling
• Cost tracking and forecasting fundamentals
• Cost and schedule integration
• Experience reviewing contractor schedules and project documentation.
• Working on design/construction projects and showing a strong understanding of the process (RFIs, change orders, submittals, etc.)
• Strong communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to operate independently while managing multiple priorities.