Project Control Lead

This is an exciting Project Control Lead (PCL) opportunity working for our EDF Framework in Bridgwater, Somerset.

Costain helps to improve people’s lives by deploying technology-based engineering solutions to meet urgent national needs across the UK’s energy, water and transportation infrastructures.

Costain supports EDF Energy Generation to maximise the lifespan of its eight UK nuclear power stations and prepare for defuelling and decommissioning. Costain's role is to provide project controls and commercial managed services to portfolios and programmes of work across all of EDF's eight UK nuclear power stations. As part of this work Costain will develop people capability in core project control skills and provide specialist support to EDFs Central Technical Organisation to improve project performance and deliver cost efficiencies.

The Project Control Lead (PCL) is responsible for ensuring the planning, estimating, monitoring and control of a specified project, work portfolio or programme is carried out professionally and in compliance with all EDF Energy Generation and decommissioning requirements. Accountable to the Project Controls Group Head and a member of the Central Technical Organisation (CTO) Programme Office;

• Responsible for supervising the work of a number of Planning Engineers and Cost Engineers and maintaining an overview of all work within the designated portfolio.
• Responsibilities will also include advising, guiding, and directing the control and reporting aspects of the designated portfolio of work to ensure compliance with the requirements of the CTO Programme Office procedures and thus maximise the probability of a successful project outcome.
• Responsibility may include overseeing the wider Planning or Cost function within EDF Energy.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure full compliance with the Investment Delivery Process (IDP) requirements.
• Lead a Project Control Team consisting of Planning Engineers and Cost Engineers to ensure consistency, coherence and adherence to planning and control standards across the portfolio.
• Oversee the production and control of baselined, fully logic linked, cost and resource loaded plans, with appropriate milestones, for all work within the portfolio utilising approved work breakdown structures and techniques.
• Support the estimating process to ensure a control estimate is in place for cost monitoring purposes.
• Ensure appropriate levels of project monitoring and control techniques are applied to the portfolio appropriate to the scale and scope of the work to enable the work to be managed effectively and efficiently.
• Carry out review/analysis of project controls on a monthly basis to facilitate the determination of physical percentage complete and updating of plans, to an agreed timeframe, with the percentage complete values.
• Supporting Group Heads, Branch Managers, Project Portfolio Managers, Workpack Managers and Project Managers in the production of monthly reports, to an agreed reporting cycle, through the provision of intelligent information and analysis.
• Analysis of trends within the portfolio and provision of feedback on areas of risk and opportunities.
• Facilitate and maintain the Project change control and risk management processes.
• Proactively contribute to the ongoing development of Project Control processes and tools to meet the ongoing requirements of the EDF Energy Generation portfolio.
• Conduct forward resource planning and perform an active role in the recruitment process including interviews.
• When nominated by the Project Controls Group Head, takes the Lead role in overseeing the wider Planning or Cost Management function within EDF Energy in terms of development, technical input and governance.
• Highlight shortfalls in Project Controls during normal operation and put in place action plans to remedy areas requiring attention.
• Continually develop the output of the Project Controls function to enhance the value delivered to EDF Energy Generation

Skills

• Ability to analyse data to recognise emerging trends and suggest remedial action as appropriate.
• Understand the inter-relationship between time cost and commercial aspects of the project life cycle.
• Breadth of experience across whole project and programme lifecycle. (e.g. Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Installation/Commissioning processes).
• High level of analytical and numerate skills and well versed in the preparation of reports and information using packages such as SAP, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Proficient in the application of Earned Value concepts and tools.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills coupled to an ability to communicate well at all levels of management.
• Have a detailed understanding of planning methodologies and techniques and a good working knowledge of the latest Primavera Planning Software Tool.
• Have a detailed understanding of Cost Management methodologies and techniques and a good working knowledge of relevant proprietary systems and tools.
• Strives for quality and excellence in everything they do.
• Results focused tempered with a team centred approach.
• Able and willing to apply analysis skills to take responsibility, make decisions and meet challenges within the limits of their own capabilities and responsibilities.

Qualifications

• HNC Minimum. Typically Degree qualified or equivalent preferred in an appropriate numerate discipline.
• MACostE desirable.