Project Director - Controls Analytics in Leeds

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Our award-winning AECOM Controls team within the Infrastructure & PMO Operating Unit is a trusted partner to public and private sector clients across the UK and globally. We specialise in delivering Controls Analytics across Cost, Risk, Planning and Performance, supporting major infrastructure and capital investment programmes. We combine best-in-class project controls with advanced analytics to enable clients to make timely, data-driven decisions that improve project outcomes, strengthen governance, and enhance performance across portfolios, programmes and projects.

These are senior leadership roles with a balance of delivery oversight, strategic advisory, and market-facing responsibilities. You will operate as a trusted advisor to client executives while helping expand AECOM’s Controls Analytics proposition across key accounts and sectors.

Here's what you'll do:

• Strategic Client Leadership: Act as a trusted advisor to Programme Directors, Sponsors and senior client stakeholders. Provide strategic direction on controls analytics, PMO performance, and data-driven decision‑making. Translate complex data and controls outputs into clear, actionable executive insights.
• Delivery Oversight & Solution Leadership: Lead the set‑up and oversight of Controls Analytics delivery across projects, programmes and portfolios. Define controls operating models, reporting frameworks, and governance structures. Provide direction and assurance to delivery teams (data engineers, analysts, controls specialists). Ensure solutions are fit‑for‑purpose, scalable, and aligned to client outcomes.
• Controls Analytics and PMO Transformation: Shape and implement integrated controls analytics approaches covering cost, schedule, risk, change, and performance. Oversee the development of executive reporting, dashboards, and KPI frameworks. Drive adoption of insight‑driven performance management and proactive intervention practices. Support clients in improving controls maturity, data quality, and governance.
• Work Winning & Business Development: Play a leading role in bids, proposals, and client pursuits. Develop and articulate compelling Controls Analytics propositions aligned to market needs. Identify and drive organic growth opportunities within existing client engagements. Build strong external relationships to enhance AECOM’s market presence.
• Team & Capability Leadership: Lead, mentor, and develop high‑performing, multidisciplinary teams. Foster a consultancy mindset, ensuring teams deliver value beyond core scope. Contribute to the development of methods, tools, and accelerators. Support recruitment, succession planning, and capability growth aligned to business strategy.
• Risk, Change & Performance Insight Leadership: Ensure integration of risk, contingency and scenario analytics into controls frameworks. Guide development of change analytics and forecasting models to support decision‑making. Enable clients to move from retrospective reporting to predictive and forward‑looking insights.

Here’s What We’re Looking For:

• Degree in Engineering, Project Management, Finance, Data/Analytics or related discipline.
• Professional certifications (APM, PMI, MSP, RICS, AACE or similar) desirable.
• Typically 15+ years’ experience across project/programme controls, PMO leadership, and/or consultancy.

Skills & Experience:

• Leadership & Consulting: Proven experience operating at senior leadership level within complex programmes or consultancy environments. Strong track record in client engagement, influencing senior stakeholders, and leading delivery teams. Commercial awareness with experience contributing to work winning and account growth.
• Controls & Domain Expertise: Deep understanding of project controls disciplines: cost, planning, risk, change and performance. Experience across major infrastructure or capital programmes in sectors such as transport, energy, water or defence. Strong appreciation of PMO delivery models and governance structures.
• Analytics & Digital Understanding: Strong understanding of controls analytics solutions, dashboards and performance frameworks. Familiarity with tools such as Power BI, Primavera P6, PRISM, Aconex, and data architectures. Ability to guide teams on data integration, modelling and insight generation, without needing to build directly.

To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in‑person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment. You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation, benefits and well‑being programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too. Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry‑leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours. We are a Disability Confident Employer and will offer an interview to applicants who have a disability or long‑term condition, who meet the minimum/essential criteria for the role.