At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead project controls, forecasting, and performance management across diverse projects.
- Company: Join a forward-thinking company transforming project performance.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, professional development, and opportunities for career growth.
- Other info: Dynamic role with a focus on continuous improvement and innovation.
- Why this job: Shape strategic decisions and drive performance with data-led insights.
- Qualifications: Degree in relevant field and experience with Power BI and data analytics.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.
Shape the Future of Project Performance with Expanded. Expanded is seeking a driven and forward‑thinking Project Controls Lead to play a pivotal role in transforming how we plan, measure, and deliver across our project portfolio. Based in either our Dartford Head Office or Sale, Manchester, this is a unique opportunity to sit at the heart of our Planning function, influencing strategic decision‑making and driving performance through data‑led insight.
In this high‑impact role, you'll lead business‑wide project controls, owning forecasting, reporting, and performance management across a diverse portfolio of projects. You'll harness the power of advanced analytics and Power BI, turning complex data into clear, actionable intelligence that supports smarter decisions and better project outcomes. This is a chance to shape systems, influence strategy, and elevate performance across the business. If you thrive on turning data into insight and insight into action, we'd love to hear from you.
Role & responsibilities
- Lead and manage strategic project controls for the Expanded Business, including business‑wide project reporting, forecasting and performance management across the full portfolio.
- Lead business forecasting activities, including schedule forecasting & resource planning.
- Establish new systems to enhance business reporting and forecasting in collaboration with Laing O'Rourke central data teams.
- Own and develop Power BI dashboards and reporting outputs, providing clear, accurate, and real‑time visibility of business performance, trends, and key metrics to stakeholders.
- Drive data‑led decision making, using Power BI and other tools to analyse business performance, identify trends, and provide actionable insights.
- Review and challenge project performance, including productivity, labour efficiency, and progress against baseline, ensuring early identification of underperformance and corrective actions.
- Produce accurate and timely internal and external reporting, including progress updates, performance reviews, and executive‑level summaries.
- Provide strategic insight into project performance, linking programme data with commercial and operational outcomes to support informed decision‑making.
- Coordinate and integrate inputs from planning, commercial, design, technical, and delivery teams to ensure accurate and aligned project controls outputs.
- Drive continuous improvement in project controls and reporting, including development of systems, enhancement of Power BI dashboards, data quality, and analytics capability.
- Undertake additional responsibilities as required to support successful project delivery and business objectives.
What we are looking for
- Degree in a relevant field: Engineering / Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Data Analytics / Business Analytics.
- Advanced training or certifications in Power BI / Data Visualisation (e.g. Microsoft certifications).
- Ability to interpret complex datasets, identify trends and performance issues, and translate data into commercial / operational insight.
- Data integration experience across multiple disciplines (planning, commercial, delivery).
- Strong project experience in either a planning or commercial discipline.
PROJECT CONTROLS LEAD in Dartford employer: Laing O'Rourke
At Expanded, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a culture of innovation and collaboration. Our Dartford Head Office and Sale, Manchester locations offer a dynamic work environment where employees are encouraged to grow and develop their skills through advanced training and hands-on experience with cutting-edge tools like Power BI. With a strong focus on data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement, we empower our team members to shape the future of project performance while enjoying a supportive atmosphere that values their contributions.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land PROJECT CONTROLS LEAD in Dartford
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its projects. Understand their values and how your skills can help them achieve their goals. This will show you're genuinely interested and ready to contribute.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your experience with data analytics and project controls can drive performance. Keep it concise and focus on how you can add value to their team.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about joining our team.
We think you need these skills to ace PROJECT CONTROLS LEAD in Dartford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV speaks directly to the role of Project Controls Lead. Highlight your experience with project controls, forecasting, and data analytics. We want to see how your skills align with our needs!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about transforming project performance and how you can contribute to our team. Keep it engaging and relevant to the job description.
Showcase Your Data Skills:Since this role involves advanced analytics and Power BI, make sure to mention any relevant projects or experiences where you've used these tools. We love seeing how you've turned complex data into actionable insights!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from us!
How to prepare for a job interview at Laing O'Rourke
✨Know Your Data Inside Out
As a Project Controls Lead, you'll be expected to handle complex datasets. Make sure you brush up on your data interpretation skills and be ready to discuss how you've turned data into actionable insights in past roles. Prepare examples that showcase your ability to identify trends and performance issues.
✨Master Power BI
Since this role heavily involves Power BI, ensure you're familiar with its functionalities. If possible, create a sample dashboard or two to demonstrate your skills during the interview. Be prepared to discuss how you've used Power BI to enhance reporting and forecasting in previous projects.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Thinking
This position requires influencing strategic decision-making. Think about times when you've contributed to project strategy through data-led insights. Be ready to explain your thought process and how your contributions led to improved project outcomes.
✨Collaborate and Communicate
You'll need to coordinate inputs from various teams, so highlight your experience in cross-functional collaboration. Prepare to discuss how you've effectively communicated complex information to stakeholders and ensured alignment across different disciplines.