Project Controls Director

Location: Hybrid (UK) with periodic travel to Glasgow (~monthly) and occasional UK project travel.

Role Overview

Sumitomo Electric UK is seeking a Project Controls Director to lead the establishment and delivery of the integrated project controls function for the Sea Link HVDC Interconnector project. The role will be responsible for developing and managing the project’s controls framework, including risk management, scope and change governance, schedule management, reporting and document control. The role will ensure that robust processes, systems and governance are implemented to support effective project delivery and transparent reporting to both internal stakeholders and National Grid. As Sumitomo Electric continues to expand its EPC capability in the UK, the successful candidate will also play an important role in establishing best‑practice project controls processes that may be applied across future UK projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Project Controls Leadership
  • Establish and lead the integrated project controls function for the Sea Link project.
  • Develop and implement project controls processes, governance and reporting structures aligned with EPC delivery requirements.
  • Build and manage a multidisciplinary project controls team including planning, risk, scope/change management, document control and BIM.
  • Provide strategic advice to the Project Director and leadership team on schedule, risk, progress and performance.
• Risk Management
  • Establish and implement a project-wide risk management framework.
  • Lead the development and maintenance of the project risk register.
  • Facilitate risk identification, assessment and mitigation processes across the project organisation.
• Scope and Change Management
  • Develop and implement robust scope and change management processes.
  • Manage the change control system to ensure clear visibility of scope development and contractual changes.
  • Coordinate with commercial and delivery teams to ensure appropriate documentation, evaluation and governance of changes.
• Schedule Management
  • Oversee the development and management of the integrated master schedule using Primavera P6.
  • Manage the schedule update process, ensuring accurate progress reporting and schedule integrity.
  • Ensure integration and alignment of the project master schedule with subcontractor programmes across both onshore and offshore work scopes.
  • Support the Project Director in maintaining alignment between engineering, procurement, construction and interface activities.
• Project Reporting
  • Own the project reporting framework and monthly reporting cycle to National Grid.
  • Lead the preparation of internal project progress reports and performance metrics.
  • Ensure accurate and timely reporting of schedule status, risks, change and key delivery indicators.
• Document Control and BIM
  • Establish and oversee document management processes using Asite.
  • Ensure effective document control procedures across the project organisation.
  • Provide oversight of BIM management activities and integration with project documentation and information management processes.
  • Maintain compliance with project governance and client requirements.
• Team Leadership
  • The Project Controls Director will lead and develop a team of approximately 12 project controls professionals.
  • This includes management of the project’s Lead Planner and supporting planner, together with risk management, scope and change management, document control and BIM resources.

Key Interfaces

• Project Director and senior project leadership team
• Engineering, procurement and construction delivery teams
• Commercial and contract management teams
• National Grid programme controls and project stakeholders

Preferred Knowledge / Skills / Experiences

• Extensive experience leading project controls functions on large‑scale infrastructure or energy projects.
• Demonstrated experience implementing project controls systems, governance and reporting frameworks.
• Strong leadership and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Strong background in EPC project delivery environments would be preferred.
• Experience coordinating project controls across multiple major subcontractors and delivery partners would be preferred.
• Expertise in planning and scheduling using Primavera P6 would be preferred.
• Experience working with client‑side programme controls organisations would be preferred.

About our project in Port of Nigg, Highland

Sumitomo Electric is one of the leading global manufacturers of state‑of‑the‑art high‑end electricity transmission cables, up to and including 525kV HVDC cable. The new factory at Nigg, with investment value announced by the Scottish Government of £350M, will make a significant contribution towards realisation of the UK Net Zero Target by contributing to critical electricity transmission infrastructure to connect and deliver renewable energy, including offshore wind, to UK consumers and beyond. In addition, the factory will create more than 150 highly skilled jobs in the Scottish Highlands, with maximum utilisation of the local supply chain for production of cables and construction of transmission cable systems.

In a significant boost for the UK green energy supply chain, Sumitomo Electric has commenced construction of its state‑of‑the‑art subsea transmission cable factory in the Scottish Highlands. The factory will supply critical elements for the reinforcement of the UK electricity transmission grid and for connecting renewable energy production facilities to the grid.

About Sumitomo Electric Group

Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. is a recognized global technology leader with over 290,000 employees working at around 400 group companies in 40 countries. Building on more than 120 years of innovation, today Sumitomo Electric is engaged in diversified business activities that support people’s daily lives and industries in five business segments: automotive, infocommunications, electronics, environment.