Senior Manager, Project Control (Head of Project Controls, India)

KBR · Chennai

Title:

About KBR

KBR Sustainable Technology Solutions (STS) provides holistic and value-added solutions across the entire asset lifecycle. Our capabilities include world-class licensed process technologies, differentiated advisory services, deep technical domain expertise, energy transition solutions, advanced engineering and design capabilities, and smart digital solutions that optimize both planned and operating assets.

Job Summary

Under broad direction, the Senior Manager, Project Controls (Head of Project Controls - India) is responsible for the leadership, governance, performance, and development of the Project Controls function across India. This role provides strategic direction and functional oversight for Scheduling, Cost Control, Project Risk Management, Performance Reporting and Project Services activities supporting large-scale Oil & Gas, Refining, Petrochemicals, LNG, Energy Transition, Offshore and Industrial Infrastructure projects.

The incumbent will partner closely with Project Directors, Engineering Managers, Commercial, Finance, Procurement, Construction, and global functional leaders to ensure the consistent implementation of Project Controls standards, processes and best practices. The role contributes significantly to business growth, project delivery excellence, operational performance and profitability across Integrated Solutions (IS) and Technology Solutions projects.

Key Responsibilities

Functional Leadership & Strategy

Provide strategic leadership and direction for the India Project Controls organization.
Develop and execute the Project Controls roadmap aligned with business growth objectives and global project execution strategies.
Establish and govern Project Controls standards, procedures, frameworks and performance metrics.
Serve as the functional authority for Scheduling and Cost Control disciplines across India operations.
Foster a culture of accountability, operational excellence, data-driven decision making and continuous improvement.

Project Services Leadership

Lead and oversee Project Services functions including Commercial, Cost Control, Planning & Scheduling, Progress Measurement and Change Management.
Ensure compliance with company standards, procedures and project setup requirements.
Monitor project and business performance, driving initiatives to improve execution efficiency and predictability.
Manage workforce planning, resource allocation, hiring, training, and capability development of Project Services personnel.
Act as a liaison among internal stakeholders, joint venture partners, and clients to resolve project execution challenges effectively.

Project Scheduling & Planning Management

Provide governance and technical oversight for planning and scheduling activities across FEED, EPC, EPCM and PMC projects.
Ensure development and maintenance of integrated Level 1 through Level 4 project schedules.
Review schedule integrity, critical path analysis, resource loading, productivity assessments and schedule risk evaluations.
Lead schedule assurance reviews and recovery planning workshops for projects facing performance challenges.
Ensure compliance with internal scheduling standards, contractual requirements and industry best practices.
Champion effective utilization of Primavera P6 and enterprise planning platforms.

Cost Control & Performance Management

Lead all cost control activities across the active project portfolio.
Implement robust cost management processes, forecasting methodologies and reporting frameworks.
Review project budgets, commitments, incurred costs, ETCs, EACs and cash flow forecasts.
Ensure visibility of project performance through Earned Value Management (EVM) and advanced performance analytics.
Identify and mitigate cost overruns, forecasting risks and margin erosion.
Collaborate with Finance and Commercial teams to improve project profitability and forecast accuracy.

Project Performance, Reporting & Risk Management

Establish enterprise-wide project performance monitoring and reporting frameworks.
Deliver executive-level project dashboards, portfolio reports and project health assessments.
Monitor KPIs including schedule performance, cost performance, productivity, forecast accuracy and risk exposure.
Lead project controls reviews, governance meetings, audits and assurance activities.
Support project risk identification, quantitative risk analysis, mitigation planning and reporting.
Drive effective change management and trend management processes across projects.

Business Development & Proposal Support

Support proposal development, bid reviews and project strategy evaluations.
Provide planning, resource, execution strategy and cost-estimating expertise during bid and proposal phases.
Participate in management reviews for major pursuits and strategic opportunities.
Evaluate project execution risks and opportunities during project acquisition stages.

Systems, Digitalization & Continuous Improvement

Lead implementation and optimization of Project Controls systems, tools and digital solutions.
Drive reporting automation, dashboard standardization and data analytics initiatives.
Develop Project Controls maturity improvement programs aligned with industry best practices.
Champion innovation through Power BI, AI-driven analytics, integrated reporting platforms and digital project management tools.

Stakeholder & Client Management

Serve as the senior Project Controls representative for clients and executive leadership teams.
Participate in project reviews, steering committee meetings and governance forums.
Build strong relationships with Project Directors, Engineering Leaders, Finance, Procurement, Construction Management and global stakeholders.
Support contract negotiations and project performance discussions from a Project Controls perspective.

People Leadership & Organizational Development

Lead, mentor and develop a team of approximately 80-90 Project Controls professionals across multiple locations and projects.
Drive workforce planning, succession planning, organizational design and capability development initiatives.
Develop competency frameworks for planners, schedulers, cost controllers and project controls managers.
Promote employee engagement, talent retention, diversity and inclusion and leadership development programs.
Build future leadership pipelines within the organization.
Foster a high-performance culture through coaching, accountability and continuous learning.

Qualifications, Experience & Skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or related technical discipline.

Experience

Minimum 15+ years of Project Controls experience in Oil & Gas, Petrochemicals, LNG, Refining, Offshore, Energy Transition and Industrial Infrastructure sectors.
Minimum 5 years of experience in senior functional or departmental leadership roles.
Demonstrated experience leading large Project Controls organizations within EPC, EPCM, PMC or engineering consulting environments.
Extensive experience across all project phases, including Conceptual Studies, FEED, Detailed Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Commissioning and Start-Up.
Experience working with global delivery centers and multicultural project teams.

Preferred Skills

Strong expertise in Planning & Scheduling, Cost Control, Performance Management, Risk Management and Change Management.
Advanced knowledge of Primavera P6, Earned Value Management (EVM), forecasting methodologies and project performance analytics.
Proven ability to manage multiple projects and large multidisciplinary teams.
Strong stakeholder management, leadership and communication skills.
Experience driving digital transformation and data-driven project controls initiatives using Power BI and advanced analytics tools.
Demonstrated ability to improve project predictability, profitability and operational performance.

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