Sr. Director, Project Controls

Description

Title: Senior Director, Project Controls
Department: Finance
Location: Houston, TX
Supervisor: VP, Project Finance
FLSA Status: Exempt

Position Status: Permanent, Full-time

Work Status: Remote

SENIOR DIRECTOR, PROJECT CONTROLS

Hanwha Qcells USA Corp (Qcells USA), headquartered in Houston, TX, specializes in providing utility-scale modules, solar photovoltaic (PV), and battery energy storage systems (BESS) project development, along with Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) services for solar and BESS projects nationwide. Qcells USA delivers comprehensive turnkey solutions encompassing the entire utility-scale project lifecycle. By choosing Qcells USA for turnkey solutions, customers can reduce uncertainty and risk, leading to enhanced investment returns and contributing to a more sustainable future.

Qcells USA’s complete turnkey solutions seamlessly integrate the expertise of our Development, Module, and EPC teams, while ensuring close coordination with other vital internal groups such as Project Finance, Systems Integration, and Legal. This collaborative approach ensures that Qcells USA projects deliver exceptional value and performance. With several multi-billion-dollar investments, Qcells is pioneering the establishment of the only complete module supply chain in the U.S., including the expansion of our Georgia module manufacturing facility, which stands as the largest in the Western Hemisphere.

As an integral part of the global Qcells brand, Qcells USA benefits from a legacy of excellence in photovoltaic manufacturing. Qcells is renowned worldwide for its high-performance, superior-quality solar cells and modules. With dual headquarters in Seoul, South Korea (Global Executive HQ) and Thalheim, Germany (Technology & Innovation HQ), Qcells operates under the umbrella of Hanwha Group, a FORTUNE Global 500 company and one of the top 8 business conglomerates in South Korea.

SUMMARY

The Sr. Director, Project Controls provides senior leadership over Qcells USA's project controls function across the full EPC portfolio of utility-scale solar PV and BESS projects. This role is accountable for the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of integrated project controls systems encompassing cost control, schedule management, forecasting, change management, progress measurement, and project reporting - ensuring that all active EPC projects are tracked and managed with accuracy, consistency, and transparency from Notice to Proceed through final close-out. The Sr. Director, Project Controls partners directly with Project Managers, Construction, Finance, and Engineering to deliver a disciplined controls framework that supports informed decision-making and protects project financial performance. This leader builds and manages a geographically dispersed team of project controls professionals and serves as the enterprise authority on controls methodology, tools, and reporting standards across Qcells USA's growing EPC project portfolio.

This position reports to the VP, Project Finance, or another management personnel that the CEO of the Company may designate. This position is remote working from a Home Office with occasional travel and reporting to the Houston, TX office. Standard working hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:00am to 5:00pm or 9:00am to 6:00pm local time. This position is expected to travel up to 25%.

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the United States. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTION & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Define and implement Qcells USA's enterprise project controls framework, establishing standards, procedures, and tools for cost control, schedule management, change management, earned value, and project reporting across the EPC portfolio
• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing project controls team including cost engineers, schedulers, and controls analysts embedded across active projects; set performance expectations and foster a culture of rigor and accountability
• Own the project cost control function across the portfolio, overseeing budget establishment, cost-at-completion (EAC) forecasting, budget-to-actual variance analysis, cost trending, and escalation reporting to project and executive leadership
• Oversee the cost code structure, work breakdown structure (WBS) design, and cost reporting architecture for all EPC projects, ensuring consistency and integrity across the portfolio
• Coordinate with Finance and Accounting on monthly cost reporting, WIP schedule inputs, project cost accruals, and budget-to-forecast reconciliation in support of financial statement accuracy
• Direct the schedule management function across the portfolio, overseeing the development, maintenance, and analysis of integrated project schedules at Level 3 and Level 4 detail using Primavera P6 or equivalent tools
• Review and validate contractor and subcontractor schedule submittals; assess schedule logic, critical path integrity, float consumption, and schedule risk; drive corrective scheduling actions when delays are identified
• Produce and maintain portfolio-level schedule dashboards and milestone tracking reports for EPC leadership, executive review, and client reporting obligations
• Lead the project change management process across the portfolio, establishing and enforcing change order identification, documentation, pricing review, approval workflow, and budget incorporation procedures
• Partner with Construction and Legal teams to ensure change events are captured, quantified, and resolved in a timely manner to protect Qcells USA's contractual and financial position
• Implement and manage earned value management (EVM) or equivalent progress measurement methodologies across EPC projects, providing objective assessment of project performance against plan
• Oversee the development and maintenance of progress measurement systems including percent-complete curves, manpower curves, and S-curves for tracking physical construction progress against budget and schedule
• Prepare and present integrated monthly project controls reports including cost performance, schedule status, change order logs, risk registers, and forecast-at-completion summaries for project reviews and executive leadership
• Lead project risk quantification and schedule risk analysis (SRA) processes; maintain risk registers and support contingency management in coordination with Finance and project leadership
• Oversee the project close-out controls process including final cost reconciliation, lessons-learned capture, close-out reporting, and transition of project data to Finance for warranty reserve and asset accounting
• Drive the selection, implementation, and continuous improvement of project controls software, ERP integrations, and reporting automation tools to improve efficiency and data quality across the function
• Regular attendance, in accordance with company's attendance policy and supervisory assignment, is an essential job duty requirement for this position
• Perform other duties and special projects, as assigned by Management

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Business, or a related field required; advanced degree or MBA preferred
• Minimum of 12 years of progressive project controls experience on large-scale EPC, construction, or infrastructure projects, including at least 4 years in a senior leadership role
• Demonstrated experience leading project controls functions across a portfolio of utility-scale solar PV, BESS, or similar energy infrastructure EPC projects strongly preferred
• Expert proficiency in Primavera P6 for integrated schedule development, baselining, and analysis; experience with Oracle, SAP, or similar ERP platforms for cost management
• Deep knowledge of earned value management (EVM), cost engineering principles, change order management, and schedule risk analysis methodologies
• Proven ability to build and manage geographically dispersed project controls teams across multiple concurrent active projects
• Strong financial acumen with experience supporting project finance reporting, WIP accounting, and budget-to-forecast reconciliation in coordination with Accounting and Finance teams
• Proficiency in project controls reporting tools and data visualization platforms; advanced Excel skills required
• AACE International certification (PSP, CEP, CCP, or equivalent) preferred; PMP a plus
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to translate complex controls data into clear, actionable insights for project teams and executive leadership
• Strong organizational and analytical skills with the ability to manage competing priorities across a fast-paced, growing EPC construction portfolio

EXAMPLES OF PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Stationary Position: frequently remains stationary up to 90% of the time and sitting up to 8 hours in a day
• Move/Traverse: infrequently bend, stand, stoop and/or walk
• Carry Weight: infrequently carry weight and/or lift objects (light to heavy) weighing up to 10 pounds
• Hearing and Speech: frequently communicates with the ability to hear and talk on a regular basis with employees, coworkers, and all personnel matters; must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations
• Sight: frequent use of sight to detect images on computer, office documents, and office objects near and far
• Climb: occasionally ascends/descends on stairway to get to office upper and lower floors
• Travel: up to 25% as needed

EXAMPLES OF WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Regular professional, office business setting
• Noise level ranges from low to moderate (if in office setting)
• Noise level ranges from moderate to high (if on construction worksite)
• Under the Office Mobilization Plan (OMP) policy, the role may transition to an onsite or hybrid arrangement, as determined by business needs and the Head of Department

Hanwha Qcells is proud to be an at-will Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination against race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender perception or identity, national origin, age, marital status, pregnancy, citizenship, disability, protected veteran status and any other classification protected by applicable federal, state or local law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

It is important to note that the job descriptions provided by Qcells USA Corp are not intended to be comprehensive lists of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the positions. Duties and responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice, reflecting our dynamic and evolving work environment.

We are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Hanwha Qcells will provide reasonable accommodations to all qualified individuals with disabilities to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodations at [email protected].

This job position is specific to Qcells USA Corp. only and not any other Hanwha affiliates. The above-listed salary range is required by the California Pay Transparency Act and may differ depending on the location of those candidates hired nationwide. The salary range shared in the job description is for the listed position and only pertains to the candidate if they work in Irvine, CA. Actual compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to internal pay equity, skill set, education, licenses and certifications, geographic location, essential job duties and requirements, and the necessary experience relative to the job’s minimum qualifications. If candidates are considered for a nationwide role, then the compensation range will follow the marketability of the job function within those states. An additional discretionary bonus structure or incentives may be offered as part of the overall compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, dental, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.

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