Program Controls Manager

Are you interested in being part of an innovative team that supports Westinghouse’s mission to provide clean energy solutions? At Westinghouse, we recognize that our employees are our most valuable asset and we seek to identify, attract and recruit the most qualified talent while recognizing and encouraging the value of diversity in the global workplace.

Program Controls Manager - Springfields, Lancashire, UK (Hybrid working arrangement available)

No relocations assistance is available for this position. 

General Job Function:

The delivery of the Westinghouse UK Fuel Growth Program is essential to the future nuclear fuel products for all current and future reactor types and is a fundamental part of the UK Government’s Nuclear Roadmap and Net Zero 2050 commitment. The portfolio is fundamental to the Westinghouse UK Fuel long-term strategy and essential for the growth of Springfields Fuels site.

We are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic professional to join our project team as a Program Controls Manager. The role will be varied and wide ranging with the successful candidate supporting a diverse portfolio of projects in a number of operational production plant, laboratory, and site infrastructure support areas. The responsibilities start at business planning and follow through bid, delivery to contract closure.

Program Controls Manager will be responsible for providing management and leadership to the Project Controls function across the UK Fuel Business Unit.

The Program Controls Manager reports to the UK Fuel Head of Programs and will be responsible for the overall delivery of the Program Controls functional requirements.  The portfolio of projects and programs has a significant market reputation, high in complexity and high value with an overall value in excess of approximately £1B. The role will require the management and co-ordination of a diverse set of stakeholders including representatives from Commercial, Finance, Operations, Safety and Quality internal departments in addition to stakeholders in the wider Westinghouse company such as the US and Japan. External stakeholders include UK Government DESNZ and NDA.

The role will include the setting up, management of, training and deployment of tools to effectively communicate a consolidated view of project status, key metrics and resource capacity plans at a portfolio and program level; ensuring cost project performance, schedule milestones, risks, issues, controls and benefits are monitored and reported through suitably robust and efficient processes.

The Program Controls Manager will have line management responsibility for a growing team of project controls professionals and support staff. The duty holder will have demonstrable experience in estimating, cost management, risk management and change control.

Duties and Responsibilitie:

Cost Management:

• To provide, maintain, govern, and assure cost planning, risk, change control and reporting functions and service to support the achievement of the UK Fuel team’s portfolio & program performance objectives
• Develop and maintain cost estimating norms and ensure these are consistently applied across the portfolio.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive project cost loaded schedules, ensuring alignment with overall program objectives.
• Collaborate with project managers and other stakeholders to create realistic and achievable project estimates and budgets.
• Set up project Work Breakdown Structures and Cost Breakdown Structures, establish cost codes and ensure cost and timebooking governance is maintained

Reporting & Communication:

•  Apply a challenging attitude to ensure projects/risks/activities are prioritised effectively for the benefit of the program.
• Prepare regular project controls reports for management and stakeholders.
• Communicate project status, key performance indicators, and potential issues to relevant parties.
• Facilitate meetings to review project controls and address concerns.

Resource Management:

• Lead, mentor and supervise the project controls personnel in the discharging of their duties and set expectations of the standard of the delivery service.
• Provide training opportunities for less experienced project controls professionals and ensure policies, practices and procedures are consistently applied across the whole portfolio.
• Ensure yourself and the project controls team are adequately trained in the Westinghouse Project Management Requirements (WPMR) training program (this will be provided).
• Agree the level of service & staffing plan and engage the program controls capability to assign appropriate resources.
• Management of the appointment of project controls resources to the project teams and engages with functional managers to achieve the necessary skills and experience to meet the project’s objectives.

Compliance & Regulation:

• Responsible to the BU leadership for portfolio, program and project controls best practice and for ensuring alignment with corporate procedures (WPMR). Acts as key point of contact for any inter-departmental transactions relating to project or program controls.
• Stay updated on changes in regulations and implement necessary adjustments to project controls processes.

Earned Value Management (EVM):

• Manage the forecasting and profiling of ‘benefits / savings’ opportunities based on the delivery schedules that are comprised within the programs.
• Implement EVM techniques to measure project performance against planned objectives.
• Analyze and interpret EVM data, providing insights into project health and forecasting.
• Communicate EVM results to stakeholders and recommend corrective actions as necessary.

Planning and Scheduling:

• Develop and maintain comprehensive project schedules (both resource & cost loaded), ensuring alignment with overall program objectives.
• Collaborate with project managers and other stakeholders to create realistic and achievable project plans.
• Implement effective schedule control measures and identify potential risks and issues.

Continuous Improvement:

• Set standards, through liaison with business functions, to ensure compliance with existing policies and practices and meet expectations of the stakeholders – accept and promote potential challenges with the intention of striving for improvement.
• Implement best practices and lessons learned from previous projects to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
• Lead problem-solving activities and seek opportunities to innovate and drive for solutions e.g., optioneering studies and investigations.­ This will require sound knowledge and understanding of the project’s benefits and the importance to our business.

Quality Assurance:

• Set up and perform regular functional peer review and support the Program Controls QA process (once established).
• Ensure data accuracy and integrity in project controls systems and reports.

Accountabilities:

• Management and supervision of a growing program controls team

• Checking and approval of estimates, bids and reports and onward issuance to internal and external stakeholders including Customers, Department of Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ), National Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and Regulatory Bodies, including the Office of Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and the Environment Agency (EA).

• Ensures reporting at all levels up to the Business unit and Springfields Executive is effective and efficient and compliant with corporate procedures

• Setting up, management of, training and deployment of tools and resources.

• Accountable to ensuring team members are suitably qualified and experienced to fulfil their duties and are compliant with the Westinghouse and local procedures

• Perform Superintending Officer duties for contractors working within the Program Controls Team, responsible for ensuring appropriate Command and Control and Supervision arrangements are in place for contractors. (training will be provided, further details captured in SSI599 (provided on request)).

• Holds seniority for the responsibilities and accountabilities within the project controls environment and be proactive and visible as the driving force behind the project plans

• Manages and Reviews customer offers - including basis of estimate (scope) documents, risk and assumption modelling and costs provided to LOAs

Education and Qualifications / Skills and Competencies:

• A minimum of 10 years project management experience 
  • At least 5 years of experience at senior project controls or project manager level in high complexity, highly regulated environment.
  • At least 5 further years of managing full lifecycle projects from business case, bid, initiation, execution, closeout & benefits realisation
• Essential to have a professional qualification in project management or project controls, scientific or engineering discipline to BEng level.
• WEC qualification level under WPMR to Project Controls Professional as a minimum (training will be provided)
• Must already be legally eligible to work in the UK (no sponsorship program available)