Project Planning & Controls Manager

Cairo, Cairo, Egypt

The Project Controls Manager will lead and develop the Planning and Project Controls function across multiple projects and programmes, ensuring excellence in planning, scheduling, cost management, forecasting, risk management, change control, and performance reporting.

The role will act as a trusted advisor to project leadership and clients, providing strategic oversight of project performance while leading, mentoring, and developing a high-performing team of planners, schedulers, cost controllers, and project controls professionals. The position is responsible for establishing project controls best practices, driving consistency of delivery, and building future capability within the business.

ROLE

Project Controls Leadership

• Lead and manage project controls teams across multiple projects and programmes.

• Establish and continuously improve project controls processes, systems, and governance frameworks.

• Develop team capability through coaching, mentoring, technical guidance, and structured development plans.

• Build a high-performance culture focused on accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

• Ensure consistency and quality across planning, scheduling, cost management, risk, change, and reporting deliverables.

• Act as Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Planning and Project Controls.

• Support recruitment, succession planning, and capability development initiatives.

• Drive innovation, automation, and digital transformation within project controls functions.

Planning and Scheduling

• Lead the development, implementation, and maintenance of integrated project schedules using Primavera P6 and other scheduling tools.

• Establish programme baselines, milestone frameworks, and performance measurement systems.

• Conduct Critical Path Analysis (CPA), schedule health checks, and schedule assurance reviews.

• Oversee preparation of master schedules, look-ahead programmes, and recovery plans.

• Monitor project progress and identify schedule risks, opportunities, and mitigation measures.

• Support delay analysis, extension of time assessments, and schedule impact evaluations.

• Ensure compliance with project scheduling standards, governance requirements, and industry best practices.

• Integrate cost, resource, and risk information into project schedules.

• Guide the team in preparation of S-curves, Earned Value metrics, dashboards, and schedule analytics.

Cost Management & Forecasting

• Lead project budgeting, forecasting, and cost control activities.

• Establish Cost Breakdown Structures (CBS) aligned with project Work Breakdown Structures (WBS).

• Monitor project expenditure and assess performance against approved budgets.

• Prepare cost forecasts, earned value assessments, cash flow projections, and variance analyses.

• Identify cost risks, trends, and opportunities and recommend corrective actions.

• Drive forecasting accuracy and improve project financial visibility.

• Support commercial teams in change management, early warnings, and client negotiations.

Risk, Opportunity & Change Management

• Establish and maintain risk and opportunity management processes.

• Facilitate risk identification workshops and mitigation planning.

• Integrate risk impacts into schedule and cost forecasts.

• Lead change control processes and assess impacts on scope, schedule, and cost.

• Maintain accurate records of approved and pending changes.

• Support governance boards and project leadership in decision-making.

Performance Reporting & Data Analytics

• Develop and maintain project controls reporting systems and dashboards.

• Produce weekly, monthly, and executive-level performance reports.

• Develop KPIs to measure project performance across schedule, cost, risk, and delivery.

• Utilize Power BI and digital reporting tools to improve project visibility.

• Analyze large datasets and convert performance information into meaningful business insights.

• Present project status, forecasts, risks, and recovery plans to senior leadership and clients.

Stakeholder & Client Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for project planning and project controls matters.

• Build strong relationships with project managers, clients, consultants, contractors, and senior stakeholders.

• Support client audits, reviews, assurance activities, and governance forums.

• Provide strategic advice and recommendations to project and programme leadership teams.

• Influence decision-making through data-driven insights and proactive problem solving.

Quality, Assurance & Governance

• Ensure compliance with company standards, client requirements, and industry best practices.

• Conduct periodic project controls audits and assurance reviews.

• Maintain robust project controls documentation and records.

• Support implementation of lessons learned and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Contribute to the development of organizational project controls capability and standards.

People Leadership & Mentoring Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and inspire a team of planners, project controls engineers, cost controllers, and analysts.

• Provide technical coaching and career development support.

• Conduct performance reviews and competency assessments.

• Build succession plans and develop future project controls leaders.

• Promote knowledge sharing, lessons learned, and best practice adoption across the team.

• Create an environment of collaboration, accountability, and professional growth.

About You

Essential Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, or related discipline.

• 12-15+ years' experience in Planning and Project Controls within engineering, infrastructure, transportation, construction, or major capital projects.

• Proven experience leading Project Controls and Planning teams on complex programmes.

• Advanced expertise in Primavera P6 and project scheduling methodologies.

• Strong understanding of cost management, forecasting, Earned Value Management (EVM), risk management, and change control.

• Experience developing and managing integrated project controls frameworks.

• Excellent leadership, stakeholder management, communication, and presentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• PMP, PMI-SP, AACE CCP, ACostE, APM, PRINCE2, or equivalent professional certification.

• Experience with NEC3/NEC4 contracts and commercial management principles.

• Knowledge of Power BI, EcoSys, SQL, and project controls automation tools.

• Experience working on international infrastructure and transportation programmes.

• Chartered status or equivalent professional accreditation.