Project Control Specialist

Project Controls Lead

Location: Houston, TX

Job Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Work Arrangement: Hybrid

Build the Project Controls Function Behind CenTrio's Growing Capital Portfolio

CenTrio is looking for a Project Controls Lead to help bring structure, visibility, and consistency to a growing portfolio of capital projects.

This is an opportunity for a project controls professional who enjoys working at both the project and portfolio level. You'll help establish project controls standards, develop cost and schedule reporting, monitor project performance, support forecasting and risk analysis, and provide leadership with the information needed to make informed decisions.

As CenTrio continues to expand its district energy infrastructure and pursue new energy, infrastructure, and public-private partnership opportunities, you'll have the opportunity to help shape how projects are planned, monitored, and executed across the organization.

If you're someone who enjoys turning complex project information into clear insights, building processes that make teams more effective, and taking ownership of project performance, this could be a great opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

About CenTrio

CenTrio is a leading U.S. district energy and sustainable energy services provider serving higher education and healthcare campuses, cities, communities, and other complex facilities.

Our energy infrastructure serves more than 170 million square feet across 10 U.S. cities and continues to grow. CenTrio operates utility systems that produce and distribute electricity, steam, hot water, and chilled water, helping customers achieve reliable energy service, lower operating costs, and reduced emissions.

As CenTrio grows its existing infrastructure and develops new projects and partnerships, our Engineering & Construction organization plays an important role in delivering the capital investments that support that growth.

About the Role

The Project Controls Lead will provide integrated cost, schedule, forecasting, risk, and performance management across CenTrio's capital project portfolio.

You'll work closely with project teams, Engineering & Construction leadership, Finance, Operations, and other stakeholders to create consistent project controls practices and provide clear visibility into project performance.

This role combines hands-on project controls work with the opportunity to build and improve processes across a growing organization.

What You'll Do

• Provide accurate and timely reporting on project cost, schedule, forecasts, commitments, progress, and overall performance.
• Establish and maintain project controls standards, processes, systems, and reporting tools across the capital project portfolio.
• Develop integrated cost and schedule baselines, work breakdown structures (WBS), and project controls frameworks.
• Monitor project performance throughout the project lifecycle and identify trends, risks, and potential issues early.
• Perform variance, earned value, risk, and critical path analyses and provide actionable recommendations to project teams and leadership.
• Develop and maintain portfolio-level dashboards and reporting that provide clear visibility into capital project performance.
• Establish consistent approaches to progress measurement, productivity tracking, and completion forecasting.
• Support change management, contingency tracking, and analysis of cost and schedule impacts.
• Partner with Finance and Accounting to ensure project controls information aligns with project financial reporting and requirements.
• Integrate project schedules and execution plans with operational requirements, including planned outages and other critical business constraints.
• Prepare executive, management, and customer presentations highlighting project performance, risks, trends, and key initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to improve project controls methodologies, systems, reporting, and best practices.
• Help establish scalable processes that can support CenTrio's continued growth and expanding capital project portfolio.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for a project controls professional who combines strong analytical skills with a practical understanding of how capital projects are planned and delivered.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Finance, Business, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• 3+ years of project controls experience, preferably within capital projects, infrastructure, energy, industrial, or construction environments.
• Strong experience with project planning, scheduling, cost management, forecasting, estimating, contingency management, and performance analysis.
• Experience developing project reporting, dashboards, and performance management processes.
• Experience working across multiple projects or a project portfolio.
• Working knowledge of project financial systems and accounting processes.
• Experience reconciling project controls data with Finance and Accounting requirements.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience establishing or improving project controls standards, processes, and systems.
• Experience with Primavera P6 or equivalent scheduling software.
• Experience with earned value management, critical path analysis, or other advanced project performance methodologies.
• Experience working with ERP or project financial systems.
• Experience supporting projects involving planned outages or other operational constraints.
• Experience in district energy, utilities, energy infrastructure, industrial facilities, construction, or other asset-intensive environments.

What Will Make You Successful

• Ownership: You take responsibility for your deliverables and follow projects through from planning to completion.
• Analytical thinking: You can identify trends, understand the story behind the numbers, and turn project data into useful recommendations.
• Attention to detail: You understand that accurate project controls information is essential to making good project decisions.
• Communication: You can take complex cost, schedule, and performance information and communicate it clearly to different audiences.
• Collaboration: You build strong working relationships with project teams, Finance, Operations, leadership, and external stakeholders.
• Process improvement: You enjoy finding better ways to organize information, improve reporting, and create consistency across projects.
• Adaptability: You are comfortable managing multiple priorities in a growing and evolving organization.

Why Join CenTrio?

At CenTrio, you'll have the opportunity to contribute to infrastructure projects that have a real, long-term impact on the communities and customers we serve.

We offer:

• Medical, dental, vision, Life & AD&D coverage beginning your first day
• Company-paid High Deductible Health Plan option
• Supplemental Life & AD&D options
• 401(k) with company match
• Training and professional development opportunities
• Career growth and progression opportunities
• Competitive compensation based on skills and experience
• Hybrid work flexibility based on role and business needs
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Program
• Corporate discounts on travel, entertainment, home, auto, apparel, health and wellness, and more