Lead Project Controls Specialist Cost - 90358718 - Philadelphia/Wilmington/Baltimore/DC

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SUMMARY OF DUTIES:

The Lead Project Controls Specialist - Cost plans, manages, and executes cost engineering and control activities for capital construction projects or portfolios. Under general direction from the Mgr Project Controls and Project Management team, the Lead Project Controls Specialist performs analysis of cost performance, develops estimates, creates and manages budgets, and liaises frequently with Amtrak’s Capital Finance Team. The Lead Project Controls Specialist supports attainment of department or project-specific goals and outcomes through delivery of project control services, ensuring close alignment between project control staff and project management team(s). The Lead Project Controls Specialist also works with project teams on regular reporting of project financial performance.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Serve as Lead Project Controls Specialist for a complex project, program, or portfolio, responsible for analyzing, developing, maintaining, controlling, and reporting project design and construction cost budget, forecasts and expenditures. These forecasts include analyses of project cash flow, commitment plans, and funding in accordance with grant and funding contribution agreements. 
• Assist in development of annual operating plan, including working closely with project managers to estimate costs for upcoming fiscal year as well as out years. Work with Capital Finance to refine plan as necessary. Oversee administration of department budget, including managing off cycle reprogramming requests for new or adjusted funding on projects and preparation and/or approval of purchase requisitions. 
• Perform monthly analysis and report cost performance, develop “bottom-up” forecasts to evaluate performance against Total Life of Project Cost and Schedule. Provide detailed analysis to project team to improve project performance and forecasting as well as to Capital Finance team to support corporate reporting and grants management. 
• Review and vet invoices, receipts them into Amtrak’s Ariba-on-Demand system and develop monthly accruals. Liaise with Finance on journal entries and corrections. • Assure compliance with department and enterprise practices on project budgeting, forecasting, change management, scheduling, cost controlling and related project-specific requirements. Support maintenance of department policies and procedures on project cost control, cost breakdown structures, cost control tools and techniques, risk management, contingency determination, management and draw-down. Incorporate current best practices used in the construction and transportation industries.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s Degree required or equivalent combination of training, education and relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree. 
• Experience leading both cost and schedule controls for capital construction projects, programs, and/or portfolios.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills. 
• Knowledge of principles and practices of construction project management through all phases of the construction project lifecycle 
• Familiarity with tools, techniques, and procedures related to project schedule management, control and forecasting in large and/or complex capital construction projects 
• Knowledge of project risk management principles, practices, standards and methods, including understanding of schedule risk analysis and Monte Carlo method. 
• Ability to implement construction project performance metrics, performance analysis, dashboards and progress reports. 
• Understanding of project financial reporting, forecasting, analysis and monitoring capital project / program / portfolio funding and/or budget. 
• Ability to clearly organize and present project portfol