Program Controls Leader

Program Controls Leader to join our team. As our national footprint continues to grow, we are considering qualified candidates in any Freese and Nichols location. This is a company-wide leadership role responsible for leading Program Controls at Freese and Nichols, Inc. Program Controls is the application of Project Controls in a Program Management context.

What You'll Do

• Partner closely with Program Management Leadership to design and implement program controls strategies, strategic initiatives, best practices, and digital solutions that deliver maximum value to internal and external clients
• Lead and manage Program Controls staff, including recruitment, supervision, assignments, and retention.
• Promote collaboration across practices to ensure consistent execution and delivery of program controls services.
• Oversee program controls for large, highly strategic, and complex programs.
• Provide senior-level direction to ensure program controls activities align with organizational strategy.
• Coordinate multiple projects within a program to ensure integration and alignment with overall objectives.
• Drive process improvements and strengthen collaboration among project teams.
• Identify and manage interdependencies across programs and projects, applying advanced risk mitigation strategies.
• Assist Project Manager in conflict resolution efforts to maintain optimal program performance.
• Support advanced resource planning and allocation to enhance efficiency and productivity.
• Introduce innovative approaches that exceed program goals and support broader organizational success.
• Provide expert oversight and guidance to program and project controls teams to ensure effective execution.
• Deliver clear, concise, and actionable communications to program teams, stakeholders, and senior leadership.
• Assist program managers, program teams, stakeholders, and senior leadership in preparing and delivering the program controls message and capabilities to clients.

Ideal candidate will present extensive professional experience in a Program Controls leadership role.

Knowledge

• Provides strategic and visionary leadership for program controls, aligning practices with broader organizational goals.
• Applies deep expertise to strengthen and advance program controls capabilities.
• Possesses comprehensive knowledge of program controls principles and significant experience contributing thought leadership and discipline development.
• Recognized within the industry as a leading authority in program controls, with experience managing major client programs.
• Considered a subject matter expert and key contributor in the field of program controls.
• Clearly understands and articulates the distinctions between program controls and project controls functions.

Technical Excellence

• Provides strategic oversight of program controls processes, tools, methodologies, and decision-making to ensure successful delivery and organizational alignment.
• Demonstrates exceptional expertise in establishing and maintaining robust baselines, monitoring performance, and delivering meaningful analysis to support proactive program management and evidence-based decisions.
• Applies advanced technical proficiency in both project and program controls, demonstrating mastery-level competencies.

Leadership

• Cultivates a collaborative, high-performing, and positive team environment.
• Proven senior leader with a strong record of driving performance and achieving organizational objectives.
• Contributes to the profession through thought leadership, publications, conference participation, and professional association involvement.
• Champions best practices, positioning the organization as a leader in program controls.
• Stays current with emerging trends and industry developments.
• Demonstrates advanced program management leadership capabilities.
• Mentors, develops, and evaluates team members at all levels.
• Actively recruits and supports retention of top talent.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in project management, engineering, architecture, business, building construction, construction management, or equivalent practical experience.
• 10+ years of experience working and leading in the program controls environment.
• 5+ years of experience leading program controls for a company or a business line within a company.
• Experience developing, maintaining, and utilizing interactive dashboards and data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, and similar AI-enabled analytics platforms)
• Demonstrated proficiency in program controls and related interdependencies.
• Willingness to travel frequently as needed to meet project and client requirements.

Preferred

• Professional Engineer (PE) or Registered Architect (RA) or Certified Construction Manager (CCM) or Project Management Professional (PMP).
• Experience developing team and professional growth path (program controls and estimators and schedulers
• Software experience with Oracle, Power BI, Excel Modeling or Power Query, SAP, Share Point, Projectmates, Procore, other PMIS Databases, Tableau
• Active participation in professional organizations and continuing education. Preference to participation in professional organization leadership roles and history of presenting at regional and national conferences.