Project Controls Manager

Title: Project Controls Manager

Location: Denver, CO

Department: Fleet

Job Description:

The Fleet Data Centers Project Controls Manager owns the end-to-end scope, overall project budget, and project schedule change process across large, multi-phase data center programs. This role ensures that all changes are identified, evaluated, approved, documented, and baselined in a consistent, auditable way, protecting MW delivery dates, yield-on-cost (YoC), and commercial commitments.

The Project Controls Manager partners closely with Schedulers, Build TPMs/Project Managers, Supply chain including Cost Management, Design & Engineering, Construction, Procurement, Finance, and Customer Engineering/Customer Success teams to maintain a single, trusted change register and to drive timely, informed decisions on change events.

How will you make a difference?

Change Governance & Process Ownership

• Own the change management framework for data center projects, from change identification through approval and baseline update.
• Define and maintain standard procedures, templates, and workflows for internal and external changes (GC, vendor, and customer-driven).
• Ensure the process aligns with commercial structures.
• Train and coach project teams on change discipline, documentation expectations, and approval thresholds.

Change Identification & Intake

• Establish clear mechanisms for capturing change triggers, including:
• • Customer requests and scope changes
  • Design development / IFC updates
  • Field conditions and constructability issues
  • Utility and power changes
  • Regulatory or code changes
• Facilitate early identification of potential changes through regular interaction with PMs/TPMs, Contractors , designers, and vendor management teams.
• Triage and log change events into a centralized change register, assigning ownership and next steps.

Impact Assessment – Scope, Budget, and Schedule

• Coordinate with Stakeholders and Build TPMs/PMs to assess:
• • Scope impact (what is changing and why)
  • Budget impact (incremental cost, contingency, reserve usage, YoC/$/MW impact)
  • Schedule impact (critical path, float erosion, milestone shifts, EOT needs)
• Support or lead Time Impact Analyses (TIA) in partnership with scheduling.
• Ensure change packages include clear assumptions, alternatives, and risk implications.

Approvals, Documentation & Baseline Management

• Run the change approval workflow in line with Delegation of Authority (DoA), contractual terms, and customer requirements.
• Prepare and facilitate change review forums with project leadership, Finance, and, when applicable, customer counterparts.
• Ensure all approved changes are:
• • Reflected in contracts, change orders, and purchase orders by coordinating with responsible teams
  • Incorporated into cost and schedule baselines in coordination with Project Controls
  • Traced in the change register with full backup (quotes, calculations, correspondence).
• Maintain audit-ready records for internal and external stakeholders .

Customer Engineering/Success

• Act as a primary point of contact for change-related discussions with customer Engineering,  and internal stakehodlers with PMs/TPMs.
• Support responsible teams with internal negotiation of change orders and extensions of time (EOT), ensuring commercial impacts are clear and aligned with internal targets.
• Provide transparent, structured change summaries for customer engineering and executive reporting, linking changes to MW delivery and commercial outcomes.

Reporting, Analytics & Risk

• Maintain a consolidated change log/register at campus/building/MW level, clearly categorized by driver, owner, and status.
• Track and report:
• • Change volumes and values (approved, pending, rejected)
  • Impacts to cost models
  • Associated schedule and risk impacts
• Identify patterns and systemic drivers of change, recommend mitigation strategies (e.g., design standards, early customer alignment).

Continuous Improvement & Lessons Learned

• Lead post-mortem reviews on major changes and completed phases to capture lessons and feed into playbooks.
• Recommend improvements to stakeholders across Design, Engineering, Construction, EHS and Security, Supply Chain, Operations, Legal, Finance, et al in order to document/drive efficiency from signal through execution and delivery.
• Standardize change metrics and KPIs across the portfolio (e.g., % budget in approved changes, average approval cycle time, impact per MW).

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Business, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years of experience in construction, infrastructure, data centers, or large capital projects, with at least 3+ years directly managing change, contracts, or commercial/project controls.

Required Qualifications

• Strong understanding of construction contracts, change orders, and extensions of time (EOT).
• Experience working with Project Controls (cost & schedule) to quantify change impacts.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including ability to present change impacts to leadership and customers.
• High attention to detail with strong documentation and organizational skills.

Preferred

• Experience with data center, mission-critical, or industrial projects.
• Familiarity with developer/hyperscale commercial structures.
• Proficiency with tools such as Primavera P6 / MS Project, cost management systems, and collaboration platforms.
• Exposure to negotiations with GCs, vendors, and/or customers on change orders and claims.
• Professional certifications (e.g., PMP, AACE (CCP/CEP), or contract management certifications) are a plus.

Location and Travel

• Work location is flexible to Seattle, WA, Denver, CO, Austin, TX, or Alexandria, VA. Hybrid 3 days/week in office.

• Regular travel, as needed, to Fleet offices as well as to meet with Vendors.

Expected Salary Range

• 120-150k Base + Discretionary Bonus

Fleet Data Centers Employment

Fleet Data Center employees enjoy competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits, including 100% employer-covered medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401K program, standard paid holidays, and unlimited PTO.  

NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may perform other related duties as assigned to meet the organization's ongoing needs.

Fleet Data Centers is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants are considered for employment regardless of age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status.

If you need assistance applying for any of our open positions, please contact us at info@fleetdatacenters.com.