Regional Director of Project Controls (Electrical Contracting)

GavinHeath is partnering with our client in Phoenix, AZ, a leading organization in the industrial and electrical contracting industry, to add a Regional Director of Project Controls to their team. This is a full-time, on-site position offering relocation support and a competitive compensation package.

This leadership role is instrumental in building and leading a regional project controls operating system that governs planning, cost management, scheduling, billing, forecasting, and closeout across a multi-site, high-value project portfolio.

Responsibilities

• Establish and implement standardized project controls processes, ensuring accuracy and consistency across all project phases from preconstruction through closeout.
• Develop and enforce project controls SOPs covering opportunity tracking, estimating support, project setup, execution, and financial closeout.
• Lead the regional project controls function by training, auditing, and mentoring field and project management teams to ensure compliance and high performance.
• Drive financial accuracy and performance, including labor projections, forecasting, month-end reporting, billing validation, and adherence to project budgets.
• Manage Primavera P6 scheduling and integration with cost management tools, ensuring real-time visibility into schedule adherence, productivity, and cost trends.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Estimating, Operations, Scheduling, and Finance to align project cost and schedule forecasting with corporate objectives.
• Intervene in at-risk projects to address schedule deviations, cost overruns, and billing inefficiencies; develop and execute corrective action plans.
• Lead audits and month-end procedures, ensuring all project activities are properly coded, billed, and closed in alignment with financial targets.
• Build and scale the regional controls organization, including hiring, training, and mentoring additional analysts, cost specialists, and scheduling professionals.
• Ensure compliance with internal safety and quality standards while supporting a culture of accountability, innovation, and operational excellence.

Qualifications Required:

• 15+ years of experience in industrial or electrical contracting, with direct responsibility for both cost and schedule management.
• Proven expertise in Primavera P6 (non-negotiable).
• Experience managing project forecasting, labor productivity tracking, and billing procedures for high-value construction projects.
• Hands-on experience implementing or enforcing activity code books, cost control standards, and earned value methodologies.
• Prior leadership experience building or managing multi-site or regional project controls teams.
• Working knowledge of HCSS HeavyJob, Viewpoint Vista, or equivalent project management and ERP systems.
• Strong analytical and reporting skills, with advanced Excel proficiency and financial literacy.
• OSHA-30 certification (or ability to obtain) and a valid driver's license.

Preferred:

• Experience in data center or mission-critical construction environments.
• Familiarity with HeavyBid estimating tools and advanced data integration between cost and schedule.
• Strong communication, presentation, and training skills; ability to build trust across field operations and leadership.
• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).

Compensation & Logistics

• Base Salary: $200,000 $225,000 + discretionary performance bonus
• Employment Type: Full-Time (Direct Hire)
• Work Location: On-site in Phoenix, AZ
• Travel: Approximately 30 50% across regional project sites
• Relocation: Supported

About the Opportunity
This is a pivotal leadership role designed for a project controls professional who thrives in high-growth, high-impact environments. The selected individual will play a direct role in shaping operational discipline and visibility for projects exceeding $1B in combined value.

As a trusted advisor to project leadership, you'll have broad influence from developing forecasting tools and auditing cost performance to implementing the systems and training that make operational excellence measurable and repeatable.

Why Join

• Build a regional project controls framework from the ground up.
• Partner closely with senior leadership across Operations, Scheduling, and Finance.
• Influence enterprise-wide project performance metrics and operational standards.
• Join a growing organization committed to safety, integrity, innovation, and quality.