Principal Project Controls & Review - South Africa at De Beers Group

Job Description:

Purpose of the role:

• To establish and manage the Project Controls functions, systems, and procedures to assure the definition of schedules, budgets and forecast costs for effective project management.  Project Controls duties include:
• Planning, Scheduling, and Project Progress Measurement
• Capital Cost Estimating & Project Risk Management
• Cost Control, Budgeting & Cost Forecasting
• Records and Document Management
• Management and Project Reporting

Key Responsibilities:

General

• Act as regional representative and “First Point of Contact” for Anglo American (AA) P&D Project Controls Group and provide coordination with AA Project Controls Teams in the region.
• Provide leadership and day-to-day technical direction to Project Controls Teams and Study/Project Managers, focused on studies and projects for the region.
• Evaluate technical and resource requirements of Project Controls for the studies/projects in the region.
• Ensure implementation of AA Project Controls Standards and Guidelines.
• Coordinate with HR and SCM/Project Commercial to source Project Controls personnel for Studies & Projects
• Assist in the preparation of Investment Proposal documentation.

Planning and Scheduling

• Projects Integrated Planning Session (IPS) - Ensure Studies and Projects conduct IPS’ and coordinate with the AA Principal Scheduler to ensure proper facilitation of the sessions.
• Ensure preparation of project schedules as defined in the AA and Scheduling Standard.
• Ensure regular updating of detailed schedules for owner’s and contractor’s scope (including Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Commissioning activities).
• Define, ensure implementation and updating of the progress and performance reporting, including contractor’s progress measurements.
• Closely monitor the progress of contractors to ensure deliverables, productivity, expended hours, forecasts to go and resources employed, are accurately and realistically stated.
• Initiate and facilitate weekly schedule status reviews, analysis of schedule trends and formulation of recommended corrective action; and participate in Contractor’s status meetings.
• Quality Assure all required reports and schedule information.

Estimating and Benchmarking

• Prepare or ensure preparation of capital cost estimates, control budgets and forecasts for Owner’s scope, for combination with contractor’s input into an overall project budget and forecast.
• Coordinate with the AA Principal Estimator, the development of each Capital Cost Estimate as defined in the AA Capital Cost Estimating and Scheduling Standard.
• Benchmarking – Coordinate with the AA Principal Estimator to provide the appropriate benchmark information for the development of Study Stage Capex and Opex estimates or as checks for later stage estimates.
• Ensure Qualitative and quantitative risk assessments are complete for projects in line with the AA Project Risk Guideline.

Cost Control and Reporting

• Development and implementation of the Study or Project WBS, including the project cost coding structure to meet estimating, cost control, engineering, document control and other project reporting requirements and compatible with AA’s operating requirements.
• Accountable for the preparation of cost reports for both the Owner’s scope and contractor’s scope of work associated with T&S - Group Projects managed work.
• Maintain accurate records of committed, expended, and forecast costs associated with the study/project against the approved budgets.
• Implement cost forecasting and change management process for Owner’s and contractor’s cost; and ensure timely initiation of cost change variations are recorded and processed.
• Prepare cash flow forecasts of forthcoming financial requirements including commitment curves for the project.
• Review contractor’s progress reports in detail to ensure they are accurate, concise and informative on progress / costs to date and forecasts through to completion.
• Produce the monthly progress reports for projects/studies, and where appropriate, ensure that consolidation of the Owner’s scope with contractor’s reports into one overall report.
• Coordinate with the Finance Department to ensure that generally accepted accounting principles are applied to the project; perform invoice processing; record all actual project costs; perform financial reporting; interface with cost control.
• Ensure the establishment of Project Controls computer systems appropriate for the needs of the project in both home offices and field sites.

Records & Document Control

• Accountable for the establishment of the records management software in the region.
• Implement records and document control processes on projects in line with AA Records Management Guideline

The above duties and responsibilities are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Role-specific knowledge:

• A demonstrated thought leader and considered an external expert in the understanding and application of integrated policies and practices for all Project Controls disciplines (Estimating, Planning/Scheduling/Progressing, and Cost Control)
• Track record of leading ideas generation; translating these into practical initiatives to be implemented and demonstration of successful execution and delivery in Project Controls (Estimating, Planning/Scheduling/Progressing, and Cost Control) practices.
• Extensive knowledge of Project Controls Excellence (Estimating, Planning/Scheduling /Progressing, and Cost Control) over the complete project life cycle
• Significant knowledge of the region being represented, fluent in the local language and cultures; as well as, a working knowledge of the regional engineering and construction markets, companies, and methods of doing business.

Experience:

• 10-15 years experience
• Managerial/Supervisory experience needed
• Technical background would be advantageous

Qualifications:

• Desirable - An undergraduate qualification (Bachelors / Honours degree or equivalent) in a relevant technical discipline  
• A proven track record of extensive practical experience in a role and context of similar complexity is required.