Project Controls Specialist 

 

TechServ is seeking a Project Controls Specialist to support our engineering teams through project budgeting, financial tracking, billing coordination, and operational reporting. This position works closely with the Manager of Engineering, Project Managers, Project Coordinators, and Accounting to maintain accurate project information, identify financial and operational concerns, and support informed decisions across multiple programs. 

About Us: 

TechServ has provided consulting and engineering services to the electric utility industry since 1992. We are a growing company dedicated to hiring and developing a skilled, engaged w0orkforce to meet our clients’ needs. 

TechServ offers a competitive benefits package including health, vision, and dental benefits, a 401(k), training and development opportunities, and paid time off. 

 

About the Role: 

The Project Controls Specialist maintains visibility into project budgets, costs, billing, production, schedules, and resource needs across assigned engineering teams. This role connects project activity with financial performance, investigates discrepancies, and follows issues through resolution. The successful candidate brings practical experience with budgets and accounting, strong Excel skills, and the ability to explain what the numbers mean. They will maintain reliable reports and tools while helping improve the processes used to collect, reconcile, and share project information. 

 

Duties & Responsibilities: 

 

Project Budgets and Financial Performance 

• Establish and maintain project budgets, authorized funding, and financial tracking records. 

• Monitor actual labor hours and costs against budgets, production progress, and remaining scope. 

• Work with Project Managers to develop and update cost, revenue, and completion forecasts. 

• Identify budget variances, declining margins, and projects approaching funding limits. 

• Track scope changes, additional funding needs, and outstanding authorizations. 

• Reconcile project dashboards and reports with accounting records and resolve discrepancies. 

 

Billing and Accounting Coordination 

• Review invoices for accurate hours, billing rates, work order assignments, and supporting documentation. 

• Coordinate with Accounting and Project Managers to resolve billing discrepancies and ensure corrections are completed. 

• Maintain employee classifications and billing rate information used in project reporting. 

• Review labor charges, identify incorrect coding, and coordinate transfers between projects or work orders. 

• Track unbilled work, billing readiness, outstanding invoices, and accounts receivable aging. 

• Prepare billing summaries and support month-end financial reviews. 

• Support financial closeout by confirming that outstanding charges, billing, and corrections have been addressed. 

 

Project Setup and Records 

• Coordinate the setup and maintenance of clients, contracts, jobs, and work orders in Vista and related systems. 

• Maintain statements of work, purchase orders, authorized amounts, amendments, and project identifiers. 

• Verify that project records reflect approved scope, funding, rates, and billing requirements. 

• Support Project Managers and project staff with project record updates and corrections. 

 

Production, Scheduling, and Resource Reporting 

• Maintain dashboards and trackers showing production, backlog, milestones, and project status. 

• Consolidate updates from Project Managers and Project Coordinators to support consistent reporting. 

• Analyze hours charged against completed work and identify trends requiring management attention. 

• Support workload and staffing forecasts by comparing current and anticipated work with available capacity. 

• Flag schedule delays, resource gaps, and other issues affecting project delivery or financial performance. 

• Prepare recurring reports summarizing performance, risks, and actions needed. 

 

Data Integrity and Process Improvement 

• Verify the accuracy and consistency of information across project, accounting, and reporting systems. 

• Investigate missing information, unusual balances, and conflicting records. 

• Improve reporting tools and automate recurring tasks to reduce manual effort. 

• Document reporting procedures and maintain supporting records. 

• Complete additional analysis and related assignments based on engineering leadership priorities. 

 

Required Qualifications: 

• Experience in project controls, project accounting, financial analysis, or a related role, including direct responsibility for budgets and financial reconciliation. 

• Working knowledge of project costs, labor charging, billing, forecasting, and budget variance analysis. 

• Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including formulas, lookup functions, PivotTables, and reconciliation of multiple data sources. 

• Experience using accounting, project management, or reporting systems. 

• Ability to investigate discrepancies, explain findings clearly, and follow corrective actions through completion. 

• Strong attention to detail and the ability to manage recurring deadlines across multiple projects. 

• Effective communication skills and the ability to work with project teams, Accounting, and leadership. 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Outlook, and Teams. 

• High school diploma or GED equivalent. 

• Current eligibility to work in the United States. 

• Ability to meet company pre-employment screening requirements. 

 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience. 

• Experience supporting engineering, utility, construction, or professional services projects. 

• Experience with Vista. 

• Experience with Power Query, Power BI, SharePoint, or reporting automation. 

 

Reports to: Manager of Engineering 

Job Type: Full-time, Salary Exempt 

Travel: No regular travel required 

Location: TBD 

Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm; occasional overtime  

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