Director of Project Controls

Location: Oak Ridge, TN

X-energy LLC conducts a thorough recruiting process and will never issue offers without interview to discuss qualifications and responsibilities. All applications will be submitted via our company career page, www.x-energy.com/careers/. We will never ask you to provide payment information as part of the recruiting process. If anyone claiming to represent X-energy directs you in a manner otherwise, please contact us at www.x-energy.com/contact-us.

Lead the project controls function behind TRISO-X's advanced nuclear fuel programs. The Director of Project Controls, will provide strategic leadership and oversight for enterprise project planning, scheduling, cost control, estimating, risk management, resource planning, and change management across multiple programs and capital projects within the TRISO-X Project Management Office (PMO). This role will set the structure, governance systems, procedures, and performance measurement standards that guide project controls work, and keep that work aligned with organizational goals, business growth objectives, and regulatory requirements.

Oversee earned value management (EVM) and other performance methods. Partner with executive leadership, program management, and finance to define KPIs, forecasting methods, and a reporting cadence, so project teams have executable plans, timely performance data, and clear reporting. Provide hands-on guidance and quality checks on schedules, cost reports, forecasts, estimates, risk registers, and change requests, and help leaders understand where a project stands and where current trends are taking it.

Beyond day-to-day delivery, this role will advise executives on early project planning, investment decisions and gates, project execution plans, procurement strategy, tax benefit realization, and risk mitigation frameworks. Set up project cost accounting frameworks and budgets. Build and develop a collaborative, cross-trained team of direct-report and matrixed project controls engineers and analysts, with a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

We're looking for a leader with a bachelor's degree in management, business, engineering, science, or a related technical field (an advanced degree or MBA is preferred) and at least 17 years of progressive experience in project controls, project management, or project engineering on large, complex (mega) capital projects in a PMO environment. This role also requires at least 5 years leading multi-disciplinary project controls or project management teams at the enterprise or program level.

And a track record of building enterprise-wide project controls frameworks, working knowledge of EVM, and the strategic, analytical, and communication skills to influence senior executives and drive organizational change.

Job Profile Tasks/Responsibilities

Lead the development and continuous improvement of TRISO-X’s project controls function for all programs/projects, providing day‑to‑day management and oversight of planning and scheduling, cost control, estimating, risk management, resource/staff planning, and change management.

Oversee implementation of earned value management (EVM) and other project performance methodologies that meet client, regulatory, and PMO governance requirements. Partner with executive leadership, program management, finance, and other TRISO-X organizations to define key performance indicators (KPIs), metrics, forecasting methodology, and robust performance reporting cadence across the enterprise ensuring teams adhere to established standards.

Develop project controls engineers and analysts, including workload assignment, hiring/recruiting input, onboarding, performance management, coaching, and training—particularly cross-training—to develop well‑rounded professionals supporting their PMO clients. Lead a blend of direct report and matrixed employees to provide consistent and high value support.

Provide hands‑on guidance and quality checks on core project controls outputs (schedules, cost reports, forecasts, estimates, risk registers, trend logs, change requests, etc.) to ensure accuracy and completeness. Provide advice and assistance with interpreting data and report information to understand the state of the project, identify performance detractors, and project future state if current trends continue unaddressed. Assist with project performance report development.

Oversee the development, execution, and continuous improvement of project controls processes, procedures, templates, toolsets, and software implementation, scaled to project size and complexity, and incorporate lessons learned from active projects.

Assist executive leadership with early project planning, strategic investment decisions/gates, project execution plan development, procurement strategy selection, tax benefit realization, and risk mitigation frameworks. Establish project cost accounting frameworks and budgets.

Maintain robust past project performance data, knowledge management, and lessons learned archives for analysis, reporting, and future project planning.

Build and sustain a team culture of collaboration, self-accountability, and continuous improvement, aligned with TRISO-X's values. Ensure compliance with X-energy’s and TRISO-X’s corporate policies, procedures, and ethical standards.

Perform other duties as assigned by manager.

Job Profile Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in management, business, engineering, science or related technical discipline from an accredited university or college; advanced degree and/or MBA is preferred.
• Minimum of 17 years of progressive experience in project controls, project management, or project engineering supporting large and complex (mega) capital projects and working within a PMO environment.
• At least 5 years of proven leadership experience managing multi-disciplinary project controls or project management teams at the enterprise or program level.
• Demonstrated ability to lead development and implementation of enterprise-wide project controls frameworks, governance systems, risk management, and performance measurement tools.
• Working knowledge of earned value management principles and their practical application.
• Demonstrated ability to help project teams define and use KPIs and performance data to drive timely, effective decisions.
• Strong strategic, analytical, and communication skills with the ability to influence senior executives and drive organizational change.
• Basic software application skills (i.e. Microsoft Word and Excel).
• Proficienc using MS Project, Primavera P6 or other project software tools, preferred.