Position Description
Project Controls Specialist – Field (B2B)
APF Tie?In Project
Reporting To: Site Manager – APF Tie?In Project
Functional Reporting Line: Project Controls Lead – APF Tie?In Project
Location: Site-based (Rotational) – Southern Highlands, PNG
Position Objective
The Project Controls Specialist (Field) is responsible for providing site?based project controls support to construction activities associated with the APF Tie?In Project. This role covers multiple locations across the Southern Highlands, PNG, and is primarily focused on the capture, collation, review, and verification of reimbursable Time & Materials (T&M) construction data, including labour, plant, and materials.
The role ensures accurate cost capture, transparent reporting, compliance with contractual requirements, and alignment with approved project controls processes and governance standards. The Project Controls Specialist (Field) administers project controls processes in accordance with approved execution strategies and plans, providing timely, accurate, and meaningful data to support informed decision?making.
The role works closely with Construction and Commissioning Leads, site contractors, and the Brisbane?based Project Services team. As the on?site focal point for project progress data and cost assurance, the role engages with contracted organisations to ensure timely and accurate progress and cost reporting, enabling early identification and management of emerging trends or issues that inform the overall project forecast.
Key Accountabilities
General Project Controls
- Work closely with project team members, contractors, and key site stakeholders to ensure effective project controls are implemented on site.
- Advise the Site Manager, Construction Leads, and site Project Management Team of emerging or actual issues, including recommendations to mitigate risks or resolve problems.
- Communicate site?based cost and progress issues to the Brisbane?based Project Services team for inclusion in overall project forecasting.
- Provide on?site representation and advocacy for project controls requirements.
- Act as subject matter expert and primary contact for site?based project controls matters.
Project Controls – Site Support
- Perform independent review and verification of construction cost data generated through established project systems.
- Validate contractor cost submissions against contract terms, agreed rates, and approved scopes of work.
- Monitor actual costs versus budget and forecast, identifying anomalies, emerging trends, and potential cost risks.
- Provide timely feedback to the Site Manager, Construction Leads, and Brisbane Project Controls team on cost performance and potential exposures.
- Conduct spot checks and trend analysis of labour hours, plant utilisation, and crew compositions to ensure reasonableness and consistency.
- Verify reimbursable cost claims for purchased materials and consumables under cost?plus arrangements, ensuring costs are allowable, correctly allocated, and supported by compliant documentation.
- Review and validate contractor progress reports for accuracy, completeness, and consistency with site conditions.
- Cross?check reported physical progress against site observations, work fronts, schedules, and discussions with construction leads.
- Provide site?based commentary and qualitative insights to support reporting.
- Support identification and documentation of variations, scope growth, and potential change events, including provision of factual cost and productivity data to support commercial discussions.
- Provide on?site planning and scheduling support, including stewardship of contractor schedules and liaison with the Senior Planner to ensure alignment.
- Act as the on?site project controls focal point, bridging construction execution and off?site project controls governance.
- Coordinate regularly with the Brisbane Project Controls team to ensure consistent application of systems, processes, and reporting standards.
- Escalate data integrity, compliance, or trend concerns in a timely and constructive manner.
- Ensure site?based inputs and contractor?generated data meet governance, audit, and assurance requirements.
- Identify opportunities to improve data quality, reporting clarity, and efficiency within existing systems.
- Ensure all commercial and cost control activities are performed in a manner consistent with safety and ethical standards.
Professional Experience (Essential)
- Minimum 10 years’ experience in project controls on major resource or infrastructure projects, particularly in site?based roles.
- Experience with construction contracts, preferably in remote locations and with rates?based or reimbursable compensation models.
- Strong understanding of labour, plant, and materials cost structures.
- Demonstrated knowledge of extension of time (EOT) and cost claims.
- Execution experience on capital projects, ideally within the upstream oil and gas sector.
- Experience working in developing countries and/or remote locations is highly desirable.
Technical Competencies
- Proven ability to deliver project controls outcomes with limited supervision.
- Strong stakeholder engagement and reporting skills.
- Highly analytical, with the ability to integrate multiple data sources.
- Process?driven mindset with a focus on continuous improvement and efficiency.
- In?depth knowledge of:
- Cost control
- Planning and scheduling
- Progress measurement
- Forecasting
- Change control
- Risk management
- Project reporting
- Strong understanding of project controls requirements across different contract types (reimbursable, unit rate, lump sum).
- Strong written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
- Effective interpersonal skills for working with owners’ teams and contractors.
- Ability to work back?to?back rotations with effective handover practices.
- Willingness and ability to work 28?day rotations with flexibility as required.
Qualifications
- Tertiary qualification in Engineering, Project Management, or another relevant discipline.
- Familiarity with project controls software, including cost control and scheduling tools.