Project Controls / Cost Engineer - Huntsville

Role Summary

The Advisor, Project Controls/Cost Engineer is the central steward for project controls functions within Global Facilities Delivery (GFD). This role ensures best-in-class practices in budgeting, cost control, earned value management, change and risk management, forecasting, and planning. The Project Controls Engineer provides strategic governance, leadership, and mentorship to project controls teams across a diverse portfolio of capital projects, with a strong focus on cost management and business value. The incumbent drives continuous improvement, compliance, and capability development, enabling successful project delivery and organizational growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and continuously improve project controls processes, standards, and systems to ensure alignment with industry best practices and organizational objectives.
• Conduct reviews of project controls across the portfolio, identifying gaps and driving corrective actions.
• Author and update standards, work instructions, and playbooks to establish and maintain best practices.
• Provide governance, mentoring, and training to project controls teams, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous learning.
• Lead organizational change initiatives to adopt advanced project management and controls methodologies.
• Advise project teams and contractors on effective project management systems for scope, cost, and schedule performance.
• Collaborate in developing project estimates, budgets, and value engineering strategies.
• Analyze contractor spend and invoices to ensure accuracy and prevent financial loss.
• Establish and maintain comprehensive risk management processes, including risk registers and probabilistic assessments.
• Implement robust change control processes in alignment with standard operating procedures.
• Ensure consistent and proper use of project controls systems, processes, and resources across all projects.
• Ensure proper application of company finance policies on capital projects, safeguarding compliance and financial integrity.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement and innovation in project controls, driving adoption of new tools and techniques.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business management, finance, engineering, construction, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• At least 8 years of experience in project control, quantity surveying, or similar field.
• Qualified applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Lilly will not provide support for or sponsor work authorization or visas for this role, including but not limited to F-1 CPT, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, J-1, H-1B, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, or L-1.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional certification from a project control body such as RICS, AACE, or PMI.
• Proficiency with project management and estimating systems (e.g., SAP, Sage Timberline, Oracle Unifier, Primavera P6, Primavera Risk).
• Advanced understanding of financial concepts and estimating, cost management theory (e.g. TCM), project change and risk management, project planning and scheduling, and work/cost breakdown structures.
• Capacity to achieve results and influence people.
• Strong analytical and numerical skills.
• Effective communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Self-disciplined, motivated, and able to work with limited supervision.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and innovative thinking.

Travel required up to 25%.