Project Controls and Scheduling Lead, Oil and Gas

Company Profile 

At Sand Cherry Associates, we excel in the design and delivery of strategic customer-centric initiatives through digitally-native, data-empowered solutions.  Our client’s confidence in us is centered on exceptionally skilled, high-energy talent working with the support of the full Sand Cherry team.  Finding the right match for this role is a critical aspect of continuing that success. 

Overview

We're looking for a Project Lead, for an enterprise oil and gas organization, who will be in charge of cost tracking and analysis, schedule management, and compliance with agreements and permits across multiple CCUS projects.  This role will partner with Project Managers who are responsible for overseeing the planning, execution and completion of Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) projects. This is a new role to the client organization and will require at least 5 years of previous experience in this role and brings best practices, insights and expertise to help build out this function at the client organization. This role requires both leadership skills and technical competencies and experience across a broad range of technical disciplines.  This position is remote and may work across all time zones throughout the US, although primarily Mountain or Central Time. Qualified candidates must meet the minimum requirements and be fully authorized to work in the United States, without requiring visa sponsorship or C2C status.

 Duties & Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain project schedules including the incorporation of 3rd party contractor schedules
• Partner with project teams to review, approve, and update schedules on a regular basis
• Monitor the progress against the approved schedule and highlight any deviations to project teams
• Develop standard operating procedures for scheduling across a portfolio of projects
• Evaluate the impact of contractor change orders on project schedules and resource requirements
• Create weekly and monthly reports for leaders that show project costs, schedules, and changes
• Perform data analysis to identify trends and assess health of projects
• Develop and own cost tracking and analysis for CCUS projects.
• Manage and ensure compliance of agreements
• Manage and ensure permits are properly issued and maintained across multiple projects.
• Develop process flows, consistent standards and compliance protocols for this new role within the organization.
• Review and approve third-party contractor invoices
• Evaluate impact of contractor changes to project budget
• Integrate work done by specialists in subsurface, wells, land, surface facilities engineering, stakeholder relations, construction, operations, health, safety, environment, regulatory and commercial partner interfaces.      
• Support safe, cost effective and timely delivery of capital projects.
• Ability to understand complex problems and ensure efficient use of resources to deliver project results. 
• Follows established project management processes within the organization.
• Develop, implement, and help manage robust and fit-for-purpose processes for identifying, screening, appraising, selecting, designing, and executing economic risk.
• Establish robust, effective, and fit-for-purpose project services processes.  
• Document and apply lessons learned for continuous process improvement.             
• Ensure scope, schedule and cost controls are implemented at each project phase, working alongside project managers.
• Collaborate across functions such as Geology, Land, Business Development.
• Develop and apply the project playbook and best practices tool kit.
• Assist in managing vendor, supplier, and service providers.
• Mentor and develop project controls specialists

Desired Skills & Experience

• Project Management experience utilizing PM methodology and tools. This includes project coordination, planning, scheduling, monitoring, documentation and reporting.
• Minimum of 10 years in oil and gas industry in project, program management or consulting capacity.
• Strong individual contributor experience.  Exposure to carbon capture, carbon injections or carbon capture utilization and storage is preferred.
• Ability to integrate, align and motivate a team of people across a common project mission.
• Communication skills, setting of priorities, delegation, and performance management.
• Ability to develop and deliver a complex set of competing objectives.  Set high standards.
• Comfortable with complexity, evolving situations and developing plans with multiple courses of action.
• Knowledge of project development stages from concept definition to design and planning processes to EPC work. 
• Knowledge of use of stage gates, budgets and FID decision making processes
• Understand the value of interfacing and engaging Operations in project design and delivery.
• Basic to moderate subsurface and wells knowledge and an understanding of engineering design processes.
• Contract development, Contractor management and project contract strategies. 
• Construction planning and execution, project completions and commissioning process.
• Understanding of natural gas industry standards, market trends, emerging issues, and regulatory requirements.
• Experience working at a public company in multiple areas of the project management function. 
• Experience identifying, assessing, and addressing key risks; understand the risk/reward picture. 
• Financial management skills and experience utilizing economic models to make informed project decisions.
• Proficient in Excel, PPT, MS Project and able to use digital tools to improve project performance.
• Ability to thrive in a dynamic fast-paced environment and work independently or as part of a team.                                       

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field along with business case experience is required.
• 10+ years of project services, project lead or coordinator experience to include cost tracking and analysis, schedule management, and compliance with agreements and permits within oil and gas organizations.
• Highly proficient in Excel, PPT, MS Project and able to use digital tools to improve project services performance.
• MBA is helpful.
• PMP or PMI certification is preferred.

Compensation

For individuals assigned and/or hired to work in Colorado, Sand Cherry Associates is required by law to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This compensation range is specific to the State of Colorado and takes into account a wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and delivery model. This role is a 6+ month consulting contract and the hourly rate range is $65 - $80. Years of experience, level of education, geographic location, unique skills/qualifications for the specific role and potential certifications can be key factors in the final compensation for this role.

Our team is unique — we are passionate about what we do. At Sand Cherry, our Consultants know they are impacting and shaping our clients’ industries. We recognize our employees for their contributions. Our culture is one of the most friendly and communicative in the consulting industry. Sand Cherry is not a top-heavy organization. We offer the opportunity to be part of a digital workforce. Discover the experience that only comes with self-responsibility in the workplace. Our team members manage their own workloads and are expected to deliver exceptional work for our clients. Professional career growth is one of our main priorities, as we affirm that investing in our Consultants and empowering our people will also deliver the best results and value for our clients.