Junior Project Controller Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Position Summary: Responsible for providing overall project management for small - large existing and new fiber broadband and/or electric energy projects out of the Project Management Office. This position will provide effective communication, planning, and logistics for Finley projects, project teams, and client representatives. Assist project teams in all phases of the project lifecycle. Assist in mentoring new Project Managers as needed, and work with other team members to create and continuously improve PMO processes, practices, and training.

Responsibilities: 

• Participate in the sales and client engagement activities process as directed by the Client Vice President, when applicable.
• Lead the planning and execution of small to medium-sized broadband, telecom, and electric energy projects, ensuring alignment with client goals, budgets, and timelines.
• Drive projects forward proactively, identifying challenges early and implementing solutions to maintain project momentum.
• Anticipate and manage risks, ensuring mitigation strategies are in place and escalating when necessary.
• Take a consultative approach with clients, understanding pain points and collaborating on solutions that enhance project success and client satisfaction.
• Own project scope and delivery, ensuring clarity on expectations, deliverables, and project gates while managing change effectively.
• Manage financial aspects by tracking budgets, overseeing invoicing, and assessing the impact of scope changes with the support of leadership.
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration, ensuring seamless coordination between engineering, mapping, operations, and external stakeholders.
• Lead stakeholder communication, ensuring transparency, timely updates, and alignment with project objectives.
• Demonstrate leadership and accountability, ensuring clear project roles, responsibilities, and reporting structures.
• Generate meeting agendas, write meeting memos/minutes, etc.
• Translate technical details into actionable plans, leveraging industry knowledge of broadband, OSP/ISP, and aerial/buried infrastructure.
• Stay ahead of industry trends, continuously learning about new technologies, regulations, and best practices that impact broadband project execution.
• Lead problem-solving efforts, addressing roadblocks, adapting to project dynamics, and maintaining focus on successful outcomes.
• Mentor junior team members, sharing insights and best practices to elevate team performance.
• Serve as the primary point-of-contact for clients on assigned projects, ensuring alignment between client expectations and project delivery.

• Independently lead and manage multiple small to large projects, meeting or exceeding client deadlines, budgets, and quality standards.

• Take on a strategic leadership role, proactively drive projects and managing project risks, quality assurance, and key performance metrics such as cost per mile and cost per subscriber.

• Facilitate, lead, and contribute to the estimation process, leveraging past project data and industry benchmarks.

• Own all aspects of project planning and execution, ensuring scope, schedules, risks, and deliverables are well-defined and effectively managed.

• Drive cross-functional collaboration, assigning tasks, tracking progress, and working with functional leadership to optimize resource allocation.

• Independently develop and present solutions for project challenges, demonstrating a consultative approach with clients and stakeholders.

• Create, manage, and maintain project work plans, schedules, and dependencies, ensuring accuracy and efficiency in execution.

• Proactively assess and manage scope changes, evaluating their impact on budget, schedule, and overall project success.

• Balance client expectations with project realities, ensuring project scope remains controlled while fostering a positive client experience.

• Own and manage project financials, including budgeting, resourcing, and invoicing, ensuring profitability and cost control.

• Establish and maintain high-performing project teams, clearly defining roles, team structures, and reporting expectations.

• Mentor and coach junior Project Managers, sharing best practices in project management, funding mechanisms, and contract administration.

• Review project documentation and deliverables from junior project managers to ensure accuracy and completeness.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of Finley’s project management standards, identifying opportunities for process optimization.

• Champion process improvement within the PMO, actively identifying and implementing efficiencies in project execution.

• Execute clients’ existing strategies or plans by helping ensure work performed meets expectations (schedule, budgets, resources, quality), providing clear updates, deliverables, and progress reports to clients and internal stakeholders, addressing needs responsively and professionally, and identifying opportunities for process improvement or adjustment.

• Maintain continuous engagement with strategic or high-value clients through frequent touchpoints (often weekly or more), serving as a central driver of relationship management and service quality.
• Perform other related duties, as assigned.

Education: Associate degree in a related field or high school diploma in combination with directly related work experience.
Experience: 
Required:
• 3+ years of project management experience in the fiber broadband, electric, energy, utilities (transmission), or construction industry.
• Proven ability to independently lead and manage multiple projects from initiation to closure, with experience in building a schedule and budget from a scope.
• Strong understanding and application of project management principles, methodologies, and best practices.
• Experience in client engagement, serving as the primary point of contact and aligning project delivery with client expectations.
• Ability to proactively identify project risks and challenges, developing strategic solutions to maintain project momentum.
• Experience in financial management of projects, including budgeting, cost control, invoicing, and tracking key performance metrics.
• Proficiency with project management tools (Smartsheet, Excel, and Teams) and the ability to train others on their use.
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to balance client needs and project realities.
• Experience with cross-functional team coordination and stakeholder management, ensuring seamless collaboration between engineering, operations, mapping, other functional groups, and the client at all levels.
• Ability to mentor and coach junior project managers, contributing to their professional development and project success.
• Ability to adapt to change, drive and lead projects.
Preferred: 
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in relevant field.
• Knowledge of industry terminology, regulations, and best practices, including federal, state, and local requirements and how they affect the project schedules and budget.

• Experience with Deltek VantagePoint or other ERP system tool. 

• Understanding of RUS units and contracts.
• Project Management Certification (PMP, CAPM, Construction Professional, or similar).
• Experience in process improvement, identifying and implementing efficiencies within a PMO structure.
 
Licenses, Certifications, Training Requirements: 
• A valid motor vehicle driver’s license in good standing is required. No DWI/DUI convictions.

Physical Requirements and Environmental Factors:

• Work is primarily computer work, and most assignments are performed in an office type environment. Will occasionally work at off-site locations. May include some physical labor and environmental distractions such as changes in climate and topography. Physical hazards may be present.
• Flow of work involves normal mental and visual attention along with manual coordination much of the time. 
• Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• May occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Occasionally may be exposed to extreme weather conditions, including hot and cold temperatures, rain, snow, dust, and wind.
• May occasionally have to handle and/or resolve high stress situations 
 

Work Location: Remote; must live in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oregon, or Washington.

Travel: Travel approximately 10% of the time.

In the spirit of pay transparency, the starting base pay range for this position is exclusive of benefits. If you are hired at Finley Engineering, your base pay will be determined based on factors such as skills, education, and experience related to the position. In addition to those factors, we believe in the importance of pay equity and will also consider internal equity of our current associates as a part of the final offer. Hiring at the high end of the range would not be typical.

Qualified candidates must be legally authorized to be employed in the United States. Finley Engineering does not intend to provide sponsorship for employment visa status for this employment position.