Project Controller

LIGHTERA has one of the longest and most respectable corporate lineages in American business, which goes back to Alexander Graham Bell and the invention of the telephone more than a century ago. We have a proven track record of being first in the industry with application specific fibers, optical connectors, ribbon cables, erbium doped fibers, Raman fiber lasers, fiber gratings and more. Our mission is to provide leading optical innovations and solutions by designing, manufacturing and supplying the best optical fibers, fiber cable and components and devices for our customers, with exceptional service that creates value for our shareholders, customers and employees. To do so, we must continue shaping the future of communications by applying the best minds to the challenges our customers will continually face.

Our mission is simple and bold: to build brighter, more connected communities through cutting‑edge optical technologies.

Position Summary

The Project Controller serves as the financial co-pilot to the Project Director on large-scale capital investments. This role bridges the gap between engineering and finance.

Rather than just recording historical costs, the Project Controller looks forward to identifying financial risks, predicting total completion costs, and ensuring strict budget control before overruns happen.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Financial Planning, Budgeting, and Forecasting
• Baseline Maintenance: Establish and maintain the project's original financial baseline and cash flow schedules.
• Predictive Forecasting: Calculate the Estimate-at-Completion (EAC) and Estimate-to-Complete (ETC) based on live site progress.
• Cash Flow Management: Map out future monthly cash requirements to ensure corporate treasury can fund heavy equipment payments.
• Cost Control and Variance Analysis
• Track Variances: Monitor actual spending against budgeted lines, highlighting cost variances early.
• Change Order Management: Financial evaluates all proposed project modifications, scoping out their dollar impact before approval.
• Earned Value Management (EVM): Blend schedule progress with actual costs to measure the project's real efficiency.
• Vendor, Contract, and Contingency Management
• Contract Oversight: Review milestones, payment terms, and invoices for major Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractors.
• Contingency Tracking: Manage the project’s emergency fallback funds, ensuring contingency draws are fully justified.
• Audit Support: Lead regular physical and financial audits of material deliveries and vendor billing records.
• Reporting and Governance
• Executive Dashboards: Prepare clear monthly financial health reports for the Project Steering Committee.
• Risk Mapping: Maintain the financial risk register, assigning dollar impacts to potential supply chain or construction delays.

Required Skills And Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Degree: Bachelor's degree in finance, Accounting, Engineering, or Construction Management.
• Experience: 5 to 8 years of cost control or project accounting experience, specifically managing large-scale ($50M+) capital infrastructure or industrial projects.
• Certification: Certified Cost Professional (CCP), Project Management Professional (PMP), or CMA/CPA is highly preferred.

Technical Skills

• Project Management Tools: Mastery of scheduling and cost systems like Primavera P6, Deltek, or specialized ERP project modules (SAP PS, Oracle Projects).
• Advanced Data Analysis: Expert-level Excel capabilities (including macros, index/match, and power query) or Power BI dashboard building.
• EVM Methodology: Deep knowledge of Earned Value Management principles (CPI, SPI, and variance metrics).

Behavioral Skills

• Assertive Communication: The confidence to challenge project directors and engineering leads when spending deviates from the plan.
• Cross-Functional Fluency: The ability to read engineering milestones and translate technical delays into concrete financial risks.