Director, Project Controls

Job description

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at jnj.com As guided by Our Credo, Johnson & Johnson is responsible to our employees who work with us throughout the world. We provide an inclusive work environment where each person is considered as an individual. At Johnson & Johnson, we respect the diversity and dignity of our employees and recognize their merit. Job Function: Project/Program Management Group Job Sub Function: Project/Program Management Job Category: People Leader All Job Posting Locations: Malvern, Pennsylvania, United States of America, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States of America Job Description: Engineering & Property Services (E&PS) is recruiting for a Director, Project Controls located in Malvern, PA or New Brunswick, NJ. An internal pre-identified candidate for consideration has been identified. However, all applications will be considered. The Director, Project Controls, is accountable for leading the development, governance, validation and continuous improvement of capital project estimating practices across the project lifecycle. This role ensures estimates are robust, transparent, benchmarked and aligned with J&J Worldwide Procedures, E&PS delivery requirements, internal cost structures and applicable industry best practices. The candidate will require deep expertise in preconstruction planning, conceptual estimating, detailed construction estimating, cost validation, procurement strategy, contractor engagement and risk-based contingency development. This role will be part of the Global Project Controls & Assurance team. This role is responsible for driving consistent estimating standards from early ideation through definition, execution and assessment phases. Responsibilities include establishing estimating strategies, supporting business case development, aligning scope and cost assumptions, leading estimate reviews, validating external partner deliverables, supporting target value design / delivery, integrating procurement and construction market intelligence, and ensuring estimate basis, exclusions, allowances, escalation, contingency and risk assumptions are clearly documented and defensible. An ideal candidate for this role will have strong leadership experience with demonstrated competency engaging senior leaders, project executives, project delivery teams, design professionals, construction managers and external estimating partners. The candidate must be able to influence decision-making, challenge assumptions, drive alignment under ambiguity, and provide clear, data-driven recommendations that improve cost certainty and protect owner value on complex capital programs. Key relationships include collaborative working relationships with J&J Project Delivery, Project Controls, Engineering, Procurement, Finance, Design, Construction Management, Facilities Management, external estimating partners, contractors, key stakeholders and business leaders. This role will also ensure alignment with E&PS functional partners and support consistent application of estimating governance, estimating practices and capital cost reporting expectations. Key Responsibilities: Lead estimating governance for all projects (most specifically major capital projects), ensuring early cost strategies are aligned with project scope, business objectives, funding requirements and decision milestones. Provide guidance on Front End Loading / early estimating by aligning project definitions, scope assumptions, basis of estimate, key quantities, procurement strategy, execution approach and estimating methodology. Support the implementation of the IDEA Project Delivery Process with a focus on cost predictability, estimate maturity, risk-informed contingency, scope alignment, and compliance with key financial procedures. Work with project teams to develop and align Capital Appropriation Request estimates, estimate basis documentation, cost breakdown structures and estimating deliverables to support seamless project approval. Establish estimating tools, templates, checklists and review processes that support consistent deliverables, transparent assumptions, benchmark validation, and clear alignment to the 21-Tab / ESR structure. Create and manage estimating methods, techniques and supporting guidance that add depth, consistency and defensibility across all 21-Tab / ESR categories, ensuring estimates address the full capital cost structure beyond Tabs 1 through 3, including indirect costs, owner costs, contingency, escalation, allowances, project delivery costs and other required funding elements. Oversee and manage all benchmarking activities, including internal J&J historical cost data, project performance metrics, estimate outcomes, cost drivers and lessons learned, as well as external industry, market, regional, contractor and third-party benchmarking sources. Establish benchmarking governance to ensure benchmark data is current, normalized, comparable, documented and appropriately applied to estimate validation, cost challenge sessions, funding recommendations and leadership decision support. Lead independent estimate reviews, reconciliations and challenge sessions to validate scope coverage, inclusions and exclusions, quantities, labor assumptions, productivity, unit rates, escalation, markups, indirect costs and contingency. Evaluate external estimating, AE, Construction Management and contractor deliverables for completeness, accuracy, alignment to J&J requirements, and adherence to agreed estimating standards. Support project teams in evaluating cost trends, change impacts, market conditions, constructability considerations, procurement packages and forecast implications during preconstruction and execution. Create and manage procedures for change order review, using estimating techniques to validate pricing, quantities, labor productivity, unit rates, markups, indirect costs, schedule impacts, supporting documentation and overall commercial reasonableness before approval or negotiation. Review construction estimate trend reports, bid packages, subcontractor pricing strategies and cost validation documents prior to major commercial commitments or contract award recommendations. Lead development and review of project estimates across estimate classes, including analysis of scope definition, design maturity, assumptions, unit rates, subcontractor costs, fees, markups, indirect costs, general conditions and escalation. Partner with Procurement and Project Delivery to evaluate subcontract procurement plans, package strategy, bid coverage, market capacity, long-lead equipment considerations and alignment with target dates. Review costs and schedules for major subcontracts prior to award and validate alignment with approved budgets, estimate assumptions, commercial strategy and project risk profile. Develop and evaluate contingency strategies using estimate maturity, risk exposure, market uncertainty, scope definition and execution complexity; monitor contingency usage and provide guidance on drawdown governance. Support payment application and cost validation reviews when required to confirm progress alignment, commercial compliance and consistency with approved estimate assumptions. Maintain and support 21-Tab / ESR estimate information that accurately:Reflects approved funding, current estimate position and target schedule assumptions. Identifies key estimate drivers, cost risks, opportunities, assumptions and areas requiring leadership attention. Tracks forecasted cash flow, esc