Project Controls Specialist, Sr. (Planner)

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Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) is the master planning, creative development, design, engineering, production, project management, and research and development arm of Disney’s Parks and Resorts business segment. Representing more than 150 disciplines, its talented corps of Imagineers are responsible for the creation of Disney resorts, theme parks and attractions, hotels, water parks, real estate developments, regional entertainment venues, cruise ships and new media technology projects.
Project Controls Specialists provide planning and scheduling expertise to all WDI project teams and functional disciplines. Duties include developing comprehensive implementation strategies and incorporate deliverables into project schedules, preparation of project life cycle and master schedules, integration of all schedules (design disciplines, vendors, production and construction) and providing a comprehensive project perspective. Project Controls will also monitor and evaluate risks & present recovery/mitigation plans to support turnover/opening schedule. Additionally, Project Controls Specialists will perform earned value analysis when needed. Finally, Project Controls Specialists provide progress reports and management presentations.
ResponsibilitiesWith minimal supervision, will perform the following general duties and planning/scheduling control duties:

• Anticipate key indicators and proactively develops management and control reports to communicate
• Develop and analyze mitigations for variances to plan
• Read and interpret design drawings
• With project team, develop project strategies, risk mitigations, and recovery/acceleration plans
• Develop project scoping documents, basis of estimate /schedule, strategy, and risk documents
• Manage the implementation of Earned Value (EV) system and analyze implications of performance against EV
• Prepare contract documents for bid packages for Project Controls including controls and reporting specifications, milestones, and budgets
• Contribute knowledge to team to training and lessons learned
• Manage interns and staff as required
• Provide input or recommendations for casting decisions, as requested by senior leadership, including participating in the interviewing process
• Ability to supervise, mentor, and train Associate and Staff Project Controls Specialists
• Ability to direct outside consultants Project Controls staff
• Routine day to day decision making authority on Project Controls issues with moderate impacts to project delivery plan (and through consultation with Project Management). For complex items or items with a significant commercial, staffing, or schedule impact, works with principal, lead, or functional leaders in decision making.
• Participate in performance assessment and feedback

Planning / Scheduling

• Develop highly integrated project life cycle and production schedules
• Lead discipline planning for creative, show, ride, facility, area development, installation & test and adjust• Develop project phasing plans
• Work with suppliers and subcontractor to influence schedule plans, mitigations, and acceleration
• Develop fragnet schedules and specialty reports as needed to focus on critical items and align team to progress requirements
• Develop and implements the integrated input matrix
• Plan and analyzes project resource requirements with consideration to advanced implications such as shift work, interdependencies, holiday calendars and seasonal productivity variation
• Lead planning and coordination meetings
• Understand direct and indirect project sequencing relationships including typical workarounds to standard relationships and associated risks
• Provide frequent communication, reporting, and interactions with project and studio team members including vendors and outside consultants on complex topics.
• Fosters collaboration across various stakeholders to develop integrated and fully supported Project Controls plans, strategies, mitigations, and forecasts.
• Contributes in project leadership meetings and serves a trusted source of information and reliable analysis to project and studio leadership.
• Able to summarize communications for management or executive presentations.

Basic Qualifications

• Experience developing CPM schedules for projects in excess of $500M and 3,000 activities• Experience in design and implementation
• Ability to supervise a team of in-house planners, outside consultants, vendors and suppliers including setting goals, prioritization of tasks, coordinating work, and managing time• Strong communication, collaboration, technical writing, and interpersonal skills
• Comfortable and efficient with complexity
• 10-15 years theme park scheduling and planning experience
• Knowledge of different types of contracting and procurement agreements and the impacts on Project Controls• Strong meeting leadership, facilitation, and alignment skills
• Basic conflict resolution skills
• Strong knowledge of design, manufacturing, and/or construction
• Strong analytical skills
• Strong understanding of earned value progress and commodity measurement and related analysis
• Risk identification and management
• Negotiation skills

Required Education 4 year undergraduate degree, preferably in a technical field such as engineering, architecture, construction management, or equivalent work experience in planning or estimating
Preferred Education Discipline related professional certification or industry relevant continuing education desirable
Additional Information©Disney is an equal opportunity employer. Drawing Creativity from Diversity.