Director - Pre-Construction & Project Controls at Ameresco in Knoxville, TN

Job description

Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE: AMRC) is a leading energy infrastructure company delivering integrated solutions that provide reliable power and modernize infrastructure. Since 2000, we have served as a trusted partner to public and private sector customers across North America, the UK and Europe, delivering over $15 billion in solutions and contracting more than 5 GW of energy resources . At Ameresco, we integrate energy resources and modernize the built environment through innovative infrastructure solutions that improve reliability, optimize performance, strengthen resilience, and support long-term sustainability. Join us in building the infrastructure that powers the future. Explore opportunities to make a meaningful impact while growing your career with a company at the forefront of energy innovation. Ameresco is seeking a Director - Pre-Construction & Project Controls that will be responsible for leading enterprise execution of project controls and pre-construction functions across our federal project portfolio. This role ensures disciplined planning, estimating, bidding support, cost control, scheduling, and financial reporting to drive successful project outcomes. The Director operates as both a functional leader and a deployable expert, supporting complex or high-risk projects while standardizing processes across estimating, scheduling, and cost management. This position can be based out of our Columbia, MD or Knoxville, TN offices. Responsibilities: Pre-Construction, Estimating & Bidding Lead pre-construction activities, including estimating, bid development, constructability reviews, and procurement strategy. Own the estimating function, ensuring accurate, consistent, and competitive cost estimates. Support bidding and proposal processes, including RFP responses, bid leveling, and pricing validation. Partner with Business Development on pricing strategy and proposal development. Ensure pre-con deliverables (estimates, schedules, risk registers) align with financial and operational goals. Project Controls & Scheduling Lead execution of project controls frameworks, including cost tracking, forecasting, and reporting. Oversee development and maintenance of project schedules and critical path alignment. Ensure consistency in schedule management, milestone tracking, and variance analysis. Drive schedule risk identification and mitigation planning. Construction Financial Reporting Partner with Finance to support construction financial reporting, including: WIP tracking Cost-to-complete forecasting Budget vs. actual variance analysis Ensure alignment between project controls data and financial reporting outputs. Provide regular reporting on project performance to leadership. Deployable Project Support Provide hands-on support to projects experiencing cost, schedule, or planning challenges. Assist in project recovery and performance stabilization. Standardization & Continuous Improvement Standardize estimating templates, scheduling approaches, and reporting structures. Support implementation of tools and systems to enhance efficiency and accuracy. Leadership & Collaboration Mentor project controls, estimating, and scheduling teams. Collaborate with Construction, Engineering, and Finance teams to drive alignment. Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or related field. Minimum of 10 years of experience in project controls, pre-construction, or construction management. Ability to review confidential US security information. Additional Qualifications: Demonstrated experience in estimating, bidding/proposals, scheduling, and cost controls. Strong understanding of construction financial management (WIP, forecasting, margin tracking). Proficiency in project controls tools and Primavera P6 or equivalent scheduling systems. Experience supporting complex construction or EPC projects. Experience with Federal ESPC, EPC, or design-build delivery models. PMP, PSP, or CCP certification preferred. Extensi