General Manager - Projects & Controls Management

Overview

Whitewater Group is expanding globally and seeks a seasoned General Manager for Projects & Controls Management to lead and develop the project delivery and project controls across the company. This senior leadership role is accountable for ensuring the safe, timely, and profitable completion of an increasing international suite of projects within off-site manufacturing, on-site construction, and commissioning.

Reporting directly to senior leadership, the role entails providing strategic and operational guidance in project management, planning, cost control, and project governance to ensure standardized procedures, strong oversight, and accurate reporting throughout all projects.

The position focuses on leading and empowering multidisciplinary teams, such as Project Managers, Schedulers/Planners, Engineers, and Designs professionals, promoting best practices, responsibility, and continuous advancement as the company scales internationally.

Main Responsibilities

• Lead and set the direction for the Projects & Controls Management function throughout all Whitewater Group regions and units.
• Define and implement project management strategies, standards, tools, and governance frameworks.
• Manage multidisciplinary teams to encourage collaboration and prioritize workloads to meet overall business goals.
• Serve as the senior escalation point for critical projects to manage risks and opportunities effectively.
• Represent the function in senior leadership meetings with timely reporting on project portfolio performance.
• Oversee project delivery ensuring safety, schedule adherence, budget compliance, and quality standards across diverse projects.
• Synchronize schedules between off-site manufacturing and on-site operations like construction and commissioning.
• Encourage consistency in project execution methodology internationally with support to Project Managers resolving complex issues.
• Promote strong health, safety, quality, and environmental standards across project activities.
• Lead the project controls function, ensuring integrated master scheduling, critical path analysis, and risk assessments.
• Manage cost control, change management, and reporting processes engaging appropriate resources.
• Review and ensure accuracy and consistency in progress and cost reporting to clients and internal stakeholders.
• Standardize project control tools, templates, and KPIs across the organization.
• Work with commercial and scheduling teams on claims, contract reporting, and change management.
• Analyze portfolio-wide trends and risks, advising senior leaders to facilitate informed decision-making.
• Coordinate cross-disciplinary engineering and design teams to align deliverables with project timelines and goals.
• Resolve cross-functional conflicts and ensure smooth integration between design, engineering, planning, and site teams.
• Align resource planning and priorities with overall project and business objectives.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, or related fields; Master’s degree is advantageous.
• Over a decade of experience in project management or controls within construction, engineering, or manufacturing sectors, including senior leadership roles.
• Proven success delivering large-scale, complex projects, preferably in data center, pharmaceutical, power, or industrial infrastructure.
• Strong understanding of project planning and scheduling techniques such as critical path method and baseline setting; hands-on use of Primavera P6 not required.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams including Project Managers, Planners, Engineers, and Designers.
• Competent leadership skills to direct teams, resolve conflicts, and ensure accountability without performing technical tasks personally.
• Commercial and financial skills involving budgeting, cost control, and contract/claims management.
• Strong stakeholder management capabilities engaging clients, contractors, and senior staff confidently.
• Familiarity with project management and controls software like Primavera P6, MS Project, and Procore, plus Microsoft Excel.
• Professional certifications such as PMP or PRINCE2 are desirable.
• Fluent English is essential; additional European languages like Spanish or German are beneficial.
• Willingness to travel regularly across the group's European operations.

About Whitewater Group

Whitewater Group is a multidisciplinary engineering firm specialized in water infrastructure for critical sectors including data centers, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, manufacturing, and energy industries. Based in Ireland with teams across Europe, the company delivers comprehensive solutions from concept to maintenance, focusing on safety, efficiency, and sustainability across multiple markets.

Why Join Us?

This role offers an exceptional chance to impact a fast-growing international business’s Projects & Controls function. You will handle a high-profile project portfolio, lead diverse multicultural teams, and benefit from continuous professional development within a supportive, innovative, and knowledge-driven environment. Competitive remuneration will reflect your background and skills.