Project Controller III

Job Title: Project Controller III

Location: Reston, Virginia

Company Overview: At HGL, we value our employees as individuals and members of a collaborative team. We offer a flexible, inclusive environment dedicated to creating a sustainable future and solving environmental, infrastructure, and natural resources challenges across the United States and its territories. With over 550 employees, HGL balances high-profile projects with a personal working environment and supports career growth through training, mentoring, and certification support.

The Project Controller drives financial and schedule performance across government contracts. This role partners closely with Project Managers, Contracts, and Executive Leadership to ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and with maximum profitability while maintaining strict compliance with federal regulations and internal controls. The ideal candidate is analytical, assertive, and proactive, with a strong ability to identify risks early, enforce discipline, and hold project teams accountable to financial and schedule commitments.

• Own project financial performance from award through closeout, with full accountability for cost, revenue, and margin outcomes.
• Develop, maintain, and aggressively manage project budgets, forecasts, and estimates at completion (EACs) using Workday Adaptive Planning.
• Lead rolling forecasts and reforecast cycles to align project-level assumptions with corporate financial targets.
• Identify cost overruns, margin erosion, and funding risks early; drive corrective actions immediately.
• Perform detailed variance analysis and clearly communicate impacts to leadership.
• Enforce disciplined financial controls across projects—including charge codes, labor management, and accruals.
• Support indirect rate management and evaluate impacts of rate changes on project performance.
• Ensure accurate and timely revenue recognition and cash flow in accordance with contract terms.
• Prepare financial reports and dashboards from Workday Adaptive and ERP systems with actionable insights.
• Partner with Project Managers to develop realistic project schedules.
• Monitor schedule performance and resource utilization to identify slippage and productivity issues.
• Analyze schedule impacts on cost and funding; recommend mitigation strategies proactively.
• Support earned value management (EVM) and other performance measurement techniques as applicable.
• Hold project teams accountable to schedule milestones and financial commitments.
• Ensure compliance with FAR, DFARS, contract terms, and company policies.
• Support audits (e.g., DCAA, DCMA) by maintaining accurate documentation and financial records.
• Assist with transition planning from bid to execution and with contract modifications, funding changes, and closeout activities.
• Support development of risk and fee profiles.
• Assist in annual budget preparation and periodic forecast updates, interfacing with Project Managers for revenue and direct cost projections.

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, or a related field.
• 10+ years of project control or financial management experience in government contracting, with an advanced degree potentially reducing the required years.
• Hands‑on experience with Workday Adaptive Planning for project forecasting and financial modeling.
• Strong knowledge of FAR/DFARS, cost-reimbursable, T&M, and fixed-price contracts.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects with competing priorities.
• Advanced Excel skills; experience with project accounting and ERP systems.
• Demonstrated ability to challenge assumptions, enforce discipline, and drive results.
• Excellent communication skills and confidence to work with senior leadership.

• Experience with earned value management (EVM).
• Experience supporting federal environmental, engineering, or professional services contracts.
• Prior involvement in DCAA/DCMA audits.

The salary range for this position is $103,114 – $154,671. The final salary can be impacted by factors such as contractual requirements, geographic location, education, training, experience, and skills. Benefits details are available at

We are an Equal Opportunity employer. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other protected category. Some positions may require U.S. citizenship. Applications requesting a reasonable accommodation during recruitment may contact Human Resources directly at 703‑478‑5186. EEO notices: US Equal Opportunity Employment Poster, US Equal Opportunity Supplemental Poster, Know Your Rights, and Pay Transparency Notice.

We are an Equal Opportunity employer. A pre‑hire drug test is required. Some positions may require U.S. citizenship.