Project Controls Architect
Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aviation (propulsion, equipment and interiors), defense and space markets. Its core purpose is to contribute to a safer, more sustainable world, where air transport is more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Safran has a global presence, with 100,000 employees and sales of 27.3 billion euros in 2024, and holds, alone or in partnership, world or regional leadership positions in its core markets.
Safran is in the 2nd place in the aerospace and defense industry in TIME magazine's "World's best companies 2024" ranking.
Safran Electronics & Defense offers its customers onboard intelligence solutions allowing them to understand the environment, reduce mental load and guarantee a trajectory, even in critical situations, in all environments: on land, at sea, in the sky or space. The company harnesses the expertise of its 13,000 employees towards these three functions: observe, decide and guide, for the civil and military markets.
What does the role look like?
As our Project Controls Architect, you'll design and embed a modern, integrated, data-driven project controls ecosystem. Your mission is simple: turn fragmented project data into trusted, real-time insight that leaders can actually act on.
You'll work at the intersection of projects, data, finance, and technology - mapping how things work today, fixing what doesn't, and building a future-state that delivers predictability across schedules, resources, and budgets. This is a hands-on role with genuine influence, not a theoretical architecture exercise.
What will your day-to-day responsibilities look like?
*Understand how project controls really operate today by analysing workflows, data flows, and system interactions.
*Design a clear, practical target state for an integrated project controls solution - covering processes, data models, automation, and system integrations.
*Lead the introduction of digital tools that reduce manual effort and provide high-quality, real-time project insight.
*Partner closely with Programme Managers, Finance, PMO, Data, and IT to ensure solutions are usable, scalable, and aligned to business reality.
*Identify pain points and inefficiencies across people, processes, and tools - then turn them into implementable improvements.
*Define standards, governance, and best practices to improve data quality, consistency, and reporting.
*Translate business needs into solution designs, user stories, and data configuration requirements.
*Test and validate solutions to ensure they deliver what the business needs.
*Support change, adoption, and training so new capabilities actually get used.
*Monitor performance and data quality, driving continuous improvement over time.
*Act as a go-to expert for project controls systems, metrics, and forward-looking insights.
What will you bring to the role?
Essential skills:
*Demonstrated experience mapping end-to-end business processes and developing future-state workflows.
*Proven ability to design and implement data-driven solutions across complex environments.
*Excellent stakeholder engagement, able to influence across multiple business areas.
*Ability to lead change, drive adoption, and guide teams through digital transformation.
Desirable skills:
*Experience with cloud-based data platforms, data modelling, or API-based integration.
*Familiarity with Agile delivery methodologies.
*Knowledge of predictive analytics, machine learning, or advanced reporting techniques.
*Background in industries with large, complex project environments (engineering, construction, manufacturing, energy, tech).
*Professional certifications (e.g., PMP, PMI-PBA, Lean, Agile, or data-related credentials).
*Hands-on experience with relevant toolsets (e.g., SQL data warehouse, Project Server, Tableau).
*Expertise with project control domains: scheduling, cost control, resource management, risk, reporting.
*Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data and translate it into actionable insights.