Project Cost Controller / Quantity Surveyor

Vanderlande; Dubai; On-site; AED 446,000 - 714,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanderlande in Dubai seeks a Project Cost Controller / Quantity Surveyor to drive end-to-end cost control across complex engineering projects. You will align engineering, procurement, planning and finance to deliver reliable forecasts and earnings insight.

The role requires strong discipline in cost control, contractual awareness and financial planning, translating technical progress into actionable financial reporting and management insights.

Qualifications

• Degree in Quantity Surveying, Cost Engineering, Construction Management, Engineering, Finance, or related discipline.
• 7–10 years of experience in project cost control, quantity surveying, commercial control or project finance within large engineering, EPC, construction, infrastructure or electromechanical projects.
• Experience in airport systems, industrial automation or complex infrastructure projects is highly desirable.
• Professional certification such as RICS, AACE, CPA, CMA or equivalent is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and maintain project budgets, cost reports, cost-to-complete forecasts, cash flow forecasts and margin projections.
• Monitor planned, committed and actual costs against approved budgets and highlight deviations early.
• Maintain accurate Estimate to Complete and Estimate at Completion by validating inputs from project, engineering, procurement, planning and site teams.
• Support revenue recognition, customer billing, payment applications, certification tracking and invoicing milestone management.
• Review supplier and subcontractor payment applications, verify progress and ensure payments are aligned with contractual obligations.
• Prepare periodic management reports covering cost performance, revenue, margin, cash flow, budget versus actuals, commitments, risks and opportunities.
• Act as the financial and commercial interface across the project organization to ensure one aligned and reliable project forecast.

Skills

Cost control

Contract management

Financial planning

Earned Value Management

Education

Quantity Surveying

Construction Management

Engineering

Finance

Tools

SAP

Oracle

Power BI

Primavera P6

Microsoft Project

CostX

Aconex

Job description

Job Title

Project Cost Controller / Quantity Surveyor

Job Description

The Project Cost Controller is responsible for providing end-to-end cost, commercial and financial control across complex engineering, infrastructure or electromechanical projects. The role acts as a key interface between Project Management, Engineering, Procurement, Planning, Construction, Commercial Management and Finance to ensure accurate visibility of project cost, revenue, cash flow, risk and profitability throughout the full project lifecycle.

This is a techno-commercial role requiring strong cost control discipline, contractual awareness, financial planning capability and the ability to translate technical project progress into reliable financial forecasts and management reporting.

Key Accountabilities

• Prepare and maintain project budgets, cost reports, cost-to-complete forecasts, cash flow forecasts and margin projections.
• Monitor planned, committed and actual costs against approved budgets and highlight deviations early.
• Maintain accurate Estimate to Complete and Estimate at Completion by validating inputs from project, engineering, procurement, planning and site teams.
• Support revenue recognition, customer billing, payment applications, certification tracking and invoicing milestone management.
• Review supplier and subcontractor payment applications, verify progress and ensure payments are aligned with contractual obligations.
• Support commercial and contract management activities, including variations, claims, contractual entitlement, records and Extension of Time cost impacts.
• Prepare periodic management reports covering cost performance, revenue, margin, cash flow, budget versus actuals, commitments, risks and opportunities.
• Act as the financial and commercial interface across the project organization to ensure one aligned and reliable project forecast.

Qualifications And Experience

• Degree in Quantity Surveying, Cost Engineering, Construction Management, Engineering, Finance, Business or a related discipline.
• 7–10 years of experience in project cost control, quantity surveying, commercial control or project finance within large engineering, EPC, construction, infrastructure or electromechanical projects.
• Experience in airport systems, industrial automation or complex infrastructure projects is highly desirable.
• Strong understanding of FIDIC or equivalent construction contracts, variation management, claims support and commercial mechanisms.
• Professional certification such as RICS, AACE, CPA, CMA or equivalent is an advantage.

Technical Competencies

• Developing and maintaining Cost Breakdown Structures, Work Breakdown Structures, Bills of Quantities and activity-based cost models to support structured project cost control.
• Preparing and managing budgets, cost forecasts, Estimate to Complete, Estimate at Completion, revenue forecasts and cash flow forecasts.
• Monitoring budget performance, commitments, actual costs, progress measurement and variance trends to support timely corrective actions.
• Applying Earned Value Management principles and project performance indicators where required to assess cost and schedule performance.
• Supporting change management, contract administration, risk and opportunity management, and commercial reporting throughout the project lifecycle.

Systems and Tools

Required experience includes advanced Microsoft Excel and ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle or equivalent. Exposure to Power BI, Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, CostX, Candy, Aconex or similar platforms is advantageous.

Personal Attributes

The role requires a structured, analytical and proactive professional who combines commercial awareness with strong financial discipline. The candidate should be confident working with engineers, project managers, commercial teams and finance stakeholders, and must be able to challenge assumptions using facts, data and project evidence.

• Strong analytical mindset with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to understand technical execution and convert project progress into financial impact.
• Clear communication skills across project, commercial and finance functions.
• Independent, proactive and comfortable working in a complex project environment.