Senior Project Cost Specialist

Tiree; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 95,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and benefits plan

RRSP matching

Wellness Day

Volunteer Day

Maternity Leave Top-Up

Mentorship and training programs

Job summary

Tiree in Ottawa is seeking a Senior Project Cost Specialist to own the financial picture for assigned projects, establishing cost control frameworks and advising PMs on design changes and funding decisions.

Lead monthly forecasts, cash flow, and executive reporting; oversee procurement and funding oversight; mentor junior cost staff; requires CPA/CMA/PMP and 10–15 years of experience; salary range CAD 95,000–120,000 per annum.

Qualifications

• CPA/CMA/PMP designation required.
• 10–15 years of experience in project cost control or related fields.
• Strong accounting, budgeting and forecasting fundamentals.
• Advanced Excel and data modelling skills.
• Ability to communicate complex financial positions clearly.

Responsibilities

• Establish and oversee cost control framework for assigned projects.
• Reconcile accounting records, purchase orders, and cost reports; advise on variances.
• Lead monthly forecasts, cash flow projections, and annual expenditure outlooks.
• Prepare written recommendations with options and risks for leadership and negotiations.
• Oversee monthly financial reporting, dashboards, and cost allocations across sources.
• Review procurement and funding packages; ensure alignment with budgets; mentor junior cost staff.

Skills

Cost control

Forecasting

Financial analysis

Excel proficiency

Power BI

Education

CPA/CMA/PMP certification

Tools

Power BI

ERP systems

Job description

We deliver complex building and infrastructure projects that drive excellence from inception to completion. Our mission is to empower our clients and teams to achieve unparalleled success by providing tailored, innovative consulting services—ensuring every project is executed with precision and impact.

But this work is about more than delivering projects—it’s about unlocking potential and creating lasting change. We foster an environment where people are supported, celebrated, and empowered to grow, learn, and achieve. Our culture fuels imagination, creativity, and bold thinking, and we see that reflected in both our work and the meaningful impact it has on the built environments we help shape.

Join us in shaping the future of capital project delivery.

The Role

As a Senior Project Cost Specialist, you own the financial picture for assigned projects. You set the cost control approach, maintain the integrity of the cost tracker and forecasts, and advise project managers on the commercial implications of design changes, contractor positions and funding decisions. Project leaders rely on your analysis to explain options and trade-offs clearly, and to act early when costs or funding begin to drift. You also strengthen the cost function itself by refining processes, developing the people who support it and bringing consistency to how cost information is captured and reported.

What You’ll Do

• Cost strategy and control: Establish and oversee the cost control framework for assigned projects, including the cost tracker, commitment management, budget baselines and change control. Reconcile accounting records, purchase orders, contractor reports and third-party cost reports, and resolve material discrepancies. Assess variances, cost classifications, contingency adequacy and emerging funding pressures, and recommend corrective action to the project manager.
• Forecasting and cash flow: Lead the preparation of monthly forecasts, cash flow projections and annual expenditure outlooks. Challenge contractor and consultant inputs, test the assumptions behind them and reconcile them against funding requirements. Present forecasts, risks and scenarios to project leadership and stakeholders, with recommendations on how to manage them.
• Commercial analysis and advisory: Analyze change orders, contract amendments, contractor fee positions, holdbacks and other commercial risks, and advise project managers on their financial and contractual implications. Prepare written recommendations that set out the options, the risks and the preferred course of action, and support negotiations where cost positions are contested.
• Financial and executive reporting: Oversee the monthly financial reporting package, review it for accuracy and completeness, and approve it for submission. Maintain executive financial summaries and dashboards, and explain variances and cost allocations across reporting sources so leaders can make informed decisions.
• Procurement and funding oversight: Review purchase requisitions, purchase orders, amendments and approval packages for consistency with the approved budget and contract. Lead the cost breakdowns and funding alignment for complex development and construction contracts. Oversee funding draws, reimbursements, letters of credit and the allocation of costs across funding categories, and ensure documentation is complete before submission.
• Process improvement and team support: Review invoice approvals, payment exceptions and billing disputes, and resolve escalated issues with Procurement, Finance and contractors. Identify opportunities to improve tracking tools, reporting templates and shared documentation. Provide guidance and review work for junior cost staff, and contribute to the mentorship program.

What You’ll Bring

• One relevant professional designation is required, such as CPA, CMA or PMP, or an additional degree or diploma.
• 10 to 15 years of experience in project cost control, project accounting or financial analysis supporting construction, real estate or large capital projects.
• Strong accounting fundamentals, with proven experience in reconciliations, budget modelling, forecasting, cash flow management and financial reporting.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, with the ability to design and maintain complex models and tracking tools.
• Solid understanding of ERP or accounting systems, purchase requisition, purchase order and goods receipt processes, invoice approval workflows and financial controls.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze construction contracts, change orders, payment applications and contractor fee positions, and to advise on their commercial implications.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with the ability to explain complex financial positions and recommendations clearly to project managers, senior leaders and external stakeholders.
• Strong judgement and independence in managing competing priorities, escalating appropriately, and making sound decisions on routine and moderately complex matters.
• Assets include Power BI experience, government funding or capital accounting experience, and experience mentoring or developing finance and project cost staff.
• Eligibility to obtain security clearance. Existing security clearance is an asset.

What We Offer:

• This posting reflects a current, active vacancy.
• This is a full-time permanent position, with compensation expected to be $95,000–$120,000 per annum. This range represents the breadth of experience and expectations for the role. Final compensation will be determined based on an individual’s skills, experience, and demonstrated impact, with progression within the range aligned to performance and contribution over time.
• A comprehensive health and benefits plan and Tiree’s Wellness Program
• RRSP matching with DPSP contributions.
• Wellness Day — one paid day per year, dedicated to family, work-life balance, and personal well-being.
• Volunteer Day — up to 8 paid hours per year to volunteer with a registered charity.
• Maternity Leave Top-Up
• Access to expert mentorship and training and development programs

At Tiree, we believe careers should be as unique as the individuals who build them. That’s why we offer our employees the opportunity to carve out a career pathway tailored to their ambitions, supported by the right training, tools, and mentorship to help them succeed.

We appreciate you taking the time to apply and are committed to getting back to you in a timely manner and delivering an efficient and enjoyable interview process.

Note: Artificial Intelligence is not involved in the screening or selection of candidates. Those decisions are made entirely by real, actual humans. While we may use AI for small administrative tasks during the recruiting process, the evaluating and choosing of candidates is strictly human powered.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Be you.

We strive to create a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion where everyone at Tiree feels welcome, supported and celebrated. There is dynamism and pride in a community shaped by diverse voices, perspectives and lived experiences. We want to empower you to be you.

We are extremely proud of our teams – they are strong, determined, dedicated people who aspire to excellence, and they make our organization better every day. Our goal is to meet that standard of excellence in our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility and for our teams to reflect the wonderful diversity of the communities in which we live and work.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workforce. As part of this commitment, we strive to provide a selection process that is accessible to all candidates. Please advise if you require any accommodations to ensure your equal participation.