Cost Controller

Turner & Townsend; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend is seeking a Senior Project Controls Engineer (Cost) to join our expanding Infrastructure team in the UK. You will support cost control, budgeting, and forecasting across major infrastructure projects, ensuring cost data integrity and governance.

Extensive experience in earned value management, NEC contracts, and cross‑functional collaboration is essential. You will engage with delivery partners and internal teams to drive cost performance, prepare reports, and support decision

Qualifications

• Experience in cost management for large infrastructure projects.
• Knowledge of EVM and PMB standards; able to develop and maintain cost baselines.
• Ability to monitor cash flow, forecast ETC and EAC.
• Proven ability to prepare cost reports for governance meetings.
• Experience with NEC contracts and procurement in construction.

Responsibilities

• Support Cost Lead in developing and implementing cost control processes.
• Review and maintain cost data across projects and programmes.
• Provide timely cost and performance reporting for monthly cycles.
• Assess cost risks and the financial impact of scope changes.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to drive cost efficiency and governance.

Skills

Cost management

Earned Value Management

Cost data analysis

Reporting & governance

Stakeholder communication

Education

Engineering/Quantity Surveying degree

Tools

Candy

CostX

On-Screen Takeoff

Accubid

Excel

Job description

Turner & Townsend is a global professional services company with over 22,000 people in more than 60 countries.
Working with our clients across real estate, infrastructure, energy and natural resources, we transform together delivering outcomes that improve people’s lives. Working in partnership makes it possible to deliver the world’s most impactful projects and programmes as we turn challenge into opportunity and complexity into success.
Our capabilities include programme, project, cost, asset and commercial management, controls and performance, procurement and supply chain, net zero and digital solutions.
We are majority-owned by CBRE Group, Inc., the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, with our partners holding a significant minority interest. Turner & Townsend and CBRE work together to provide clients with the premier programme, project and cost management offering in markets around the world.

At Turner & Townsend our award-winning Controls & Performance team are focused on driving innovation, enhancing our client’s integrated controls capability, improving performance, and delivering better programme outcomes. We have a growing national team of over 650 Controls & Performance professionals. The breadth and scale of our team provide great opportunities to reach back and draw upon a vast pool of experience to enhance your knowledge and career. Our strong capability, discipline communities and varied client base, provides a great opportunity to drive your career, supported by our career pathways.

We have exciting opportunities for Senior Project Controls Engineer in Cost to join our expanding Infrastructure team, who are undertaking a range of Controls & Performance duties on high-profile Infrastructure major projects and programmes. Due to continued growth across the UK water, wastewater and infrastructure sectors, we are seeking experienced professionals to contribute to cost management whilst supporting the wider cost control team. Additionally, this role will provide the opportunity to innovate, collaborate and learn from our wider Controls and Performance community.

As a Senior Project Controls Engineer focused on cost control, you will support the Cost Lead in reviewing, developing and implementing processes, procedures and systems for planning, budgeting, funding, managing and controlling costs so that projects can be completed within approved budgets. You will provide guidance in cost throughout delivery of the projects and programmes, helping to ensure that cost controls are applied consistently and effectively across projects by delivery partners and appointed contractors. You will support cost management across the programme, with a focus on accurate forecasting of out-turn costs and cash flow and embedding a culture of mitigating estimated cost overruns.

Senior Project Controls Engineers at Turner & Townsend:

Senior Project Controls Engineers focussing on Cost at Turner & Townsend work on a broad range of projects and programmes in the utilities sector, including clean and wastewater treatment facilities, Major Projects, Strategic Resource Options, and many more. We are looking for individuals with the following skills, experience and attributes:

• Minimum of 5 years' experience within the infrastructure, engineering, or construction industry, with a proven track record of delivering complex projects and programmes in a client-facing environment
• Experience managing the coordination and assurance of cost data from project teams and delivery partners, reconciling reporting inputs and maintaining accurate, consistent cost information across projects and programmes
• Strong numerical and analytical skills, with the ability to evaluate financial and project data, identify trends and variances, and recommend action to address potential cost overruns
• Ability to apply cost management governance and drive outcomes to ensure a high-quality service
• Comprehensive knowledge of cost management principles, methods, techniques and tools
• Knowledge and practical experience of Earned Value Management (EVM) and Performance Measurement Baselines (PMB), with the ability to support cost performance monitoring using agreed coding structures and reporting standards
• Ability to prepare clear, timely cost and performance reports and contribute to the monthly reporting cycle, following agreed governance requirements and escalating issues appropriately
• Ability to support the assessment of cost risks and the financial impact of changes to project scope, schedule and budget, maintaining accurate records and following approval processes
• Understanding of construction procedures, procurement processes and contractual and financial requirements relevant to cost control and estimating
• Ability to organise and analyse multiple sources of reporting data, assure the build-up of project forecast to include estimated to complete (ETC) and the development of the estimate at complete (EAC)
• Appreciation of the process for the tracking of project contingency and exposure associated with risk events and remaining risks on the project
• Experience carrying out cost analysis, cost modelling and benchmarking processes and techniques
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to explain cost information clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders and work effectively within multidisciplinary teams
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage assigned cost control activities, meet reporting deadlines and support colleagues through guidance, training and continuous process improvement
• Experience working with stakeholders at all levels across an organisation, influencing process improvement and providing guidance to support project delivery and reporting
• Comfortable working collaboratively in a regulated environment, managing competing priorities and maintaining high standards of accuracy. A strong focus on project controls, data quality and consistent reporting is essential, alongside a willingness to develop your technical capability
• Demonstrable experience in the successful delivery of major programmes, managing complex stakeholder environments, multidisciplinary teams, significant budgets, and strategic project objectives
• Demonstrates a strong understanding of operating within a consultancy environment, acting as a trusted advisor to clients while maintaining independence from both client and supplier organisations, and balancing multiple stakeholders needs to achieve successful project outcomes
• Client Base - Peterborough and/or client site 3 -5 days a week
• Home office in a Turner & Townsend location – London, Birmingham, Nottingham
• Have a full driving licence, access to a vehicle,
• Full-time

Qualifications

• Experience within the UK water sector, utilities or other regulated infrastructure environments, including delivery within an AMP framework
• Knowledge of different contracting and delivery models and their implications for estimating and cost control
• Experience contributing to cost frameworks within a programme management office or across a portfolio of projects
• Knowledge of quality management and process improvement practices within construction or infrastructure delivery
• Understanding of the design and delivery requirements of technically complex infrastructure, engineering or construction projects
• Proven track record of delivering cost management and estimation in major project environments, including high-value water projects or projects of a similar scale and complexity, to enable achievement of project goals and objectives

Qualifications:

• Degree in Engineering, Construction, Quantity Surveying, Cost Management, Project Management or a related discipline is desirable; equivalent relevant professional experience is also welcomed
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and relevant cost management or project controls software, with experience using Candy, CostX, On-Screen Takeoff, Accubid or equivalent tools
• Membership or working towards membership of, a relevant professional institution such as APM, CaSA, or equivalent
• Strong working knowledge and practical experience of NEC contracts, including the administration, management and successful delivery of projects under NEC frameworks, with an ability to proactively manage risk, programme, compensation events and stakeholder relationships

Additional Information

Our inspired people share our vision and mission. We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change.

We want our people to succeed both in work and life. To support this we promote a healthy, productive and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance.

Turner & Townsend is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.

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