Cost Manager - PMO

United Utilities; Warrington; Hybrid; GBP 43,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

26 days’ annual leave

Pension with up to 14% employer

Performance bonus up to 7.5%

Company healthcare plan

MORE Choices, flexible benefits

Salary Finance and Wealth at Work

Electric vehicle scheme

Enhanced parental leave

Job summary

United Utilities in Warrington is seeking a Cost Manager to join the Capital Engineering & Construction Programme Management Office. You will lead cost management, forecasting and financial insight across a diverse capital portfolio to support informed project decisions.

Reporting to the Programme Controls Manager, you’ll develop robust cost controls, manage commitments and accruals, and provide variance analysis to stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Experience in cost management, forecasting and financial performance within a project environment.
• Ability to analyse complex project and financial data to provide actionable insights.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills for challenging decisions.

Responsibilities

• Lead project cost management across a portfolio of capital projects with budgets and forecasts.
• Provide cost insight, performance analysis and challenge to support decisions.
• Develop and maintain cost management processes, controls and governance.
• Manage commitments, accruals, forecasting and cost reporting to key stakeholders.
• Analyse Earned Value Management data and cost trends to inform delivery.

Skills

Cost management

Forecasting

Stakeholder management

Data analysis

Education

Degree qualified

ACostE

APM

Tools

SAP

Excel

Job description

Cost Manager | Warrington | Hybrid | £50,290

As part of our Capital Engineering & Construction (CEC) Programme Management Office (PMO), we're looking for a talented Cost Manager to join the team and play a key role in the successful delivery of our capital investment portfolio. Reporting to the Programme Controls Manager, you'll provide expert cost management, forecasting and financial insight that helps project teams make confident, informed decisions.

Working across a diverse portfolio of projects, you'll partner with Project Managers, Planning, Risk and wider Project Controls colleagues to ensure robust cost control, accurate forecasting and high quality performance reporting. This is an opportunity to be at the centre of programme delivery, influencing key decisions and helping deliver investments that improve services for millions of customers across the North West.

Joining a collaborative PMO environment, you'll help drive consistency, assurance and best practice across programme controls while building strong relationships with key stakeholders. If you're passionate about turning complex data into meaningful insight and enjoy supporting successful project delivery, we'd love to hear from you.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead project cost management across a portfolio of capital projects, maintaining robust budgets, forecasts and financial controls throughout the project lifecycle.
• Partner with Project Managers and wider Programme Controls teams to provide trusted cost insight, performance analysis and challenge that supports effective decision making.
• Develop and maintain cost management processes, controls and governance arrangements, ensuring consistency, accuracy and confidence in programme performance data.
• Manage commitments, accruals, forecasting and cost reporting activities, delivering timely and accurate financial information to key stakeholders.
• Analyse Earned Value Management data, cost trends, variances, risks and opportunities, providing clear recommendations to support successful project delivery.
• Evaluate and implement approved project changes, maintaining accurate baselines and ensuring cost performance remains aligned with programme objectives.

What You’ll Bring

• Experience in Cost Management, Project Controls or a similar project delivery environment, with a strong understanding of cost forecasting, budgeting and financial performance management.
• The ability to analyse complex project and financial data, identify key trends and provide clear, actionable insight that supports decision making.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the confidence to build trusted relationships, influence outcomes and provide constructive challenge where required.
• Experience applying cost management principles, controls and governance within a project or programme environment.
• Knowledge of Earned Value Management, cost reporting and performance analysis, with the ability to communicate findings effectively to a range of audiences.
• A collaborative and proactive approach, with a focus on continuous improvement and driving high quality outcomes across project teams.
• Proficiency in tools such as SAP and Excel, with experience using project controls and cost management systems.
• Degree qualified or able to demonstrate equivalent professional experience. Professional qualifications such as ACostE, APM or similar would be beneficial.

Why This Role

This is an opportunity to take your Cost Management career beyond traditional reporting and controls activities. Sitting within the Capital Engineering & Construction Programme Management Office, you'll be at the heart of major investment programmes, providing the insight and challenge that helps shape key delivery decisions.

You’ll gain exposure to a diverse portfolio of projects, working closely with Project Managers, planners, risk specialists and senior stakeholders across the business. The role offers the chance to broaden your experience across the full project lifecycle, deepen your expertise in Programme Controls and build a strong understanding of how large scale capital programmes are successfully delivered.

As part of an established PMO team, you'll have the opportunity to influence programme performance, contribute to continuous improvement initiatives and help strengthen cost management best practice across the organisation. Whether you're looking to grow your technical expertise, expand your stakeholder exposure or take the next step towards a senior Programme Controls leadership career, this role will provide the platform to do so.

Most importantly, you'll see the direct impact of your work, helping to deliver investments that improve essential services, support environmental outcomes and make a lasting difference for millions of customers across the North West.

Benefits

• 26 days’ annual leave, rising by one day for each completed holiday year (served up to a maximum of 30days) plus 8 bank holidays
• Competitive pension with up to 14% employer contribution and life cover
• Performance related bonus of up to 7.5% plus recognition awards
• Company funded healthcare plan and wellbeing support including mental health resources and Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to discounts, gym savings, and flexible benefits through MORE Choices
• Financial wellbeing support including Salary Finance and Wealth at Work
• Electric vehicle scheme and ShareBuy options
• Enhanced parental leave

If you're looking for a role where your expertise will be valued, your development supported and your insight will genuinely influence project outcomes, we'd love to hear from you.

Note: At United Utilities, we believe people are more than just applications. Every application is personally reviewed by our recruitment team and hiring manager. We do not use AI or automated screening tools to assess applications.