Lead Cost Controller Defence Full-Time

Turner & Townsend; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend in Bristol and the South West is seeking a Lead Cost Controller to join our Defence-infrastructure team. You will work within a busy Controls & Performance network, driving cost control across major projects and leading a team of cost controllers.

You will tailor control approaches, implement CBS/WBS alignment, and develop dashboards and forecasts. The role offers hybrid working with client sites 2–3 days a week.

Qualifications

• Experience in a Lead Cost Control role with management responsibility.
• Experience working within a project environment.
• Advanced Earned Value Management (EVM) understanding.
• Strong MS Excel and MS Office proficiency.
• Experience implementing Cost Control processes and procedures.
• Clear understanding of how Cost Control interacts with Finance.

Responsibilities

• Tailor Cost Control approaches to meet the client’s needs and align with TT best practice in Controls & Performance.
• Promote the benefits and requirements of Cost Control to senior stakeholders.
• Develop and implement Cost Control systems and procedures to track baselines, cost of work performed and forecasts.
• Develop CBS and align budgets with WBS to track cost performance.
• Develop and maintain relationships with interfacing disciplines to ensure alignment of project information.
• Establish monthly Cost Control activities including ACWP, ETC and EAC forecasting.
• Develop and implement dashboards, variance analysis and commentary.
• Apply EVM metrics (CV, CPI, TCPI) to improve cost performance and forecasting.
• Provide expert Cost Control advice to Project Managers and teams.
• Lead and develop Cost Controllers through training and knowledge sharing.

Skills

Lead Cost Control

Management responsibility

Earned Value Management (EVM)

MS Excel

Cost control systems

Team leadership

Stakeholder communication

Cost control processes

Cost control vs Finance understanding

Critical challenge

Defence cost control

NEC contracts familiarity

Tools

Cost control software

Job description

Company Description

At Turner & Townsend we’re passionate about making the difference. That means delivering better outcomes for our clients, helping our people to realize their potential, and doing our part to create a prosperous society.

Every day we help our major global clients deliver ambitious and highly technical projects, in over 110 offices worldwide. As part of our 2025 Vision we are putting Sustainability and Net Zero at the heart of our business.

https://www.turnerandtownsend.com/en/about-us/our-purpose-and-values/

Our team is dynamic, innovative and client-focused, supported by an inclusive and fun company culture. Our clients value our proactive approach, depth of expertise, integrity and the quality we deliver. As a result our people get to enjoy working on some of the most exciting projects in the world.

Job Description

We have an exciting opportunity for a Lead Cost Controller (Project Controls Manager Grade) to join our busy and expanding, Bristol and South West based, Infrastructure-Defence team.

We are undertaking a range of Controls & Performance duties on several high-profile Infrastructure Projects/Programmes. Additionally, this role will provide the opportunity to innovate, collaborate and learn from our experienced and award-winning Cost Control community and wider extensive Controls and Performance Network.

There has never been a more exciting time to build your career with us in the Defence sector.

Working alongside our project delivery teams as part of a wider cost control team or independently with reach back support to experienced cost professionals, responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Tailoring Cost Control approaches to meet the client’s needs and aligning with Turner & Townsend best practice in Controls & Performance.
• Promoting the benefits and requirements of Cost Control to senior stakeholders.
• Develop and implement cost control systems and procedures to track project baselines, cost of work performed and forecasts.
• Development of project Cost Breakdown Structures (CBS), align the time phasing of budgets against the Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), to accurately track and control cost performance
• Developing and maintaining relationships with interfacing disciplines including, but not limited to, Finance, Commercial and Project Managers to ensure alignment of project information.
• Establishing processes for monthly Cost Control activities such as formulating the ACWP and forecasting the ETC and EAC.
• Developing and implementing reporting tools such as cost dashboards, variance analysis and commentary.
• Applying EVM metrics (CV, CPI, TCPI) to challenge cost performance, forecasting and project analysis.
• Providing expert Cost Control advice to Project Managers, project teams and other stakeholders.
• Leading and developing teams of Cost Controllers, through knowledge sharing, technical upskilling and training.
• Establishing a drumbeat of monthly Cost Control activities to support project and business reporting.
• Support change control, trends assessment and baseline updates.
• Collaborating with Finance, Commercial, Planning, Risk and PM teams to maintain consistent cost information and maintain good working relationships.
• Implementing and leading governance reviews, assurance activities and Integrated Baseline Reviews.
• Implementing and leading lessons learned and benchmarking activities.

Qualifications

Qualifications & Experience

Essential:

• Demonstrable experience in a Lead Cost Control role with management responsibility.
• Demonstrable experience of working within a project environment.
• An intermediate to advanced level of Earned Value Management (EVM) understanding.
• Confidence and ability to critically challenge.
• Practical experience of using MS Excel and other MS applications.
• An understanding of how other aspects of Controls & Performance (Scheduling, Risk Management, Reporting, Change Control) interact with Cost Control.
• Team leadership experience.
• Experience in implementing Cost Control processes and procedures.
• A good and clear understanding of the differences between Cost Control and Finance.

Desirable:

• Familiarity with at least one Cost Control tool.
• Familiarity with NEC contracts.
• Working in a Defence environment.
• A relevant Cost Control qualification, such as the Controls & Skills Authority.
• A relevant Project Controls qualification, such as ECITB, APM.

Working in teams/site attendance:

We operate a hybrid working model which includes working from your local office and client sites 2/3 days per week

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.

Please find out more about us at www.turnerandtownsend.com/

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

It is strictly against Turner & Townsend policy for candidates to pay any fee in relation to our recruitment process. No recruitment agency working with Turner & Townsend will ask candidates to pay a fee at any time.

Any unsolicited resumes/CVs submitted through our website or to Turner & Townsend personal e-mail accounts, are considered property of Turner & Townsend and are not subject to payment of agency fees. In order to be an authorised Recruitment Agency/Search Firm for Turner & Townsend, there must be a formal written agreement in place and the agency must be invited, by the Recruitment Team, to submit candidates for review.