Operations Cost Controller

Kao; Greater London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private Medical Insurance

25 days holiday

Pension Scheme (Salary Sacrifice)

Life Assurance & Income Protection

Mental health support

Volunteer days

Electric Vehicle salary sacrifice

Job summary

Kao Data is seeking an experienced Operations Cost Controller to be the central finance contact for all operational and facilities-related expenditure across KaoData sites. The role focuses on robust financial control, accurate billing, cost allocation, and actionable reporting, while performing general admin duties to support operations.

The successful candidate will oversee cost activity across CAPEX and OPEX, translating operational activity into clear financial impact for technical and

Qualifications

• Experience in facilities management (FM) or data centre environments.
• Strong understanding of operational services and cost controls.
• Proven experience with purchase orders, invoice approvals and internal controls.
• Excellent Excel skills and familiarity with financial systems.
• Experience supporting month-end reporting.
• Clear communicator able to present financial information to senior stakeholders.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
• General office administration experience.

Responsibilities

• Act as the finance lead for all FM and operations cost activity.
• Attend weekly finance meetings with FM provider and Finance Director.
• Liaise with suppliers and clients to resolve outstanding issues.
• Prepare accurate cost forecasts and variance analysis.
• Process POs and supplier invoices with correct cost categorisation.
• Support recharge and billing to customers and contract terms.
• Maintain CAFM records and ensure data aligns with financial records.
• Provide clear financial reporting for stakeholders.

Skills

Excel

Financial systems

Budgeting & forecasting

Month-end reporting

PO / invoice workflows

Stakeholder management

Attention to detail

Office administration

Tools

CAFM system

Job description

Join Kao Data as an Operations Cost Controller - Drive Excellence in AI-Focused Data Centres! Kao Data leads the industry, pioneering the development and operation of data centres engineered for AI and advanced computing. With a hyperscale-inspired and industrial scale platform, we provide our customers with a secure, scalable, and sustainable home for their compute.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Operations Cost Controller to act as the central finance point of contact for all operational and facilities-related expenditure across KaoData sites, ensuring robust financial control, accurate billing and cost allocation, and clear, actionable reporting. The position will also involve undertaking general administration duties to support the operations function.

This role is increasingly critical as operational expenditure continues to scale. The successful candidate will become the central point of finance understanding for our largest operating cost base, spanning both capital works and operating costs. The role is responsible for pulling together accurate, meaningful information. The job holder must be able to understand operational activity, capture the relevant financial impact, and summarise it clearly for both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Cost Control & Reporting

• Act as the finance lead across all FM and operational cost activity.
• Attend weekly finance meetings with the FM provider, Contract Manager and Finance Director.
• Sit in monthly billing meetings with the FM provider and key suppliers.
• Liaise with clients to resolve outstanding issues.
• Assist in preparing accurate cost forecasts and variance analysis.
• Prepare monthly financial reports and support month-end close processes.

Purchase Orders & Invoice Control

• Create accurate Purchase Orders in a timely manner, ensuring correct cost categorisation (capex vs opex), appropriate project allocation and correct budget holder identification.
• Review and process supplier invoices, ensuring payments are made only for satisfactorily delivered goods and services.
• Work within a robust internal controls framework (PO approval workflows, AP processes).

Recharge & Billing Management

• Identify which costs are rechargeable to customers.
• Match costs to customer PO’s.
• Raise sales orders and invoices within company deadlines.
• Ensure billing is completed at the correct margin and in line with contract terms.

CAFM & Operational Systems

• Act as key user for the CAFM system on site.
• Assist in maintaining PPM records, reactive tracking and reporting.
• Ensure operational data aligns with financial records.
• Undertake general administration duties to support the operations function.

Stakeholder Management

• Liaise closely with suppliers, operational teams and head office.
• Support accurate processing of quotations, purchase orders and invoices.
• Confidently present financial information to senior management.
• Translate technical operational matters into clear financial impact.

What We’re Looking For:

• Strong experience within the FM or Data Centre industry
• Strong understanding of operational services
• Experience with PO processes, invoice approval workflows and financial controls
• Strong Excel and financial systems skills
• Experience supporting month-end reporting
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work with senior stakeholders
• Strong organisational skills and excellent attention to detail
• General office administration experience.
• Experience working within a structured internal controls framework

Why Kao Data?

• Private Medical – private health insurance including dental and optical cover.
• Holiday – 25 days annual leave plus UK Bank Holidays
• Pension – Salary Sacrifice
• Parental Leave – Enhanced Maternity and Paternity leave
• Life Assurance & Income Protection
• Mental health support - 24/7 access to mental health support via our employee assistance programme, and a trained team of Mental Health First Aiders
• Giving back – 2 Charity volunteering days a year.
• Electric Vehicle - Salary Sacrifice Scheme
• Optical Benefit Access to Unum’s Help@Hand

Interested in joining one of the UK's most pioneering data centre operators and developers? A career at Kao Data offers the opportunity to join a rapidly growing company early within its evolution, and within an industry that is showing phenomenal global expansion. Our team is respected within the industry and is trusted to design, build and operate high performance data centres for some of the world’s most demanding clients.