Senior Cost Controller

SmartRecruiters, Inc.; South Oxfordshire; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 79,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Pension

Annual leave

Site closure

Flexible working

Job summary

UKAEA is seeking a Senior Cost Controller to join the Portfolio Management Office and oversee cost across multi-million-pound R&D projects. The role requires regular onsite presence (3–5 days a week) and involves forecasting, reporting, and ensuring timely invoicing in collaboration with Project Managers and finance.

You will mentor junior cost controllers, influence budgeting decisions, and support improvements across UKAEA’s project delivery capability. Attractive pension and benefits apply.

Qualifications

• 5+ years cost control in large-scale engineering or energy projects.
• Strong knowledge of cost management, forecasting and reporting.
• Experience presenting budget data to senior stakeholders.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management.
• Experience leading high-performing teams.
• PM qualification (AACE, PMI, APM or PRINCE2).

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and monitor detailed project cost budgets for multi-million-pound R&D and first-of-kind projects.
• Track actual costs against forecasts, identify variance and recommend corrective actions.
• Analyse performance trends and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Collaborate with Project Managers, planners and commercial teams to align financial data with timelines and deliverables.
• Prepare cost reports to senior leadership, steering committees and Government boards.
• Support NEC4 payment processes and validate invoices for compliance.
• Lead cost risk assessments and contingency planning for complex R&D projects.
• Mentor Junior cost controllers and share best practices.

Skills

Cost control

Forecasting

Financial reporting

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Education

Project management qualification

Job description

• Salary: £71,815 (inclusive of Specialist Allowance) + excellent benefits including outstanding pension
• Division: Central Operations
• Position Grade: Grade I

Job Description

About us

Fusion, the process that powers the sun and stars, is one of the most promising options for generating the cleaner, carbon-free energy that our world badly needs. UKAEA leads the way in realizing fusion energy, partnering with industry and research organisations to achieve ground-breaking advancements. Our goal is to bring fusion electricity to the grid by developing the power stations of tomorrow and the skilled workforce to deliver them.

About the Job

Join UKAEA's Portfolio Management Office (PfMO) and play a key role in delivering some of the UK's most complex and ambitious programmes. As a Senior Cost Controller, you will be the focal point for all aspects of cost within the projects. You will ensure that all spend is correctly manage, validate the accuracy of the forecasts, liaise with Work Package Manager and Finance to ensure timely receipting and invoicing for accurate cost reporting. You will provide guidance and support to all stakeholders to support informed decision making, influencing the projects’ ability to delivery to budget. You'll also support the Project Controls team driving continuous improvement across the organisation's project delivery capability

What You'll Be Doing

• Develop, maintain, and monitor detailed project cost control budgets for multi-million-pound R&D and first of kind projects.
• Track actual costs against forecasts, identify variance and recommend corrective actions to keep projects on target.
• Analyse performance trends, identify opportunities for improvement
• Collaborate closely with Project Managers, planners and commercial teams to align financial data with project timelines and deliverables.
• Prepare and present accurate, timely cost reports to senior leadership, steering committees and Government boards
• Support contract management by understanding NEC4 payment processes and validating invoices and ensuring compliant with agreed term and / or change orders.
• Lead cost risk assessments and contribute to contingency planning for complex R&D projects.
• Mentor Junior cost controllers sharing best practices and fostering a culture of accuracy and accountability.
• Build effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including collaboration partners, suppliers and senior leadership.
• Support strategic resource planning and contribute to the continuous development of UKAEA's project delivery capability.

What You'll Bring

• Proven experience (5+ years) in project cost control for large-scale engineering, construction, or energy projects, or 2-5 years’ experience monitoring and controlling project costs within R&D
• Strong knowledge of cost management methodologies, forecasting and financial reporting.
• Experience presenting cost and budget information to senior stakeholders and project governance boards.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience leading, developing and managing high-performing teams.
• A recognised project management qualification (e.g. AACE, PMI, APM, Princes 2)

UKAEA is an onsite organisation, and this role requires regular onsite presence (usually between 3-5 days in any given week) in line with business needs. We actively support flexible working arrangements where this is compatible with the role

A full list of benefits can be found here and highlights include:

• £71,815salary inclusive of specialist allowance
• Up to 7% corporate performance bonus
• Final salary defined benefits pension scheme with an equivalent of 21.5% employer pension contribution
• 25 days annual leave, 2.5 privilege days and 8 Bank Holidays
• 3 days of site closure over Christmas break
• Flexible working options plus family-friendly leave provisions

Our commitment to ED&I

UKAEA’s mission is clean energy for all, and we welcome talented people from all backgrounds to help us achieve this goal. We are committed to equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility and strive to ensure fair representation across our workforce.

We particularly encourage applications from groups currently underrepresented in STEM, including women and individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds, while ensuring all appointments are made on merit. Further information can be found here .