Senior Cost Controller - Defence

Turner & Townsend; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consulting firm in the UK is seeking a Senior Cost Controller to join the Defence North team. The role involves managing cost control systems, providing financial advice for project management, and leading cost assurance activities. Candidates should have demonstrated experience in cost control, familiarity with EVM, and practical skills in MS Excel. Flexibility with site attendance and hybrid working is required.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience in cost control.
• Familiarity with cost performance reporting and forecasting techniques.
• Experience leading cost control assurance activities.
• Detailed understanding of Earned Value Management (EVM).
• Practical experience of using MS Excel and other MS applications.

Responsibilities

• Tailoring cost control approaches with best practices.
• Maintaining cost control systems and procedures to track budgets.
• Leading the production of accruals for accurate cost reporting.
• Providing cost information for performance management.
• Training clients and junior team members on cost control.
• Integrating cost estimates into Work Breakdown Structures.

Skills

Cost control

Cost performance reporting

Forecasting techniques

Earned Value Management (EVM)

MS Excel usage

Tools

Cost control tools

Job description

Senior Cost Controller – Defence – Join our Defence North team at Turner & Townsend.

We help our major global clients deliver ambitious and highly technical projects worldwide, supporting the National Security & Defence Infrastructure Cost Centre across programme and project management, cost engineering, risk management and commercial disciplines.

Security Clearance

Important: before applying, you must be a sole UK national able to achieve and maintain UK MoD Security Clearance (SC). Many of the clients and projects we support require MoD clearance and trade‑control restrictions; eligibility may be affected by nationality, citizenship and residency. Further details are available at Gov.uk.

Key Deliverables

• Working alongside project delivery teams as part of a wider cost control team or independently, responsibilities include tailoring cost control approaches, aligning with best practice, and promoting cost control benefits within project and programme teams.
• Implementing, administering, and maintaining cost control systems and procedures to track project budgets, commitments, expenditures and forecasts.
• Developing project Cost Breakdown Structures (CBS), aligning budget phasing against Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) to accurately track actual costs.
• Mapping and integrating cost estimates into the WBS to set the project budget against the correct Work Packages, Planning Packages and Control Accounts.
• Maintaining relationships with interfacing disciplines, including Finance, Commercial and Project Managers, to ensure alignment of project information.
• Leading the production of accruals to ensure Actual Cost of Work Performed is accurately reflected in a timely manner.
• Providing advice and assisting the development of reporting tracking tools, generating cost reports and analysing earned value management information.
• Providing cost information and advice to the project team for status reports and performance management decision‑making.
• Training and coaching clients and junior team members on cost control processes and practices.

Qualifications – Essential

• Demonstrable experience in cost control.
• Familiarity with cost performance reporting and forecasting techniques.
• Experience leading cost control assurance activities as part of project performance cadence.
• Detailed understanding of Earned Value Management (EVM), progress reporting, forecasting and performance analysis.
• Practical experience of using MS Excel and other MS applications.

Qualifications – Desirable

• Familiarity with at least one cost control tool.
• Understanding of how other aspects of project controls (scheduling, risk management, reporting, change control) interact with cost control.
• Familiarity with NEC contracts.
• Ability to travel to client sites across the region as required.

Working in Teams / Office & Site Attendance

We recognise the importance of balancing work and home life with hybrid working. You will be required to be on client sites or Turner & Townsend offices up to 60% of your time, which may include travel. Flexibility and collaboration are key to our success.

Additional Information

• Our inspired people share our vision and mission, providing a great place to work and a voice for change.
• We promote a healthy, productive and flexible working environment that respects work‑life balance.
• Turner & Townsend is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion, encouraging applications from all sectors of the community.
• Find out more about us at turnerandtownsend.com.

Seniority Level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment Type

Full‑time

Job Function

Project Management

Industries

• Construction
• Civil Engineering
• Business Consulting and Services