Senior Cost Controller - Part Time

First Recruitment Group; Aberdeen City; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 75,000; Part time

Job summary

First Recruitment Group is seeking a Senior Cost Controller to lead cost control on a major energy and infrastructure project in the United Kingdom. The role emphasizes commercial performance, grant claim management, stakeholder engagement and team leadership, with a flexible part‑time arrangement.

The successful candidate will own cost control activities, support senior management reporting, and mentor other cost control professionals, ensuring accurate forecasting, budgeting and reporting

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent experience in cost control, project controls, or finance.
• Proven experience in project cost control within complex environments.
• Experience leading or mentoring finance or cost control teams.
• Strong understanding of cost management, forecasting, budgeting, and reporting.
• Experience with SAP or similar ERP platforms.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of cost control services across a significant capital project.
• Drive monthly cost review meetings with budget holders and project stakeholders.
• Coordinate and deliver monthly and quarterly project cost reporting for senior management reviews.
• Provide leadership, mentoring, and support to other cost control team members.
• Ensure project costs are accurately monitored, forecasted, and reported.
• Support the preparation and submission of grant funding claims with validated information.
• Maintain alignment between project schedules and cost forecasts.
• Provide cost data and analysis to support commercial, financing, and stakeholder requirements.
• Deliver ad-hoc financial analysis and presentations for business decisions.
• Provide cover for other cost control personnel to ensure business continuity.
• Ensure compliance with policies, procedures, contractual obligations, and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Cost control

Project controls

Forecasting

Budgeting

Stakeholder management

Excel

SAP

Financial reporting

Mentoring

Communication

Education

Degree qualification or equivalent experience in cost control/finance

Tools

SAP

Excel

ERP systems

Job description

IR35: Inside (PAYE)

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced Senior Cost Controller to lead the delivery of cost control services on a major energy and infrastructure project. This is an excellent opportunity for a commercially focused professional to play a key role in financial performance, grant claim management, stakeholder engagement, and team leadership.

The successful candidate will take ownership of project cost control activities, support senior management reporting, and provide mentoring and guidance to other cost control professionals within the team.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of cost control services across a significant capital project.
• Drive monthly cost review meetings with budget holders and project stakeholders.
• Coordinate and deliver monthly and quarterly project cost reporting for senior management reviews.
• Provide leadership, mentoring, and support to other cost control team members.
• Ensure project costs are accurately monitored, forecasted, and reported.
• Support the preparation and submission of grant funding claims, ensuring all supporting information is appropriately validated and documented.
• Maintain alignment between project schedules and cost forecasts.
• Provide cost data and analysis to support commercial, financing, and stakeholder requirements.
• Deliver ad-hoc financial analysis and presentations to support business decision‑making.
• Support business continuity by providing cover for other cost control personnel as required.
• Ensure compliance with relevant policies, procedures, contractual obligations, and regulatory requirements.

About You

To be successful in this role, you will bring:

• Degree qualification and/or relevant professional experience within cost control, project controls, or finance.
• Proven experience in project cost control within complex project environments.
• Previous experience leading, mentoring, or supporting finance or cost control teams.
• Strong understanding of cost management principles, forecasting, budgeting, and financial reporting.
• Experience working with financial systems such as SAP or similar ERP platforms.
• Knowledge of contracts, procurement processes, and managing costs across multiple contractors.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• The ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and deliver high-quality outputs to tight deadlines.
• A proactive approach with a focus on continuous improvement and delivering business value.
• Experience within the energy, oil & gas, carbon capture, infrastructure, or major projects sectors.
• Understanding of government-funded projects and grant claim processes.
• Experience supporting financing, commercial, or regulatory reporting requirements.

What We're Looking For

The ideal candidate will be:

• Results‑driven and commercially aware.
• Flexible and responsive to changing business needs.
• Collaborative and capable of influencing stakeholders at all levels.
• Open, honest, and dependable.
• Committed to maintaining high standards of safety, compliance, and professional integrity.

This role offers the opportunity to make a significant impact within a major project environment while working on a flexible part‑time basis.