Lead Cost Engineer – PMC

SmartRecruiters, Inc.; Jakarta Pusat; On-site; IDR 400,000,000 - 900,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend is seeking a Lead Cost Engineer for a large brownfield RKEF expansion project in Sulawesi, Indonesia. You will act as the PMC's principal authority for cost engineering, forecasting, budget control, trend management, and project financial performance, ensuring independent cost assurance between Owner and EPC Contractor.

The role focuses on cost control, forecasting, change management, and reporting to protect project value and support informed decision-making across

Responsibilities

• Lead the PMC cost engineering and cost control function.
• Develop and maintain cost reports, trend registers, forecasts and variance analyses.
• Provide independent cost assurance and commercial performance monitoring.

Job description

• Department: Energy and natural resources

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

Role Summary

The Lead Cost Engineer is the PMC's principal authority for cost engineering, forecasting, budget control, trend management, change evaluation, and project financial performance. Acting as an independent assurance function between the Owner and the EPC Contractor, the role provides accurate visibility of the project's current and future cost position. On a large-scale brownfield RKEF smelter expansion in Sulawesi, the Lead Cost Engineer plays a critical role in protecting project value, forecasting commercial exposure, and supporting informed decision-making throughout engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and start-up.

Role Purpose

The Lead Cost Engineer is responsible for establishing, implementing, and maintaining all cost engineering, cost control, forecasting, change management, and cost reporting activities associated with the expansion of an operating nickel smelter through the addition of a second Rotary Kiln Electric Furnace (RKEF) production train in Sulawesi, Indonesia.

As part of the PMC organization, the Lead Cost Engineer provides independent cost assurance and commercial performance monitoring on behalf of the Owner while remaining independent from both the Owner and EPC Contractor.

The role is responsible for developing an accurate understanding of project cost performance, identifying emerging cost risks and opportunities, validating EPC Contractor forecasts, and supporting project leadership through timely and reliable cost reporting and financial analysis.

Particular emphasis is placed on managing the cost risks associated with a large brownfield industrial expansion involving significant procurement from China, major construction activities within an operating facility, extensive shutdown and tie-in works, and complex contractor interfaces.

Key Accountabilities

The Lead Cost Engineer is accountable for:

• Development and maintenance of project cost control systems.
• Independent validation of EPC Contractor cost performance.
• Cost forecasting and Estimate at Completion (EAC) development.
• Project budget monitoring and reporting.
• Cost trend management.
• Change and variation cost assessment.
• Cash flow forecasting.
• Cost risk identification and mitigation.
• Management reporting and executive cost dashboards.
• Integration of cost, schedule, progress, and change management information.

1. Cost Engineering Leadership

• Lead the PMC cost engineering and cost control function.
• Implement project cost control procedures, systems, and reporting requirements.
• Ensure consistency and accuracy of cost data across the project.
• Provide cost management advice to the Project Director and Project Controls Manager.
• Develop a proactive cost management culture across the project team.
• Support strategic project decision-making through financial analysis and forecasting.

2. Project Budget Management

• Budget Establishment and Control
• Maintain the approved project budget structure.
• Monitor budget allocations across project disciplines and work packages.
• Track approved budget revisions and transfers.
• Monitor utilization of management reserves and contingencies.
• Ensure budget performance remains aligned with project objectives.

Typical budget categories include:

• EPC Contract
• Owner Costs
• PMC Costs
• Temporary Facilities
• Utilities and Infrastructure
• Permitting and Regulatory Costs
• Logistics and Importation

3. Cost Control and Monitoring

Provide independent oversight of project cost performance.

Responsibilities include:

• Monitor commitments and expenditures.
• Review EPC Contractor cost reports.
• Validate cost performance information.
• Analyze cost variances and emerging trends.
• Monitor budget consumption and forecast accuracy.
• Identify potential overruns and savings opportunities.

Develop and maintain:

• Cost Reports
• Trend Registers
• Cost Forecasts
• Variance Analyses

4. Cost Forecasting and Estimate at Completion (EAC)

A key responsibility of the role.

Responsibilities include:

• Assess forecast accuracy and confidence levels.
• Review contractor forecast assumptions.
• Evaluate impacts of current and emerging issues.
• Update cost forecasts on a regular basis.
• Identify potential future liabilities and exposures.

Forecasting should incorporate:

• Approved changes
• Potential changes
• Productivity impacts
• Schedule impacts
• Regulatory impacts

Provide objective forecasting independent of contractor reporting.

5. Change Management and Cost Impact Evaluation

Responsibilities include:

• Review proposed changes and variations.
• Assess cost impacts.
• Develop independent cost evaluations.
• Coordinate with Contracts and Engineering teams.
• Monitor cumulative impacts of changes.

Typical changes may arise from:

• Brownfield discoveries
• Utility tie-ins
• Shutdown restrictions
• Regulatory requirements
• Scope growth
• Access constraints

Maintain a comprehensive Change Register and forecast future exposure.

6. Trend Management

Lead project cost trend management.

Responsibilities include:

• Establish trend identification and tracking systems.
• Monitor emerging commercial and technical issues.
• Evaluate potential cost consequences.
• Quantify estimated impacts.
• Provide early warning of budget threats.

Trend categories may include:

• Construction productivity losses
• Logistics impacts
• Contractor performance issues
• Supply chain disruptions

Ensure trends are monitored before becoming formal changes.

7. Cash Flow Management

Develop and maintain project cash flow forecasts