Portfolio Cost Intelligence Manager

Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail; Dublin; On-site; EUR 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail is seeking a Portfolio Cost Intelligence Manager to lead a data‑driven cost management capability across the Capital Investments portfolio. You will establish systems, standards and governance to capture, benchmark and estimate project costs with increasing accuracy.

You will work closely with Delivery, Finance and Procurement teams to drive cost intelligence, support investment appraisals and enhance commercial governance across major rail projects.

Qualifications

• 15 years of experience in cost management, estimating and benchmarking within major infrastructure, ideally rail.
• Deep knowledge of cost data systems, governance and benchmarking practices.
• Evidence of applying industry standards such as RMM, CESMM and NRMM.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills to operate across matrix organisations.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement a unified cost data architecture for capital projects across the portfolio.
• Lead adoption and embedding of the Rail Method of Measurement (RMM) and other industry standards.
• Develop cost coding structures, templates and guidance for teams and suppliers.
• Establish QA processes to validate cost data inputs and ensure compliance with standards.
• Integrate cost intelligence into governance, delivery, finance and procurement.
• Develop dashboards and benchmarking tools to inform senior leadership and project teams.

Skills

Cost management

Estimating

Benchmarking

Data analytics

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Education

RICS

ACostE

AACE

Job description

Role and Purpose

The Portfolio Cost Intelligence Manager will lead the development of a modern, data‑driven cost management capability across Irish Rail’s Capital Investments portfolio. This senior role will establish the systems, processes, standards required to ensure that capital project costs are captured consistently, benchmarked robustly and estimated with increasing accuracy and confidence.

The post holder will play a pivotal role in strengthening commercial governance, improving investment decision‑making and enabling Irish Rail to deliver its capital programme efficiently and transparently.

Reporting Relationships:

• Head of Commercial, Commercial Department

Working Relationship with:

• All members of the CI Commercial Department
• All members of the wider Capital Investments Senior Leadership Team and their respective departments – including Railway Systems Director, Development and Design Director, Delivery Director and Head of Finance.
• The IÉ Procurement Department & other departments within IÉ
• External agencies, including Department of Transport (DoT), National Transport Authority (NTA), local authorities, An Bord Pleanála, utility providers etc.
• External Consultants and Contractors appointed to deliver the Capital Investment portfolio.

GENERAL MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

• Safety: To act as a focus for safety in line with the New Works SMS and to discharge your safety responsibilities as outlined by your reporting Manager and Safety Responsibility Statement (SRS). Implementation of the Construction Regulations.
• Engineering: To ensure that all projects are properly authorized and progressed in accordance with the Building regulations, IE and IM policy, standards and procedures.
• Business: To manage, coordinate and control all projects and related activities for your business.
• People: To ensure constant communication with all colleagues within your area and to support the People Management policy within the IM team.
• Sustainability: To embed sustainability in project planning and delivery, ensuring environmental compliance, carbon reduction and continuous improvement.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Cost Data Systems, Standards & Governance
• Design and implement a unified cost data architecture for capital projects, ensuring consistent capture, classification and reporting of cost information across the portfolio.
• Lead the adoption and embedding of the Rail Method of Measurement (RMM) and other relevant industry standards to drive consistency and comparability.
• Develop and maintain cost coding structures, templates and guidance materials for project teams, suppliers and internal stakeholders to adopt and utilise.
• Establish quality assurance processes to validate cost data inputs and ensure compliance with agreed standards and funding and statutory requirements.
• Work closely with Delivery Teams, Programme Controls, Finance and Procurement to integrate cost intelligence into wider governance frameworks.
• Promote cost integration across project disciplines including scheduling and risk management.
• Build and maintain a comprehensive cost benchmarking database covering key asset types, project categories and delivery models.
• Analyse historic and current project data to identify cost drivers, trends, variances and opportunities for efficiency.
• Produce cost intelligence data as required to inform strategic planning, business cases, investment appraisals and value‑for‑money assessments.
• Develop dashboards and visualisations that make cost insights accessible and actionable for senior leaders and project teams.
• Develop a suite of benchmarking tools to evaluate the cost efficiency of Programmes and Projects against.

3. Estimating Capability Development

• Establish a robust estimating capability for capital projects, including methodologies, tools and assurance processes.
• Develop standard estimating models and a standard suite of unit rates to support early‑stage project development and option selection.
• Provide expert guidance on cost estimation for major projects, ensuring alignment with national frameworks such as the Public Spending Code and the NTA Cost Management Guidelines.
• Support programme / project teams as necessary in developing, reviewing and validating cost estimates at all project stages.

4. Leadership, Collaboration & Capability Building

• Directly or Indirectly lead a team of cost analysts, estimators and data professionals, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and technical excellence.
• Provide functional guidance on cost‑related matters to embedded teams, building capability across the wider organisation through training, guidance and knowledge‑sharing on cost management best practice.
• Define competency standards, career pathways and training requirements for cost estimating professionals.
• Act as the organisation’s subject matter expert on cost intelligence, representing Irish Rail in industry forums and cross‑agency working groups.
• Collaborate with external partners, consultants and suppliers to ensure alignment with Irish Rail’s cost intelligence standards.
• Champion knowledge sharing and lessons learned across the organisation.

5. Strategic Contribution

• Provide senior leadership with evidence‑based insights to support investment prioritisation, risk management and long‑term capital planning.
• Contribute to the development of commercial strategies, procurement approaches and delivery models informed by cost intelligence.
• Drive innovation in cost management through the adoption of digital tools, automation and advanced analytics.

Skills, Experience & Qualifications

• 15 years’ experience in cost management, estimating, cost intelligence and benchmarking within major infrastructure environments (ideally rail).
• Strong understanding of capital project lifecycles, cost breakdown structures, and industry measurement standards (e.g., RMM, CESMM, NRMM).
• Proven ability to design and implement cost data systems, processes and governance frameworks.
• Demonstrated experience building benchmarking datasets and analytical tools.
• Excellent collaboration skills with the ability to deliver outcomes through work with others within matrix organisations
• Strong analytical, commercial and communication skills, with the ability to translate complex data into clear insights.
• Professional accreditation (e.g., RICS, ACostE, AACE).
• Experience working within a regulated or publicly funded environment.
• Familiarity with Irish public sector investment frameworks, including the Public Spending Code.
• Knowledge of digital project controls tools and data platforms.