Cost Controller

Colas Rail APAC; Pasig; On-site; PHP 600,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Colas Rail APAC is seeking a Cost Controller to ensure accurate application of internal policies across finance, legal, HR, QHSE and other functions. The role analyzes risks and proposes improvements to cost management practices on rail projects.

You will manage cost data in Compass, LISA and J@DE, support project budgets and ETC forecasts, perform monthly cost close and reporting, and collaborate with engineering, procurement and site teams to maintain cost integrity.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 4–5 years of relevant cost control experience.
• Strong experience with cost accounting, budgeting, and forecasting.
• Ability to prepare monthly cost reports and variances.

Responsibilities

• Maintain accuracy of cost data in Compass, LISA, and J@DE, ensuring proper cost allocation across Trackworks, OCS, and Civil Works.
• Assist budgets, ETC, and EOL forecasts, including preliminaries, site overheads, and subsystems.
• Manage Compass lifecycle: WBS nodes, cost allocations, Earned Value, ETC, and budget transfers.
• Perform monthly cost control activities: period closing, accruals, forecasts, and monthly reports.
• Identify cost drivers and risks, provide early warnings on budget overruns.
• Monitor expenditures: verify supplier invoices and ensure proper coding and recording.
• Coordinate with Engineering, Procurement, Planning, Contracts, and Site Teams for cost data.
• Support audits with complete traceable cost records and documentation.
• Perform cost apportionment across subsystems and work fronts; participate in meetings.

Skills

Cost control

Budgeting

Financial analysis

Reporting

Interdepartmental coordination

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Compass

LISA

J@DE

Job description

Mission

Controls the correct application of internal policies, rules and procedures in all company functions (financial, legal & compliance, HR, QHSE, etc.), analyzes the associated risks and proposes improvements.

Main Responsibilities

• Maintain the accuracy, integrity, and reliability of cost and financial data within the cost control systems (e.g., Compass, LISA, J@DE), including verification of cost allocations and reconciliation of discrepancies with relevant departments such as Contracts, Procurement, and Project Teams. Ensure proper cost allocation across Trackworks, Overhead Catenary System (OCS), and Civil Works.
• Assist the Project Team in establishing, monitoring, and updating project budgets, actual costs, remaining budgets, Estimate to Complete (ETC), and End of Life (EOL) forecasts, including preliminaries, site overheads, subsystem budgets, temporary works, and general items.
• Manage the full Compass lifecycle, including creation of nodes/phases within the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), allocation of costs, management of Earned Value and ETC, and processing approved budget allocations and transfers.
• Execute monthly cost control activities such as period closing, cost capture, accruals, commitments, and forecast updates in alignment with project progress. Prepare and maintain monthly cost reports covering approved and pending variations, forecast risks and opportunities, commitments, actual costs, forecasts to complete, budget versus actual analysis, and subsystem variances.
• Identify, analyze, and quantify key cost drivers and variances, including productivity impacts during night works, interface issues between Track, OCS, and Civil scopes, design developments, requirement changes, subcontractor performance, and material price fluctuations. Provide early warnings and cost impact assessments related to construction sequence changes, access strategies, extended working hours, possession requirements, and potential budget overruns.
• Monitor and control project expenditures through verification of supplier, vendor, and subcontractor reports, billings, invoices, and claims. Ensure all costs are properly captured, coded, and recorded within company systems. Track costs related to plant, materials, labor, consumables, CAPEX, and specialist rail subcontractors.
• Coordinate with Engineering, Procurement, Planning, Contracts, and Site Teams to ensure timely and accurate submission of cost-related information. Support Commercial and Contract Teams by providing cost data for variations, claims, Extension of Time (EOT) assessments, and change impact analysis across Track, OCS, and Civil scopes.
• Support internal and external audits by maintaining complete, accurate, and traceable cost records and supporting documentation. Take ownership of producing accurate and consistent cost reports in line with company and project requirements.
• Perform cost apportionment and analysis across rail subsystems, work fronts, possessions, construction stages, shared preliminaries, common costs, and site overheads. Participate in project and internal meetings, providing cost control analysis, recommendations, and reporting support as required.

Profile

Typically requires a bachelor’s degree and at least 4-5 years of experience