Lead Cost Engineer - NEOM

Jacobs; Al Jawf Region; On-site; SAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Jacobs in Saudi Arabia is seeking a Lead Cost Engineer to own cost reporting, budgets, accruals, and forecasts across a multi-billion SAR portfolio. You will drive the monthly cost control cycle, ensure data integrity, and collaborate with teams to secure closeout funding and accurate final accounts.

You will reconcile data across SAP and Oracle Unifier, lead cost inputs to dashboards and reports, and provide substantiation for claims and negotiations.

Qualifications

• 20+ years of project controls and cost management experience.
• 10+ years on major projects in Saudi Arabia and/or the GCC.
• Experience on mega-projects or mixed-use programs with multi-billion SAR portfolios.
• Substantial experience in budgets, accruals, forecasts, commitments, cash flow, funding, and cost reconciliation.
• Bachelor degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Project Management, Business, Finance, or related discipline.
• PMP, CCP, RICS, or AACE credentials preferred.
• Owner, IPMT, PMC, or major program experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own cost reporting across the portfolio and set the monthly cost control cycle, data requirements, and review timetable.
• Manage approved budgets, allocations, transfers, and cost coding across multiple contracts and workstreams.
• Develop and maintain detailed forecasts, forecast-at-completion positions, and closeout cost projections.
• Manage the monthly accrual process, including validation, reconciliation, aging review, and clearing of unsupported or duplicate accruals.
• Track commitments, actual costs, pending liabilities, settlements, and remaining exposure through contract closure.
• Prepare cash flow forecasts and funding requirements for termination, demobilization, preservation, settlement, and closeout.
• Reconcile SAP, Oracle Unifier, commercial records, and project reporting data, and resolve material differences.
• Lead cost inputs to weekly reports, monthly portfolio reports, closeout reports, preservation cost reports, dashboards, and presentations.
• Provide cost substantiation and supporting records for claims, disputes, settlement discussions, and final account reviews.
• Set cost reporting templates, controls, and data checks, with a clear audit trail for assumptions and forecast changes.
• Explain movements in budgets, commitments, accruals, actuals, cash flow, and forecasts.
• Support the Project Controls Manager in portfolio reviews and senior stakeholder discussions.

Skills

Project controls

Cost management

Budgets & forecasts

Cash flow management

Risk & controls

Education

Bachelor degree (Engineering/Construction/PM/Finance)

Credentials: PMP

Credentials: CCP

Credentials: RICS

Credentials: AACE

Job description

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good. Your impact: The Lead Cost Engineer owns cost reporting and cost control for the closeout portfolio. The role manages budgets, accruals, commitments, cash flow, funding, and forecasts, and gives the Project Controls Manager and senior stakeholders a clear view of current cost position, forecast final cost, and closeout funding requirements.

Key Accountabilities:

Own cost reporting across the portfolio and set the monthly cost control cycle, data requirements, and review timetable.

Manage approved budgets, allocations, transfers, and cost coding across multiple contracts and workstreams.

Develop and maintain detailed forecasts, forecast-at-completion positions, and closeout cost projections.

Manage the monthly accrual process, including validation, reconciliation, aging review, and clearing of unsupported or duplicate accruals.

Track commitments, actual costs, pending liabilities, settlements, and remaining exposure through contract closure.

Prepare cash flow forecasts and funding requirements for termination, demobilization, preservation, settlement, and closeout.

Reconcile SAP, Oracle Unifier, commercial records, and project reporting data, and resolve material differences.

Lead cost inputs to weekly reports, monthly portfolio reports, closeout reports, preservation cost reports, dashboards, and presentations.

Provide cost substantiation and supporting records for claims, disputes, settlement discussions, and final account reviews.

Set cost reporting templates, controls, and data checks, with a clear audit trail for assumptions and forecast changes.

Explain movements in budgets, commitments, accruals, actuals, cash flow, and forecasts.

Support the Project Controls Manager in portfolio reviews and senior stakeholder discussions.

Here's what you'll need:

Minimum 20 years of project controls and cost management experience.

Minimum 10 years of experience on major projects in Saudi Arabia and/or the GCC.

Experience managing cost control on mega-projects or mixed-use programs with multi-billion SAR portfolios and a high volume of contracts.

Substantial experience in budgets, accruals, forecasts, commitments, cash flow, funding, and cost reconciliation.

Experience supporting contract termination, demobilization, preservation, final account, or closeout activities.

Bachelor degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Project Management, Business, Finance, or a related discipline.

PMP, CCP, RICS, AACE, or a comparable credential is preferred.

Owner, IPMT, PMC, or major program experience is preferred.