Cost Controls Manager

Luster National; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited flexible time off

Health, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) plan with employer contribution

Professional development budget

Job summary

A leading infrastructure firm in Houston is seeking a Cost Controls Manager to lead financial performance monitoring for complex projects. The ideal candidate will manage budgets, collaborate with project teams, and contribute to cost efficiency. A degree in engineering or related field and 10+ years of experience in heavy-civil projects is required. This role offers competitive compensation and a range of benefits.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of cost management experience on large infrastructure projects.
• Experience with alternative delivery methods.
• Demonstrated success in managing budgets and forecasts.
• Proficiency in financial modeling and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Develop integrated cost-management plans.
• Produce rolling forecasts and cash-flow metrics.
• Coordinate with project teams for alignment.
• Lead monthly cost reviews and prepare dashboards.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Cost management

Collaboration

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction management, finance, business

Tools

Primavera P6

Microsoft Office Suite

Power BI

Job description

Cost Controls Manager – Luster National

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About the Position

We’re seeking Cost Controls Managers to support large, heavy‑civil infrastructure programs—including highways, roads, bridges, transit (rail and bus), and airport projects delivered through traditional and alternative methods. These roles require close collaboration with project teams to monitor financial performance, maintain budget discipline, and drive cost efficiency—ultimately supporting the on‑time, on‑budget delivery of complex infrastructure projects. This posting is for future roles and not for a specific opportunity that is available right now. We accept applications and conduct interviews in advance of upcoming hiring needs. When a candidate is selected, their profile is activated in our talent pool for this specialty area. We notify our talent pool candidates first whenever we have a project need.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain integrated cost‑management plans—budget baselines, work‑package structures, coding standards, and change‑control workflows.
• Produce rolling forecasts, cash‑flow curves, and earned‑value metrics; highlight variances and recommend corrective actions.
• Coordinate with project controls, scheduling, estimating, and legal teams to quantify impacts, ensure alignment among cost, schedule, and risk registers, and recommend commercial risk mitigation actions.
• Lead monthly cost reviews with owner leadership, prepping dashboards, trend analyses, and scenario models.
• Validate contractor cost reports, payment applications, and contingency drawdowns against contract requirements and progress data.
• Support funding agency reporting (e.g., FTA, FRA, FAA, etc.) and external audits; ensure audit trails meet federal and state compliance standards.
• Champion continuous improvement by standardizing templates, automating data pipelines, and mentoring project staff in cost‑control best practices.
• Contribute to claims defense and forensic analyses by supplying time‑phased cost data and change‑order histories.

Attributes

• Sharp analytical thinker who turns raw data into concise, persuasive narratives for executive audiences.
• Detail‑oriented guardian of fiscal discipline who sees the “big picture” of scope, schedule, and commercial risk.
• Collaborative, low‑ego communicator who is comfortable guiding multi‑discipline teams.
• Adaptable mindset suited to fast‑moving, politically visible mega projects.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction management, finance, business, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 10+ years of hands‑on cost management or program controls experience on large (>$500M), complex, heavy‑civil infrastructure projects.
• Experience with alternative delivery methods (e.g., DB, CM/GC, P3) and associated risk‑allocation mechanisms.
• Demonstrated success building and managing detailed budgets, change‑order logs, and cost forecasts.
• Proficiency in financial modeling and reporting.
• Experience interfacing with industry standard scheduling systems, cost systems, and contract platforms to ensure alignment (e.g., Primavera P6, PMWeb, Prism, Aconex, Unifier, e‑Builder).
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite/Office 365 (e.g., Outlook, Teams, Word, PowerPoint).

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in engineering, construction management, finance, or business.
• Active professional certifications such as CCM (CMAA), MRICS/FRICS (RICS), PMP (PMI), or CCA (AACE).
• Experience with large (>$500M), complex, heavy‑civil highways, roads, bridges, transit (including rail and bus), and/or airport projects.
• Prior experience overseeing cost controls on programs exceeding $1 billion.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Power BI, Oracle Cloud Analytics, or other dashboard KPI reporting software.

Compensation Details

The salary range listed for this role is $120k‑$190k/year ($57‑$91/hour). The final salary offered will be based on multiple factors and thoughtfully aligned with each candidate’s level of experience, breadth of skills, total education achieved, certifications/licenses that have been obtained, geographic location, etc.

Benefits

• Unlimited flexible time off
• Paid holidays
• Paid parental leave
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Flexible spending accounts (healthcare and dependent or elder care)
• Long‑term disability insurance
• Short‑term disability insurance
• Life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment
• 401(k) plan with guaranteed employer contribution
• Formal career planning and development program
• $2,500 annually toward professional development
• Wellness program with monthly wellness stipend
• Company cell phone or cell phone plan reimbursement
• Free personalized meal planning and nutrition support with a registered dietitian
• Free personal financial planning services
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discounts
• Employee referral bonus

Luster is committed to creating an inclusive work environment with a diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to criminal history, race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. This employer participates in E‑Verify. The employer will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with information from each new employee’s I‑9 to confirm work authorization.

All positions may be subject to a background check and drug test once a conditional offer of employment is made for any convictions directly related to its duties and responsibilities, in accordance with all applicable local, state, and/or federal regulations.

This job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position.

Luster does not accept unsolicited resumes. In the absence of a signed agreement, Luster will not consider or agree to payment of any kind. Any unsolicited resumes presented to Luster personnel, including those submitted to Luster hiring managers, are deemed to be the property of Luster.

Please email [e-mail] for accommodations necessary to complete the application process.