Cost Controls Specialist

Socket.dev; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

WSP is seeking a Cost Controls Specialist to join the Project Controls team, supporting Power & Energy programs including transmission lines and substations. The role emphasizes forecasting, budget tracking, variance analysis, and project cost reporting with collaboration across project managers, finance, schedulers, contractors and clients.

The successful candidate will work mostly remotely with some onsite meetings, leveraging EcoSys, Procore, Oracle, or e-Builder to manage budgets and cost

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in cost/project controls.
• 7–10 years in cost controls on capital projects, preferably Power & Energy.
• Experience forecasting, budget tracking, variance analysis, cost reporting, cash flow tracking, and change control.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and monitor project cost control processes for Power & Energy projects.
• Prepare and maintain project budgets, forecasts, cash flows, cost reports, accruals, commitments, and financial projections.
• Track actual costs, commitments, contingency, change orders, invoices, and cost coding.
• Perform cost variance analysis, trend analysis, and earned value management support.
• Use PMIS platforms to manage budgets, forecasts, commitments, change orders, invoices, and cost reports.
• Produce regular cost reports, budget variance summaries, forecast updates, and executive dashboards.
• Support change management, contractor progress tracking, invoice review, contingency management, and close-out reporting.

Skills

Forecasting

Budget tracking

Variance analysis

Earned value management

Cost reporting

Communication

Coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Engineering, Construction Management

Tools

EcoSys

Procore

Oracle

e-Builder

Autodesk Construction Cloud

Job description

This Opportunity

WSP is seeking a Cost Controls Specialist to join their Project Controls team supporting Power & Energy programs, including transmission line and substation capital projects. This role is well suited for a cost controls professional with experience in forecasting, budget tracking, variance analysis, and project cost reporting who enjoys working collaboratively with project managers, finance teams, schedulers, contractors, and clients.The selected candidate will be mostly remote with some onsite support & in-person meetings.

Your Impact

• Develop, maintain, and monitor project cost control processes for transmission line, substation, and related Power & Energy projects.
• Prepare and maintain project budgets, forecasts, cash flows, cost reports, accruals, commitments, and financial projections to support accurate project performance tracking.
• Track actual costs, commitments, contingency, change orders, invoices, and cost coding to support timely and reliable project cost management.
• Perform cost variance analysis, trend analysis, and earned value management support, identifying cost risks and recommending corrective actions to project leadership.
• Use cost management and PMIS platforms such as EcoSys, Procore, Oracle, e-Builder, or similar systems to manage budgets, forecasts, commitments, change orders, invoices, and cost reports.
• Produce regular cost reports, budget variance summaries, forecast updates, and executive-level financial dashboards that clearly communicate project cost status, risks, and required decisions.
• Support change management, contractor progress tracking, invoice review, contingency management, and project close-out reporting from a cost controls perspective.

Who You Are

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field preferred; equivalent cost controls or project controls experience will also be considered.
• 7-10 years of experience in cost controls, project controls, finance, or related functions on capital projects, preferably within transmission line, substation, utility, infrastructure, or Power & Energy programs.
• Advanced hands-on experience with forecasting, budget tracking, variance analysis, cost reporting, cash flow tracking, commitments, accruals, and change control is strongly preferred.
• Experience with cost management, ERP, and PMIS tools such as EcoSys, Procore, Oracle, e-Builder, Autodesk Construction Cloud, or similar platforms is preferred.
• Working knowledge of earned value management (EVM), cost forecasting, budget baselines, cost coding structures, trend analysis, and project financial controls.
• Strong analytical, communication, and coordination skills, with the ability to translate cost data into clear updates for project teams, finance partners, contractors, clients, and leadership.

About WSP

WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world's leading engineering and professional services firms. Dedicated to serving local communities, we are engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors and construction management professionals. WSP USA designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets. With more than 15,000 employees in over 300 offices across the U.S., we partner with our clients to help communities prosper.

www.wsp.com

WSP provides a flexible and agile workplace model while meeting client needs. Employees are also afforded a comprehensive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, life, and retirement savings focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career.

At WSP, we want to give our employees the challenges they seek to grow their careers and knowledge base. Your daily contributions to your team will be essential in meeting client objectives, goals and challenges.

NOTICE TO THIRD PARTY AGENCIES:

WSP does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or other staffing services. Unsolicited resumes include any resume or hiring document sent to WSP in the absence of a signed Service Agreement where WSP has expressly requested recruitment/staffing services specific to the position at hand. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers or other business leaders, will become the property of WSP and WSP will have the right to hire that candidate without reservation – no fee or other compensation will be owed or paid to the recruiter, employment agency, or other staffing service.

WSP USA (and all of its U.S. companies) is an Equal Opportunity Employer Race/Age/Color/Religion/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/National Origin/Disability or Protected Veteran Status.

The selected candidate must be authorized to work in the United States.