Project Controls / Cost Manager

cumminggroup; New Jersey; On-site; USD 107,000 - 142,000; Full time

Job summary

Cumming Group is seeking a seasoned project controls professional to join our cost management team. You will lead financial reporting, cost forecasting, and CIP capitalization for complex capital projects across multiple locations.

Responsibilities include reviewing invoices, change orders, and contractor costs, plus ensuring alignment with budgets, contracts, and master agreements. Collaboration with GREWS PMs and global engineering is essential to success.

Qualifications

• Experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, life sciences, commercial real estate, or corporate facilities projects.
• Experience supporting an owner's representative or owner-side capital project management team.
• Familiarity with SAP or similar enterprise financial/project management systems.
• Experience across multiple capital projects in different geographic locations.
• Understanding CIP, capital-versus-expense treatment, and asset capitalization processes.

Responsibilities

• Prepare monthly project cost reports, including estimate-to-complete and full-funding forecasts.
• Track actual costs, commitments, and approved or pending change orders.
• Monitor contingency utilization and provide reporting on contingency drawdowns.
• Develop and maintain project cash flow forecasts across P1, P2, and P3 reporting periods.
• Review cost forecasts and financial performance with GREWS Project Managers.
• Support quarterly Construction in Progress (CIP) reviews.
• Provide guidance on capital versus expense classification in coordination with project stakeholders.
• Support asset capitalization upon project completion and Ready for Intended Use (RIU).

Education

BS in Construction Management, Engineering, QS, Architecture, or related field

Tools

SAP

Job description

At Cumming Group, you will work on some of the world's most exciting projects in a dynamic environment where your success is measured by the impact you make. We are one of the fastest-growing project and cost management consultancies in the United States, as reflected in our top 15 rankings in ENR. With over 70 offices globally, an extremely diverse project portfolio, and double-digit year-over-year revenue growth, the opportunities to make your mark are limitless!

Key Responsibilities

Cost Management & Financial Reporting

• Prepare monthly project cost reports, including estimate-to-complete and full-funding forecasts.
• Track actual costs, commitments, and approved or pending change orders.
• Monitor project contingency utilization and provide reporting on contingency drawdowns.
• Develop and maintain project cash flow forecasts across P1, P2, and P3 reporting periods.
• Review cost forecasts and financial performance with GREWS Project Managers.
• Support quarterly Construction in Progress (CIP) reviews.
• Provide guidance on capital versus expense classification in coordination with project stakeholders.
• Support asset capitalization upon project completion and Ready for Intended Use (RIU).

Invoice Review & Commercial Management

• Review monthly Construction Manager and Architect/Engineer invoices for accuracy and contractual compliance.
• Validate invoices against project progress, approved budgets, and contractual terms.
• Prepare invoice review and approval documentation.
• Review construction contracts, scopes of work, bid documents, and commercial provisions.
• Support trade bid reviews, including evaluation of allowances and alignment with technical requirements.

Change Order & PCO Management

• Lead and facilitate Potential Change Order (PCO) governance meetings with Construction Managers.
• Review proposed change orders against the Scope of Work, Master Service Agreements, contracts, and bid documentation.
• Validate proposed change order scope, rates, markups, and contractual coverage.
• Assess the financial impact of project changes and ensure accurate cost reporting.
• Coordinate and generate Project Change Requests as required.

Project Controls & Stakeholder Coordination

• Work closely with GREWS Project Managers and Global Engineering to maintain project financial controls.
• Provide timely, accurate, and transparent cost reporting to support management decisions.
• Coordinate with construction teams, vendors, finance, and other stakeholders.
• Maintain consistent project controls processes across geographically dispersed capital projects.
• Support project closeout, financial reconciliation, and capitalization activities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, life sciences, commercial real estate, or corporate facilities projects.
• Previous experience supporting an owner's representative or owner-side capital project management team.
• Familiarity with SAP or similar enterprise financial/project management systems.
• Experience supporting multiple capital projects across different geographic locations.
• Understanding of Construction in Progress (CIP), capital-versus-expense treatment, and asset capitalization processes.

Preferred Education and Experience:

• Education: BS in Construction Management, Engineering, QS, Architecture, or related field
• Experience: 4+ years' experience post receiving undergraduate degree working in related field

#LI-SJ2

Cumming Group is committed to providing Equal Employment Opportunity in its personnel policies and practices.

It is Cumming Group's policy to recruit, hire, train and promote Team Members and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, age, sex, marital status, registered domestic partner status, genetic information, sexual preference, sexual orientation, gender (including gender expression and gender identity), pregnancy (including childbirth or related medical conditions, including breastfeeding), military service, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical disability, mental disability, veteran status or any other protected classification under federal, state, or local law. All such decisions are based on (1) individual merit, qualifications, and competence as they relate to the particular position, and (2) promotion of the principle of equal employment opportunity.

All other terms and conditions of employment, such as compensation, benefits, transfers, layoff, return from layoff, training, education, and social and recreational programs, are administered without regard to the characteristics described above. To this end, Cumming Group complies with all provisions of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended, all of the rules, regulations and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor, and all similar state and local laws.

The salary range for this full-time role is $106,800.00-$142,400.02 per year. Ranges are determined based on the position, geography, client and industry experience and level, and represent a