Project Cost Controller

Jab Recruitment; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

JAB Recruitment client seeks an experienced Cost Controller to join its Project Controls team, supporting the financial management of large-scale power infrastructure and capital projects. Onsite 5 days a week, with relocation of the Cypress office to City Center in 2027.

Must be authorized to work in the US without visa sponsorship. The role covers budgeting, commitments, forecasting, variance analysis, change control, cost risk, cash flow, and project closeout, collaborating across

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Finance, Business, or related field.
• 5-10 years of experience in cost control, project controls, or capital cost management.
• Minimum 3 years of experience supporting power, energy, utility, industrial, or infrastructure projects.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including pivot tables, variance analysis, and dashboard development; NetSuite experience preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of cost forecasting, change control, accruals, earned value management, and integrated cost/schedule reporting.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain project cost baselines, control budgets, cost breakdown structures, and cost accounts aligned with the project WBS/CBS.
• Monitor actual costs, commitments, forecasts, and estimate-to-complete across Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Commissioning phases.
• Develop and maintain Estimate-at-Completion (EAC) and Estimate-to-Complete (ETC) forecasts.
• Analyze cost performance and variances, identify trends and risks, and recommend corrective actions.
• Prepare weekly and monthly cost reports, dashboards, cash flow forecasts, and funding schedules for project and executive leadership.
• Support Earned Value Management (EVM) reporting and integrated cost/schedule reporting.
• Review and validate contractor progress claims, milestone payment certificates, vendor invoices, rate schedules, and change orders.
• Assess the cost impact of scope changes, design modifications, schedule delays, RFIs, Field Change Notices, and Engineering Change Orders.
• Administer project budgets through formal change management processes and maintain accurate change order logs and audit trails.
• Support delay analysis and quantify cost impacts associated with schedule changes, including delay damages and liquidated damages.

Skills

Cost control

Project controls

EVM

NetSuite

Cost forecasting

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

A JAB Recruitment client is seeking an experienced Cost Controller to join its Project Controls team and support the financial management of large-scale power infrastructure and capital projects.

This role will be responsible for full lifecycle project cost management, including budgeting, commitments, forecasting, variance analysis, change control, cost risk, cash flow, and project closeout. The Cost Controller will work closely with Project Controls, Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Contracts, Finance, and project leadership to provide accurate, timely cost intelligence and support informed business decisions.

PLEASE NOTE:

• ONSITE 5 Days a week.
• Current Location: Cypress, but the office will move to City Center in early 2027.
• All candidates must be authorized to work in the US indefinitely without present or future need for visa sponsorship.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain project cost baselines, control budgets, cost breakdown structures, and cost accounts aligned with the project WBS/CBS.
• Monitor actual costs, commitments, forecasts, and estimate-to-complete across Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Commissioning phases.
• Develop and maintain Estimate-at-Completion (EAC) and Estimate-to-Complete (ETC) forecasts.
• Analyze cost performance and variances, identify trends and risks, and recommend corrective actions.
• Prepare weekly and monthly cost reports, dashboards, cash flow forecasts, and funding schedules for project and executive leadership.
• Support Earned Value Management (EVM) reporting and integrated cost/schedule reporting.
• Review and validate contractor progress claims, milestone payment certificates, vendor invoices, rate schedules, and change orders.
• Assess the cost impact of scope changes, design modifications, schedule delays, RFIs, Field Change Notices, and Engineering Change Orders.
• Administer project budgets through formal change management processes and maintain accurate change order logs and audit trails.
• Support delay analysis and quantify cost impacts associated with schedule changes, including delay damages and liquidated damages.
• Review EPC, EPCM, and major equipment supply contracts for cost control, reporting, and commercial requirements.
• Monitor purchase order commitments, goods receipts, and invoice processing within procurement and ERP systems.
• Partner with Contracts teams on back-charges, claims, disputes, and related cost implications.
• Coordinate with Planning/Scheduling teams to integrate cost and schedule data and maintain cost curves aligned with the Project Master Schedule.
• Support critical path analysis, cost risk modeling, scenario planning, and Quantitative Cost Risk Analysis (QCRA).
• Maintain cost-related risks and opportunities within the project risk register and monitor contingency drawdown against identified risk events.
• Support estimates, Independent Cost Reviews (ICRs), internal audits, due diligence, and regulatory cost reviews.
• Maintain accurate project cost data, documentation, registers, and supporting records throughout the project lifecycle and closeout.
• Partner with Finance on accruals, Capital Work in Progress (CWIP), asset capitalization, and other project financial requirements.
• Ensure project cost management activities comply with financial policies, CAPEX authorization requirements, governance standards, and Project Controls procedures.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Finance, Business, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• 5-10 years of experience in cost control, project controls, or capital cost management.
• Minimum 3 years of experience supporting power, energy, utility, industrial, or infrastructure projects.
• Demonstrated experience supporting large capital projects; experience with projects exceeding $100 million preferred.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including pivot tables, variance analysis, and dashboard development.
• Experience with ERP and/or project management systems; NetSuite experience preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of cost forecasting, change control, accruals, earned value management, and integrated cost/schedule reporting.
• Familiarity with power infrastructure scope, including civil/structural work, high-voltage equipment, cabling, protection and controls, substations, generation, and commissioning.
• Valid driver's license.

Core Competencies

• Strong analytical and financial acumen with the ability to translate complex cost data into actionable business insights.
• Excellent attention to detail and documentation discipline, with a high degree of accuracy under deadlines.
• Confident communicator who can present cost performance, trends, and risks to both technical and executive stakeholders.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills across Project Controls, Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Contracts, and Finance.
• Highly organized, self-directed, and comfortable managing competing priorities in a fast-paced project environment.
• Commitment to safety, operational excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.