Senior Cost Analyst

JM Recruiting; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

JM Recruiting is seeking a Senior Cost Analyst to support the development and execution of capital projects in a Dallas area, working in-office on a full-time contract.

The role focuses on cost tracking, budgeting, forecasting, and project controls across a portfolio of pipelines and facilities, translating complex cost data into actionable insights for project managers and leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field with 5+ years cost analysis/project controls experience.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel for cost tracking, forecasting, reporting.
• Experience with capital expenditures, budgeting, accruals, forecasting, and variance analysis.

Responsibilities

• Own cost tracking and project controls across a portfolio of capital projects.
• Analyze actual costs, budgets, performance, contingencies, risks, and variances; recommend actions.
• Lead monthly cost and forecast reviews with Project Managers and leadership.
• Prepare monthly accruals and true-ups to ensure proper accounting.periods.
• Assess changes to scope, schedule, budget and forecast for financial impact.
• Support change management processes and contingency tracking.
• Review invoices, POs, proposals, and changes for coding accuracy and contractual alignment.
• Research cost coding issues and unusual transactions, escalating when needed.
• Maintain weekly and monthly reporting on costs, KPIs, risks and portfolio trends.
• Provide cost insights to improve forecasting accuracy and decision-making.
• Support procurement, month-end/year-end close and project closeout costs.
• Identify opportunities to improve cost tracking, reporting, governance and controls.

Skills

Cost analysis

Forecasting

Budgeting

Variance analysis

Stakeholder management

Project controls

Financial reporting

Excel advanced

Power BI

Education

Bachelor degree in Accounting/Finance/Business

Tools

Excel

Power BI

Job description

Senior Cost Analyst
Full-Time Contract, In Office
The Senior Cost Analyst is focused on supporting the successful development and execution of pipeline and facility projects through strong project coordination, financial accuracy, and operational efficiency. With a collaborative approach, the team works across project management, accounting, scheduling, and cost control to keep projects organized and moving forward. They will support financial management and project controls for a portfolio of capital projects, partner closely with Project Managers, Accounting, Finance, Procurement and Operations, serve as a trusted financial partner to project teams and leadership. Must be capable of translating complex cost data into clear business insight that supports disciplined capital project execution.

Requirements:

• Bachelor degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field, with 5+ years of experience in cost analysis, project controls, project accounting, financial analysis, or a related discipline.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel for cost tracking, forecasting, analysis, and financial reporting.
• Strong knowledge of accruals, capital expenditures, budgeting, forecasting, commitments, change management, variance analysis, and financial reporting.
• Experience with financial, accounting, project controls, or project management systems; Power BI or similar reporting tools preferred.
• Experience supporting capital or construction projects and project-based financial reporting; experience with large project portfolios preferred.
• Strong analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to interpret complex cost data, identify trends, explain variances, and provide practical recommendations.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines while proactively improving processes, reporting, forecasting, and controls.
  

Responsibilities:

• Own cost tracking and project controls activities across a portfolio of capital projects, including budgets, forecasts, commitments, accruals, cash flow projections and final cost reporting.
• Analyze actual costs, budget performance, contingency use, cost trends and variances; identify financial risks and recommend corrective actions.
• Lead monthly project cost and forecast reviews with Project Managers, including actuals, commitments, forecast updates, risks, scope changes and expected outcomes.
• Prepare and validate monthly accruals and capital cost true-up to ensure costs are accurately classified and recorded in the appropriate accounting period.
• Assess scope, schedule, budget and forecast changes to determine financial impact and maintain alignment with approved funding and project expectations.
• Support and strengthen change management processes, including change orders, change logs, contingency tracking, risk registers and related financial impacts.
• Review invoices, purchase orders, contractor proposals, commitments, supporting documentation and change requests for coding accuracy, completeness and contractual alignment.
• Research and resolve cost coding issues, discrepancies, unusual transactions and contractor cost concerns, escalating items as needed.
• Maintain weekly and monthly reporting that summarizes project costs, KPIs, progress, risks, variances, contractor performance and portfolio-level financial trends.
• Partner with project teams and business stakeholders to provide actionable cost insight, improve forecasting accuracy and support informed decision-making.
• Support procurement, contract administration, month-end, year-end and project closeout activities related to capital project costs.
• Identify opportunities to improve cost tracking, reporting, forecasting, governance and project controls processes.