Cost Estimation Head📣 Job Ad

About the Role

Sankyu Saudi Arabia is seeking a Cost Estimation Head to lead its estimation team. This full-time role is primarily based at the company's office/HQ in Al Jubail, Eastern Region, Saudi Arabia. The successful candidate will be responsible for preparing accurate and competitive cost estimates for turnaround (TA) and shutdown (SD) works across refinery and petrochemical facilities, with periodic site visits required for scope verification and coordination.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the cost estimation team in preparing accurate and competitive cost estimates for TA/SD works in refinery and petrochemical facilities.
• Develop, review, and continuously improve estimating methodologies, cost databases, and benchmarking tools.
• Analyze scopes of work, drawings, and site walkdown data to derive accurate quantities, labor productivity, and equipment requirements.
• Develop, maintain, and periodically update Time Unit Rate (TUR) and Work Unit Rate (WUR) databases for labor and craft estimates.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of the Saudi Arabia market, including prevailing labor rates, material and equipment costs, and local contractor/vendor pricing.
• Review and challenge team estimates for accuracy, completeness, and consistency prior to submission.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities and value-engineering options during the estimating stage.
• Present and defend estimates to upper management, clients, and stakeholders, clearly communicating assumptions, risks, and basis of estimate.
• Maintain oversight of estimate quality, benchmarking against actual project costs to continuously improve estimating accuracy.

Team Leadership and Management

• Lead the day-to-day operations of the cost estimation team.
• Manage, coach, and develop the cost estimation staff, including training on methodologies and KSA market data.
• Allocate workload and manage team resources and estimate delivery schedules across multiple concurrent bids and studies.
• Monitor estimate quality and ensure compliance with internal estimating procedures.
• Lead rapid turnaround estimates for urgent/emergency shutdown scope changes.
• Ensure adherence to estimate submission timelines and accuracy KPIs.
• Coordinate with planning, engineering, procurement, and operations teams to align estimate inputs.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Chemical, or Industrial Engineering. A Quantity Surveying or Cost Engineering qualification is a plus.
• A minimum of 15 years of total experience.
• At least 10 years of experience in cost estimation/cost engineering for refinery, petrochemical, or oil & gas turnaround and shutdown projects.
• A minimum of 7 years of experience leading a cost estimation or project controls team.
• AACE International CEP/CCP, or equivalent cost estimating/cost engineering certification, is preferred.

Required Skills and Knowledge

• Fluent in both Arabic and English.
• Strong working knowledge of the Saudi Arabia refining/petrochemical market, including local contractors, vendors, and prevailing labor and equipment rates.

Work Environment and Location

This is a full-time position based at the company's headquarters in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, requiring periodic site visits. The salary for this role is not disclosed.