Cost Engineer📣 Job Ad

About the Role

AECOM, a global infrastructure consulting firm, is seeking an experienced Cost Engineer to join its project controls team in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. This full-time role involves managing project costs, ensuring budget performance, and maintaining financial accountability throughout engineering, procurement, and construction phases. The position requires collaboration with cross-functional teams to provide accurate cost reporting and support informed decision-making within a dynamic project environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage cost tracking, commitments, actuals, and incurred costs against approved budgets, ensuring accuracy and transparency.
• Monitor and analyze cost performance across all project stages, identifying variances, trends, and risks.
• Validate invoices, progress claims, and contractor payment applications against work performed.
• Prepare comprehensive weekly and monthly cost reports, including cost summaries, variance analysis, and forecast updates.
• Report cost trends, budget deviations, and potential risks to project stakeholders.
• Lead the preparation of cash flow forecasts and cost-to-complete analyses.
• Evaluate and analyze change notices and change orders, assessing their cost impacts.
• Assess cost implications of scope changes, schedule delays, and productivity variances, providing recommendations.
• Maintain change management logs and ensure alignment with project controls procedures.
• Lead Earned Value Management (EVM) calculations and integrate cost and schedule metrics.
• Analyze cost and schedule variances, preparing performance indices and trend forecasts.
• Collaborate with planning teams to ensure accurate progress measurement and cost tracking.
• Maintain and optimize project cost databases for accuracy, integrity, and accessibility.
• Lead the implementation and optimization of cost control software and tools.
• Develop and maintain cost tracking templates and reporting dashboards.
• Collaborate with project managers, discipline leads, procurement teams, and contractors to validate cost information and resolve discrepancies.
• Participate in project progress meetings, providing cost insights and supporting problem-solving.
• Support internal and external audits related to cost control.
• Mentor junior cost engineers and support team development.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Finance, Accounting, Construction Management, or a related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of professional experience in cost control, cost engineering, or project controls.
• Extensive experience on large-scale EPC/EPCM projects in mining, oil & gas, energy, infrastructure, or industrial sectors.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, complex formulas, and dashboard development.
• Demonstrated expertise with cost control systems such as Prism, EcoSys, SAP, Oracle, or similar enterprise platforms.
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills with exceptional attention to detail and data integrity.
• Comprehensive understanding of project progress measurement, forecasting methodologies, and change management processes.
• Advanced proficiency in Earned Value Management (EVM) principles and calculations.
• Excellent communication and documentation skills, with the ability to present complex cost data clearly.
• Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively, supporting multiple stakeholders and project teams.
• Strong organizational skills and capability to manage multiple priorities in fast-paced environments.
• Strategic problem-solving mindset with the capability to analyze cost trends and recommend data-driven solutions.
• Resilience and adaptability in dynamic project environments.
• A Master's degree in a related field is preferred.
• Experience mentoring junior cost engineers or leading cost control teams is preferred.
• Proven expertise in invoice validation, payment application review, and cost claim management is preferred.
• Advanced knowledge of forecasting methodologies and cost-to-complete analysis techniques is preferred.
• Extensive experience with multi-discipline industrial projects and complex EPC/EPCM environments is preferred.
• Track record of supporting internal and external project audits and regulatory compliance reviews is preferred.
• Professional certification in project management or cost engineering (PMP, AACE, or equivalent) is preferred.
• Experience implementing or optimizing cost control systems and process improvements is preferred.

Required Skills

• Cost Tracking, Commitments, Actuals, and Incurred Costs
• Budget Performance and Financial Accountability
• Cost Reporting, Variance Analysis, and Forecast Updates
• Cost Performance Analysis and Risk Identification
• Invoice Validation, Progress Claims, and Contractor Payment Applications
• Cost Claim Management and Dispute Resolution
• Cost Trends Analysis and Mitigation Planning
• Cash Flow Forecasts and Cost-to-Complete Analysis
• Forecasting Methodologies and Resource Allocation
• Change Notices, Change Orders, and Cost Impact Assessment
• Change Management Processes and Logs
• Scope Changes, Schedule Delays, and Productivity Variances Assessment
• Project Controls Procedures and Governance Frameworks
• Earned Value Management (EVM) and Integrated Project Controls
• Cost and Schedule Integration and Performance Indices (CPI, SPI)
• Trend Forecasts and Project Progress Measurement
• Project Cost Databases Management
• Cost Control Software (Excel, ERP Systems, Project Controls Platforms)
• Process Improvements and System Enhancements
• Cost Tracking Templates and Reporting Dashboards
• Stakeholder Engagement and Cost Information Validation
• Discrepancy Resolution and Project Progress Meetings
• Cost Insights and Collaborative Problem-Solving
• Internal Audits, External Audits, and Cost Control Audits
• Regulatory Compliance
• Mentoring and Team Development
• Continuous Improvement and Professional Excellence
• Microsoft Excel (Pivot Tables, Complex Formulas, Dashboard Development)
• Cost Control Systems (Prism, EcoSys, SAP, Oracle)
• Analytical and Quantitative Skills
• Attention to Detail and Data Integrity
• Communication and Documentation Skills
• Presentation Skills
• Independent Work and Collaboration
• Stakeholder Support
• Organizational Skills and Priority Management
• Problem-Solving and Root Cause Analysis
• Data-Driven Solutions
• Resilience and Adaptability
• Cost Control Software Implementation and Process Optimization
• Forecasting Techniques
• Industrial Projects and EPC/EPCM Environments
• Audit Support
• Project Management Certification (PMP, AACE, or equivalent)
• Cost Engineering Certification

Work Environment and Location

This is a full-time, on-site position based in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The role operates within a fast-paced, goal-oriented environment, requiring collaboration with diverse project teams. AECOM is committed to a secure recruitment process, with all new hires required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location.