Cost Analyst (Education)

Harris & Associates•San Diego, CA

7d•$125,000 - $145,000

About The Position

The Cost Analyst supports Harris & Associates’ Education team, which partners with K-12 school districts, community colleges, and universities on facility modernization and expansion, infrastructure improvements, and specialized spaces such as laboratories, research centers, and classrooms. The role maintains accurate project budgets and financial forecasts and ensures compliance with cost-management policies and procedures across capital projects with multiple funding sources. The analyst collaborates with project and construction managers, the Project Management Office (PMO), scheduling teams, and other stakeholders. Work includes analyzing cost and schedule performance, forecasts, risks, variances, and trends; supporting funding and project-baseline decisions; preparing financial reports; administering project financial documentation; and monitoring contractor and consultant payment applications. The role also manages and reconciles project-control data and supports project closeouts, budget adjustments, and accurate stakeholder reporting.

Requirements

5–10 years of professional experience in program and/or cost controls on a construction program.
BS/BA degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Business, or a related field; additional qualifying experience beyond the stated minimum may substitute for education on a year-for-year basis.
Experience working through the entire project life cycle.
Knowledge of theories, principles, and practices of cost and schedule management, earned value management, change management, forecasting, and risk assessment.
Ability to present data to management in an organized manner.
Exceptional communication skills.
Ability to adapt to changing requirements and situations.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and as part of a team.
Ability to maintain professionalism in communications and demeanor in a business environment.

Responsibilities

Maintain the accuracy and integrity of project budgets and financial forecasts in accordance with cost-management procedures and policies.
Collaborate with Project and Construction Managers to draft white papers for project establishment, re-baselining, and capital-project funding.
Participate in monthly Estimate at Completion (EAC) reviews with the PMO, providing variance analysis and identifying underlying causes.
Allocate and manage Estimates to Complete (ETCs), including change order proposals, task order requests, online vendor portal requests, and PBAs.
Participate in change-management and risk-assessment meetings, analyzing cost trends, risks, and exposures and contributing to mitigation strategies.
Analyze cost variances, performance data, and trends; identify budget impacts and recommend corrective actions.
Reconcile budgets and costs monthly to ensure accurate month-end reporting.
Track project-cost trends and mitigation-plan effectiveness against actual performance and forecasts.
Review budgets and expenditures across multiple funding sources for alignment with financial goals and objectives.
Work with scheduling teams to assess the effects of cash flow and schedule performance on costs, including variances, overruns, underruns, and forecasting issues.
Review financial reports, cost performance, and progress data for accuracy and identify potential financial risks.
Examine staffing plans to identify resource-demand peaks and recommend cost-effective approaches to level resources.
Assist with preparing and validating contract amendment exhibits, task order requests, change orders, and PBAs, ensuring proper budget allocation, cost coding, and compliance with financial and reporting standards.
Ensure compliance with district cost-management policies and procedures for capital projects with multiple funding sources.
Generate financial and budget reports for campus budgeting, cost control, auditing, and asset tracking using systems such as Proliance, Deltek Costpoint, and standard office applications.
Create and deliver tailored financial, budget, and schedule reports in response to project director and stakeholder requests.
Serve as the primary contact for College financial information requests from CPLT and the PMO, providing timely and accurate budget and cost details.
Process budget transfers, financial closeouts, contract requests, purchase requisitions, amendments, PBAs, change orders, and other documentation in cost-management systems.
Collaborate with the PMO to validate and collect project budget data for stakeholder dashboard reports.
Manage and reconcile project-control data and maintain accurate program-control databases and financial reports.
Oversee review and approval of contractor and consultant payment applications for financial accuracy and compliance.
Help assemble contract requests, purchase requisitions, amendments, PBAs, and change orders, ensuring appropriate accounting treatment and supporting documentation.
Assist in collecting physical-completion data and enter information needed to adjust project budgets and forecasts.
Perform additional duties and special projects as needed to support cost-management initiatives and project success.