Cost Control Lead

Turner & Townsend • Edmonton, AB

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

As a Cost Lead – Cost Management & Control, you will be embedded within client environments in the energy and natural resources sector, providing leadership and delivering cost management and cost control services across major capital programs. Working alongside project delivery and controls teams, your responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
Cost Control & Reporting
Support the development and implementation of cost management governance frameworks, procedures, and standards across the project or program.
Develop, implement, and maintain cost control systems, processes, and procedures to track project baselines, budgets, commitments, actuals, accruals, incurred cost, and forecasts.
Establish and manage Cost Breakdown Structures (CBS) aligned to Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) to enable accurate cost performance tracking and reporting.
Lead monthly cost control activities, including cost data validation, actual cost tracking, ETC/EAC forecasting, variance analysis, and management commentary.
Develop and maintain cost dashboards and reporting tools that provide clear, data-driven insights to project and senior leadership.
Apply Earned Value Management (EVM) principles to support cost performance measurement, forecasting, and project controls integration where applicable.
Track and manage contingency drawdown, allowances, cost trends, and emerging cost risks.
Change Management & Commercial
Support the change control process, including trend identification, cost impact assessment, change order review, and baseline updates.
Review and validate contractor/subcontractor cost submissions, invoices, progress claims, and change impacts from a cost control perspective, in coordination with commercial and contract teams.
Provide cost input to procurement, commercial, and contract administration activities where required, including cost validation, budget alignment, and assessment of cost impacts.
Stakeholder Engagement
Serve as the primary cost management and cost control point of contact for clients, project managers, and interfacing disciplines including Finance, Planning, Risk, and Commercial teams.
Promote cost control best practices and provide expert advice to project teams and senior stakeholders.
Present cost performance, forecasts, variances, and risk exposure clearly to senior and executive-level audiences.
Team Leadership
Lead, mentor, and develop junior cost control staff, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous improvement.
Support knowledge management, lessons learned, and benchmarking activities across engagements.

Requirements

• Minimum 15 years of experience in cost management/cost control on capital projects, with demonstrated leadership responsibility.
• Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, or a related field.
• Proven experience implementing and managing cost control processes on major capital programs in the energy or natural resources sector.
• Strong understanding of how cost control interfaces with scheduling, risk, change management, and project reporting.
• Clear understanding of the distinction between cost control and finance/accounting functions.
• Proficiency in cost management tools and platforms (e.g., EcoSys, Procore, or equivalent) and advanced MS Excel; experience with data visualization tools such as Power BI is an asset.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present to senior and executive stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

• Membership or certification with AACE International, such as CCP or EVP, is strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with the AACE estimate classification framework (Class 1–5) and how estimate maturity informs cost baselines and forecasting.
• Experience working within energy, oil & gas, utilities, or natural resources capital programs.
• Familiarity with scheduling tools sufficient to critically assess schedule impacts on cost (e.g., Primavera P6, MS Project).
• Experience with ERP-integrated cost environments (e.g., SAP, Oracle, D365).

Responsibilities

• Support the development and implementation of cost management governance frameworks, procedures, and standards across the project or program.
• Develop, implement, and maintain cost control systems, processes, and procedures to track project baselines, budgets, commitments, actuals, accruals, incurred cost, and forecasts.
• Establish and manage Cost Breakdown Structures (CBS) aligned to Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) to enable accurate cost performance tracking and reporting.
• Lead monthly cost control activities, including cost data validation, actual cost tracking, ETC/EAC forecasting, variance analysis, and management commentary.
• Develop and maintain cost dashboards and reporting tools that provide clear, data-driven insights to project and senior leadership.
• Apply Earned Value Management (EVM) principles to support cost performance measurement, forecasting, and project controls integration where applicable.
• Track and manage contingency drawdown, allowances, cost trends, and emerging cost risks.
• Support the change control process, including trend identification, cost impact assessment, change order review, and baseline updates.
• Review and validate contractor/subcontractor cost submissions, invoices, progress claims, and change impacts from a cost control perspective, in coordination with commercial and contract teams.
• Provide cost input to procurement, commercial, and contract administration activities where required, including cost validation, budget alignment, and assessment of cost impacts.
• Serve as the primary cost management and cost control point of contact for clients, project managers, and interfacing disciplines including Finance, Planning, Risk, and Commercial teams.
• Promote cost control best practices and provide expert advice to project teams and senior stakeholders.
• Present cost performance, forecasts, variances, and risk exposure clearly to senior and executive-level audiences.
• Lead, mentor, and develop junior cost control staff, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous improvement.
• Support knowledge management, lessons learned, and benchmarking activities across engagements.

Benefits

• 100% covered health and dental benefits for you and your dependents (including paramedical services)
• Health spending account, to top up expenses not covered in the benefits program
• RRSP option with company matching
• Annual learning and development budget
• Access to a range of online learning tools, and support for career development and growth
• Coverage of one professional membership or license fee per year, if directly related to your role
• Vacation, flex and sick days
• A flexible, hybrid work approach

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior