Cost Controls Specialist

WSP • Houston, TX

16h • Onsite

About The Position

WSP is seeking a Cost Controls Specialist to join its Project Controls team supporting Power & Energy programs, including transmission line and substation capital projects. The role is suited to a cost controls professional experienced in forecasting, budget tracking, variance analysis, and project cost reporting who works collaboratively with project managers, finance teams, schedulers, contractors, and clients. The position is based out of WSP’s Houston office.

The specialist develops and maintains cost control processes and prepares and monitors project budgets, forecasts, cash flows, cost reports, accruals, commitments, and financial projections. The role tracks actual costs and supports analysis, reporting, change management, invoice review, contractor progress tracking, contingency management, and project close-out from a cost controls perspective. It also uses cost management and project management information systems to monitor project finances and communicates cost status, risks, and decisions through regular reports and dashboards.

Requirements

• 5–7 years of experience in cost controls, project controls, finance, or related functions on capital projects.
• Hands-on experience with forecasting, budget tracking, variance analysis, cost reporting, cash flow tracking, commitments, accruals, and change control is strongly preferred.
• Working knowledge of earned value management (EVM), cost forecasting, budget baselines, cost coding structures, trend analysis, and project financial controls.
• Strong analytical, communication, and coordination skills, including the ability to translate cost data into clear updates for project teams, finance partners, contractors, clients, and leadership.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field; equivalent cost controls or project controls experience will also be considered.
• Experience with cost management, ERP, and PMIS tools such as EcoSys, Procore, Oracle, e-Builder, Autodesk Construction Cloud, or similar platforms.
• Experience in the Power & Energy industry, including transmission, substation, or other infrastructure programs.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and monitor project cost control processes for transmission line, substation, and related Power & Energy projects.
• Prepare and maintain project budgets, forecasts, cash flows, cost reports, accruals, commitments, and financial projections.
• Track actual costs, commitments, contingency, change orders, invoices, and cost coding.
• Perform cost variance and trend analysis and support earned value management; identify cost risks and recommend corrective actions to project leadership.
• Use cost management and PMIS platforms to manage budgets, forecasts, commitments, change orders, invoices, and cost reports.
• Produce regular cost reports, budget variance summaries, forecast updates, and executive-level financial dashboards communicating project cost status, risks, and required decisions.
• Support change management, contractor progress tracking, invoice review, contingency management, and project close-out reporting from a cost controls perspective.

What This Job Offers

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