Project Controls - Cost Lead

MP Materials•Mountain Pass, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Project Controls – Cost Lead is a member of MP Materials’ Mountain Pass, California mine business and leads the development and implementation of improved cost control systems and procedures for capital projects. The role defines and maintains methods to monitor project progress and performance, including key performance indicators and earned value assessments. It manages financial planning and cost controls across capital projects and portfolios, supports project managers and finance teams, and oversees cost management systems and project accounting coordination.

Requirements

Expertise in cost management for medium-to-large capital expenditure projects involving multiple stakeholders.
Bachelor’s degree in engineering, finance, or a related field.
Experience implementing ERP or other financial systems.
Three to five years of progressive work-related experience.
Three to five years of industrial project experience.
Must pass a full-face respiratory fit test.
Must be able to lift 50 pounds and work in PPE level C.
Must be able to perform the stated physical demands, with reasonable accommodation where applicable.

Nice To Haves

Excellent leadership, people management, communication, and influencing skills.
Ability to manage, collaborate with, and influence key stakeholders effectively.
Adaptability and ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
Proactive approach to project forecasting through engagement with internal project teams and contractors.
Advanced Excel skills and proficiency in other Microsoft Office applications and project management tools.
Demonstrated experience leading projects and programs successfully, on schedule and within budget, from start to completion.

Responsibilities

Manage financial planning for capital projects, including forecasting, tracking, contingency management, cost reporting, and progress reporting.
Collaborate with project managers to establish project cost plans and provide weekly forecast updates.
Create project tracking and reporting templates that enable data-sharing between project management and finance teams.
Prepare and maintain project disbursement projections and accounting accruals.
Assist stakeholders with capital appropriation requests and monitor purchasing activity to ensure capital assets are properly recognized in company financial statements.
Ensure compliance with company policy for property, plant, and equipment accounting.
Oversee implementation and administration of a cost management database, such as Ares Prism, Hexagon EcoSys, or similar, and ensure its integrity and reconciliation with SAP.
Coordinate project setup and master data maintenance with accounting.
Collect and organize historical cost information for future estimating.
Monitor equipment installation and commissioning status and provide inputs to the fixed assets accounting team to determine in-service dates.
Participate in end-of-project reviews to identify lessons learned and improvement opportunities.
Develop cost management processes and procedures.
Create summary dashboards.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Follow company, industry, and regulatory safety procedures and laws; promote workforce safety and participate in Process Hazard Analysis procedures and Pre-Startup Safety Reviews.