Senior Cost Engineer - Utilities

Job Title: Senior Cost Engineer

Company: Accelerated PM

Job Type: Hybrid

Job Location: Naperville, IL

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s (required)

Cost engineering / cost management experience: 8 yrs (required)

Energy sector experience: 3 yrs – preferably regulated gas or electric (required)

Accelerated PM is searching for an experienced Senior Cost Engineer for a client in the Energy sector. As a senior cost engineer, you are responsible for developing and managing all aspects of cost-related project controls to support our client’s portfolio. You will be working closely with Scheduling, Project Management, Operations, Finance and Procurement groups. You must also be highly detail-oriented and organized with excellent analytic and problem-solving abilities.

Location/Travel:

This is a hybrid role based in Naperville, IL. Onsite work is required Mon, Tue, Wed & Thu with Friday being a remote day.

Duties and responsibilities could include:

• Develop and manage project cost reports including the evaluation of committed, actual and forecasted costs against budgets
• Prepare monthly accruals and forecast reports and review with stakeholders and the Finance team
• Conduct detailed monthly variance analysis and use findings to drive improvements in future budgeting and forecasting
• Play a key role annual planning and budgeting at the portfolio level
• Work closely with the scheduling team to ensure schedule impacts are reflected accurately in the cost forecast / reports
• Carry out reviews of invoices / pay applications of select vendors and subcontractors to ensure accuracy and contract compliance
• Lead project change management process and ensure budget change and contract change in compliance with SOPs
• Prepare project budgets and cost estimates with input from others
• Provide cost engineering inputs to RFP’s and participate in bid evaluation
• Conduct cost risk analysis and incorporate it into cost forecast
• Conduct project close out activities
• Manage and maintain cost related aspects of the ERP system (Oracle)
• Work with Project Managers and other internal stakeholders (Project Management, Operations, Finance, Procurement) to provide unified, cost-driven solutions, identify potential conflicts, and assist in the facilitation of making critical commercial decisions.

Minimum Required Education and Experience:

• 8 years cost analyst / cost management experience
• 3 years working in the energy sector
• Experience working with ERP systems, ideally Oracle
• Experience developing various types of reports, targeting different audiences
• Experience in client-facing positions
• Strong MS Excel skills other MS Office products (Access, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook)
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to clearly and accurately communicate with any audience

Beneficial / Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with utility capital projects >$50M.
• Familiarity with FERC, PSC, or other utility regulatory frameworks.
• Knowledge of earned value management and cost risk analysis methodologies.
• Professional certification (e.g., CCP, CEP, or PMP).

Job Type: Full-time hybrid

Salary: $150k - $165k (based on experience)

Work location: Naperville, IL (4 days on site, 1 remote)

Benefits: Comprehensive benefits package including PTO, 401k, and health insurance