Capital Project Cost Controller

Position Summary

The Cost Controller – Capital Projects is a critical member of the capital project delivery team, responsible for establishing and maintaining project cost baselines, generating accurate forecasts, and ensuring financial transparency throughout the entire project lifecycle. This role owns the integrity of cost data across all project validation phases — from PV100 (Conceptual), through PV101 (Detailed Design), to PV102 (Execution) — and serves as the primary steward of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), cost classification standards, and earned value reporting. The Cost Controller integrates closely with engineering, procurement, construction management, and finance functions to deliver rigorous trend analysis, proactive change management, and reliable Estimate at Completion (EAC) forecasts. Operating in strict alignment with the Cost Control Playbook as the governing framework, this individual ensures that every cost element is traceable, every variance is explained, and every stakeholder has the financial visibility necessary to make sound project decisions.

Key Responsibilities

A. WBS Setup, Structure & Maintenance

● Develop and maintain the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to Level 6 granularity, ensuring each work package is traceable to scope, schedule, and cost baselines.

● Assign and manage Scope IDs to link WBS elements to defined scopes of work, enabling accurate cost allocation and reporting.

● Ensure WBS coding aligns with organizational standards, the Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS), and the SAP Project Systems hierarchy.

● Validate that all WBS elements have proper cost classification (direct vs. indirect, CAPEX vs. OPEX) and are mapped to the correct cost objects.

● Coordinate with estimating and engineering teams to ensure WBS reflects current project scope through all PV phases (PV100 Conceptual, PV101 Detailed Design, PV102 Execution).

B. Cost Classification & Baseline Management

● Establish and maintain the Total Installed Cost (TIC) baseline, including all direct costs, indirect costs, contingency, and management reserves.

● Apply proper cost classification protocols: labor, materials, equipment, subcontracts, engineering, and owner's costs.

● Reconcile cost baselines at each PV gate (PV100, PV101, PV102) to reflect approved scope, estimate maturity, and funding authorization.

● Maintain a clear audit trail of all baseline changes, including revision history and approval documentation.

C. Forecasting & Estimate-at-Completion (EAC)

● Develop and maintain rolling Estimate at Completion (EAC) and Estimate to Complete (ETC) forecasts for all active cost accounts.

● Apply forecasting methodologies appropriate to project phase: top-down parametric at PV100, semi-detailed at PV101, and deterministic/bottom-up at PV102.

● Generate monthly cost forecasts that reconcile committed, expended, and accrued costs against the approved budget.

● Identify and quantify cost variances, trends, and risks; communicate findings through structured cost reports and dashboards.

● Ensure forecast accuracy targets align with Playbook benchmarks established for each PV phase.

D. Change Management & Trend Identification

● Administer the project change management process, including initiation, evaluation, approval, and incorporation of scope changes into the cost baseline.

● Manage the Trend Log / Change Register to capture potential cost impacts before they become approved changes.

● Classify changes by type: scope change, design development, field change, claim, and allowance draw.

● Ensure all approved changes are reflected in the WBS, forecast, and SAP cost objects with proper documentation.

● Collaborate with project management and engineering to assess change impact on schedule, cost, and contingency.

E. SAP & eTrending Workflows

● Execute cost control functions within SAP Project Systems (PS), including budget uploads, commitment tracking, actual cost postings, and settlement runs.

● Utilize eTrending (or equivalent trending tool) to capture, track, and report cost trends in real time.

● Ensure proper coding and posting of purchase orders, invoices, and accruals to correct WBS elements and cost centers.

● Support month-end and quarter-end close activities, including accrual calculations, cost transfers, and variance analysis.

● Generate standard and ad hoc cost reports from SAP, ensuring data integrity and reconciliation with project controls systems.

F. Earned Value Management (EVM)

● Implement earned value measurement techniques at the work package level, including Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled (BCWS), Budgeted Cost of Work Performed (BCWP), and Actual Cost of Work Performed (ACWP).

● Calculate and report key performance indices: Cost Performance Index (CPI), Schedule Performance Index (SPI), and Variance at Completion (VAC).

● Use earned value data to validate forecast accuracy and support independent EAC development.

● Present EVM results to project leadership with clear narrative on performance drivers and corrective action recommendations.

G. Cross-Functional Collaboration & Reporting

● Partner with project managers, engineers, procurement, contracts, scheduling, and finance to ensure integrated cost and schedule alignment.

● Prepare and present cost reports for monthly project reviews, PV gate reviews, and executive steering committee meetings.

● Support risk and contingency management by providing cost input to quantitative risk analyses (QSRA/QCRA).

● Mentor junior cost analysts and support knowledge transfer of Playbook standards and procedures.

● Participate in lessons-learned exercises and contribute to continuous improvement of cost control processes.

Required Skills & Qualifications

● Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Finance, Accounting, or a related field.

● Minimum 5 years of experience in cost control or project controls on capital projects (industrial, manufacturing, or infrastructure).

● Strong working knowledge of WBS development to Level 6, cost classification, and baseline management.

● Demonstrated experience with Estimate at Completion (EAC) / Estimate to Complete (ETC) forecasting methodologies.

● Proficiency in change management processes and trend identification/resolution.

● Hands-on experience with SAP Project Systems (PS) or equivalent ERP cost modules.

● Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, lookups, data validation, macros).

● Strong analytical, communication, and presentation skills.

● Ability to work in a fast-paced, multi-disciplinary project environment.

Preferred Skills & Qualifications

● Experience on projects following a phased validation process (PV100 / PV101 / PV102 or equivalent stage-gate methodology).

● Familiarity with earned value management (EVM) principles and AACE International recommended practices.

● Experience with eTrending or similar cost trending and forecasting platforms.

● Certification in Project Management (PMP), Cost Engineering (CCP/CEP from AACE), or equivalent.

● Exposure to SAP reporting tools (BW, Fiori, or Analytics Cloud).

● Knowledge of Monte Carlo simulation for cost risk analysis (QCRA).

● Experience working in FMCG, pharmaceutical, or consumer goods capital project environments.

Tools & Systems

Tool / System

Primary Use

SAP Project Systems (PS)

Budget uploads, commitment tracking, actual cost management, and settlement runs

eTrending

Cost trend capture, tracking, and real-time reporting

Microsoft Excel

Advanced modeling, dashboards, pivot analysis, and data validation

Microsoft Project / Primavera P6

Schedule integration and resource-loaded cost alignment

Power BI / Tableau

Cost visualization and executive dashboards

Estimating Tools (e.g., Aspen, ACCE)

Estimate development, benchmarking support, and parametric analysis

SharePoint / Document Management

Change documentation, approval workflows, and audit trail management

Alignment with Cost Control Playbook Principles

The Cost Controller serves as the guardian of cost data integrity across the entire capital project portfolio. In this capacity, the role ensures that every dollar is traceable from the initial estimate through commitment, accrual, and final expenditure. By enforcing rigorous WBS standards, disciplined cost classification, and transparent reporting, the Cost Controller creates the single source of truth upon which project leadership relies for informed decision-making. This stewardship is fundamental to the principles outlined in the Cost Control Playbook and reflects the organization's commitment to financial accountability at every level of project delivery.

Central to this role is strict adherence to the phased validation framework — PV100 through PV101 to PV102. At each gate, the Cost Controller ensures that estimate maturity deepens, baseline reconciliation is complete, and forecast accuracy improves in line with Playbook benchmarks. This progressive discipline transforms early conceptual estimates into fully deterministic, bottom-up forecasts that accurately predict final project costs, enabling leadership to authorize funding with confidence and manage capital allocation strategically.

The Cost Controller champions proactive trend identification and change management as essential tools for protecting contingency reserves and preventing cost overruns. By maintaining an active Trend Log and rigorously evaluating every potential scope change before it impacts the baseline, this role ensures that surprises are minimized and that the project team is always operating with the most current and accurate cost picture. Early detection and disciplined disposition of trends is a hallmark of mature cost control practice as defined by the Playbook.

Ultimately, this role contributes to a culture of cost transparency, cross-functional accountability, and continuous improvement in project delivery. The Cost Controller does not operate in isolation — rather, this individual partners with every functional discipline to ensure that cost and schedule are fully integrated, risks are quantified and managed, and lessons learned are captured and applied to future projects. Through consistent application of Playbook standards, the Cost Controller elevates the organization's project controls maturity and drives measurable improvements in capital project outcomes.

Pay: $40,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) 6% Match
• Dental insurance
• Disability insurance
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid sick time
• Vision insurance

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Washington, MO 63090

Salary : $40,000 - $75,000