NomadDesk

EPC Project Cost Controller (m/w/d)

Job Description Summary

Electrification and grid projects are large, multi-site, and highly complex programs executed by international teams.
The EPC Project Cost Controller (m/f/d) is responsible for leading all cost engineering, estimating, and cost control activities across the project lifecycle to ensure transparent, predictable, and commercially sound delivery. The role ensures alignment between Estimation, Planning, Scheduling, Procurement, and Commercial functions-maintaining full cost-schedule integration, performance measurement, and early-warning visibility to support decision-making, profitability, and continuous improvement.

This vacancy is available in Berlin or Dresden.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

Leadership, Governance & Team Development

• Lead and oversee all project cost engineering activities, including estimating, cost control, forecasting, and reporting, ensuring alignment with project strategy and execution plans.
• Establish and maintain the project's cost control framework, defining CBS structures, cost coding standards, and methodologies consistent with WBS and corporate governance.
• Develop and manage cost engineering resources, including staffing plans, performance reviews, training, and mentoring to drive consistency, capability, and compliance with company procedures and audit standards.

• Review and verify design scope, quantities, and criteria for completeness and reasonableness; develop additional estimating bases when definition is incomplete.
• Establish conceptual estimate scopes and cost study parameters when early design definition is unavailable.
• Coordinate with discipline leads to develop pricing structures, unit rates, and productivity bases for all construction and engineering activities.
• Review proposal provisions and cost engineering requirements for bids; prepare supporting data for contract negotiations.
• Review vendor quotations and update cost databases, applying accurate material unit rates and productivity factors.
• Develop and review indirect cost estimates, including temporary facilities, construction services, tools, equipment, startup
• Conduct bid evaluations and support discussions with vendors and procurement teams to ensure competitive and accurate pricing.

• Demonstrate strong capability to align and integrate with Planning and Scheduling functions, ensuring consistency between cost forecasts, progress curves, and schedule logic.
• Collaborate with the Lead Planning Engineer to synchronize cost and schedule baselines and maintain Earned Value Management (EVM) integrity.
• Provide cost phasing and cash-flow data to the Integrated Master Schedule and support time-based cost analysis.
• Jointly analyze cost and schedule trends to identify schedule-driven cost risks and cost-driven schedule impacts.
• Support delay and change impact assessments, ensuring financial implications of schedule shifts are captured.

• Define project cost control needs and procedures in line with contractual and corporate requirements.
• Supervise the collection, verification, and integration of scope and quantities across disciplines into a total cost plan.
• Monitor actual and committed costs versus budget; perform variance, productivity, and trend analyses.
• Develop and maintain Estimate-at-Completion (EAC), Cost-to-Complete (CTC), and cost trend forecasts, supported by statistical and data-driven techniques.
• Supervise cost recording, monitoring, and reporting practices for compliance with applicable standards.
• Ensure accuracy and consistency of cost reports and dashboards; issue periodic cost reports to project and corporate management.
• Create and implement measurement systems for performance metrics, using statistical tools (e.g., regression, variance, correlation) to identify improvement areas.

• Quantify, evaluate, and track all change orders, claims, and variations to maintain alignment with the contractual and commercial baseline.
• Maintain and continuously update the cost-risk register, incorporating probabilistic assessments where applicable.
• Analyze cost drivers, recommend mitigation or opportunity actions, and monitor their effectiveness.
• Prepare cost impact analyses for scope, design, and schedule changes in collaboration with Planning, Engineering, and Commercial.

• Work closely with the Sales Manager and Finance to ensure reconciliation between project cost data, forecasts, and contractual values.
• Interface with GE management, client representatives, and key stakeholders for cost and trend presentations.
• Support contract negotiations, substantiation of claims, and commercial decision-making with reliable cost data.
• Guarantee traceability between cost forecasts, supplier commitments, invoices, and earned value.

• Coordinate inputs for special cost studies, ensuring integration of all activities and full work-scope identification.
• Evaluate study outcomes, prepare recommendations, and present results to the project team.
• Develop innovative cost control and estimating techniques to meet evolving project needs.
• Utilize historical data, statistical analysis, and cost-quantity comparisons to improve forecast accuracy.
• Drive digitalization of cost management workflows using Power BI, Power Platform, and Primavera integrations.
• Identify and implement process improvements that enhance cost accuracy, efficiency, and cross-functional collaboration.

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Construction Management or Finance (Master's degree is an advantage).
• AACE Certified Cost Professional (CCP) or equivalent professional certification is strongly preferred.
• 3 + years' experience in cost engineering, estimating, and cost control for large industrial or infrastructure projects. Experience in Electrification, HVDC, Substations, Grid Integration, or Oil and Gas is preferred.
• Strong expertise in cost management and ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, or equivalent) and advanced Excel / Power BI capability for analytics and visualization.
• Comprehensive understanding of WBS / CBS structures, performance measurement, and Earned Value Management (EVM).
• Demonstrated capability to manage stakeholders, and operate within multicultural environments.
• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills.
• Curious, proactive, and committed to continuous improvement and knowledge sharing in cost management practices.

• Extensive opportunities for personal and professional development.
• A permanent emloyment within a rapidly growing company.
• Flat hierarchies and a pleasant working atmosphere and company culture.
• Attractive compensation based on collective agreements, including Christmas and vacation bonuses, and company social benefits.