Cost Controller
Professional Search Group
Contract/Temp
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Calling All Heores | Cost Controller | 2 Year Fixed-Term Contract
Location: Perth, Western Australia (office base) with extended site presence in regional Western Australia
Contract length: Two years
Rate: 700–800 per day
Start: 2-4 weeks
First job of the Hero contractor programme into Cost Control.
After a record breaking year at Professional Search Group, the Hero programme in Accounting & Finance has now expanded into the area of cost control.
A leading international engineering, procurement and construction management contractor will be delivering a major brownfield infrastructure project in Western Australia. They are seeking an experienced Cost Control on a two year contract to lead cost control and reporting activities for the project finance and commercial team.
Why this role is interesting:
Stephen's Heroes:
Want to be part of an elite candidate pool representing the top 1% of the immediately available market?
Keen to help 'save' any business at a moments notice?
Reach out to Stephen Lutman (ACMA, CGMA)
"Recruiting finance professionals at speed - Backed by CIMA qualified experience"
0406158574
stephen@psgaus.com.au
#SCR-stephen-lutman
Location: Perth, Western Australia (office base) with extended site presence in regional Western Australia
Contract length: Two years
Rate: 700–800 per day
Start: 2-4 weeks
First job of the Hero contractor programme into Cost Control.
After a record breaking year at Professional Search Group, the Hero programme in Accounting & Finance has now expanded into the area of cost control.
A leading international engineering, procurement and construction management contractor will be delivering a major brownfield infrastructure project in Western Australia. They are seeking an experienced Cost Control on a two year contract to lead cost control and reporting activities for the project finance and commercial team.
Why this role is interesting:
- Work on a large, technically complex project with multi-discipline interfaces and strong executive sponsorship.
- Genuine ownership of cost reporting, forecasting and change management across the project lifecycle.
- Hybrid role with a Perth office base and regular site visits (rotational site blocks possible).
- Opportunity to influence commercial decision making and earn a competitive contractor rate.
- Own monthly cost reporting and forecasting for assigned project workstreams, ensuring timely, accurate and auditable position statements.
- Maintain and reconcile the cost baseline to actuals; identify drivers of variance and deliver clear corrective actions.
- Prepare and present cost-to-complete and earned value metrics to project leadership and client stakeholders.
- Manage and control project commitments and procurements — validate cost estimates, purchase orders and subcontractor claims.
- Lead change management for scope and contract variations: assess cost impact, prepare commercial change packages and support approvals.
- Partner with project controls, planning, procurement and commercial teams to ensure integrated schedule-cost control.
- Implement and improve cost control tools, templates and processes; train site and project personnel in consistent cost behaviours.
- Support audits and assurance activities, ensuring documentary evidence for all cost movements and adjustments.
- Monthly cost report delivered within 5 working days of month end, with variance analysis and corrective actions.
- Accurate cost-to-complete forecasts within agreed tolerance levels.
- Clear register of open variations and claims with resolution plan and owner.
- Successful reconciliation between financial ledger and project cost control system monthly.
- Reduction in unexplained cost variances over first six months.
- Minimum five years of hands-on cost control or project commercial experience on large engineering construction projects (desirable experience on mining or processing plants).
- Proven experience preparing cost-to-complete, earned value analysis and month-end reconciliations on projects valued above AUD 100 million.
- Strong commercial acumen with experience assessing variations, claims and subcontractor commercial performance.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills (including pivot tables, lookups, modelling); experience with enterprise cost systems such as SAP4HANA
- Excellent communication skills with ability to present concise commercial positions to senior stakeholders.
- Ability to work autonomously on-site and in an office environment, managing competing priorities across multiple workstreams.
- Tertiary qualification in accounting, finance, engineering or equivalent commercial discipline preferred. Professional accounting qualification or project controls accreditation is an advantage.
- Australian right to work or appropriate visa for the duration of the contract.
- Meticulous and process-oriented, with a focus on auditability and traceability.
- Pragmatic problem solver who can translate numbers into commercial decisions.
- Collaborative team player who builds strong relationships with planning, procurement and commercial teams.
- Comfortable with short-notice site travel and occasional extended on-site rotations.
- Competitive day rate and travel allowances for site blocks.
- Comprehensive site induction, safety training and support from a mature project controls function.
- A high-visibility role with opportunities for extension or further project placements depending on performance and business needs.
Stephen's Heroes:
Want to be part of an elite candidate pool representing the top 1% of the immediately available market?
Keen to help 'save' any business at a moments notice?
Reach out to Stephen Lutman (ACMA, CGMA)
"Recruiting finance professionals at speed - Backed by CIMA qualified experience"
0406158574
stephen@psgaus.com.au
#SCR-stephen-lutman