Cost Specialist (Overland Park, KS)

Job Description – Cost Specialist

General Description
The Cost Specialist will be responsible for assisting the Project Managers, Operations Directors, and other project team members with all facets of project cost. Key to this role will be the ability to effectively liaise between Project Management, Project Controls, and Project Accounting regarding Cost Analysis functions to ensure appropriate information sharing and risk/performance management. The Cost Specialist will be responsible for effectively capturing, tracking, and measuring a broad range of project scheduling, progress, manpower, productivity data, budget, and cost information to satisfy QISG monthly close, and client reporting requirements.
Work assignments may include multiple concurrent projects. While not otherwise involved in project-specific work, the Cost Specialist will support other project and proposal efforts.

The Cost Specialist understands Cost Analysis functions, with responsibilities as follows:

General Project Controls Duties

• Develop or modify Project Controls Execution Plan (PCEP), either in a standalone plan or part of the overall Project Execution Plan (PEP)
• Assist with staff development in project controls processes and procedures
• Adheres to internal standards, policies, and procedures
• Supports internal and external audits
• Responsible for ad hoc requests and inquiries, as required

Cost Control Duties

• Establish, maintain, and update cost control budgets, actuals, and forecasts within QISG cost control system via Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS)
• Prepares, manages, and updates project budgets, budget transfers, through the Prime and Subcontract change management process (including change logs)
• Supporting project change processes by helping to create, review and track project deviation notices and variations
• Manage impact of changes & trends with discipline leads and project management
• Actively manage cost forecast; raise and facilitate the trend process; updates to forecast and cost flow
• Manage Internal Operating Unit (OpU) and 3rd part subcontractor budgets, commitments, actuals and forecasting
• Manage material and equipment vendor budgets, commitments, actuals and forecast, including tracking cancellation clauses
• Developing, reviewing and validating data with discipline leads for cost reporting data, incurred cost, earned value and forecast
• Communicate with project team, receiving regular status and forecast updates
• Quality Control (QC) and analysis of project controls deliverables including Estimate at Completion (EAC) changes
• Develop and maintain professional services staffing plans
• Calculate, explain, and report variances, performance, and other project metrics, including Cost Performance Index (CPI), Schedule Performance Index (SPI), Manpower, Progress and Productivity
• Calculate and explain value of work done and accruals for all aspects of project cost
• Performs change and risk management responsibilities; identifies, documents, and assists with developing mitigation plans
• Calculate and forecast project cost risk values and assess against remaining contingencies and allowances
• Assists in the preparation of Prime Contract progress payment applications
• Review, code, and enter vendor and subcontract invoices, lien waivers, logs, against contract terms, into QISG accounting system
• Assimilate project data for monthly or other frequency customer and internal reports; create reporting graphics and tables using Power BI or other graphical software
• Interface with finance and accounting for understanding and forecasting all revenue and project cost expenditure, revenue recognition, customer invoicing, cash flow and cash calls
• Ability to be solely responsible for all cost analyst duties on a project or portfolio of projects

Required Experience and Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Business or related field; or Project Controls and industry experience, may be substituted
• 2-4 years of project controls experience with multi-year design and construction projects, specifically in the EPC space

Preferred Experience and Education

• JDE and EcoSys experience is a plus
• Document control (Procore a plus) and contract administration and management

Skills

• Maintain a safe office working environment
• Strong knowledge of, and the interrelationship of, a thorough technical project scope definition, quality of the schedule and estimate, construction sequence and execution, procurement and contracting strategies through substantial completion
• Thorough understanding of project controls activities related to cost control, planning/scheduling, progress / manpower / productivity, change management, risk management, contingency management and reporting
• Proven team player with the ability to work effectively in cross-function teams and to develop and maintain collaborative working relationships
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (both written and verbal) with the ability to communicate effectively and professionally to all levels of the organization
• Strong organizational and time management abilities; capable of managing multiple projects and priorities simultaneously
• Innovative individual with pro-active, analytical approach to problem identification and resolution

Travel Requirements

• Travel: Yes
• Percent of Time: Up to 10%

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