Senior Cost Control Manager - EPC Projects (Oil & Gas / Power Generation)

About UCC Trading & Contracting

UCC Trading & Contracting is a prominent EPC and construction firm renowned for delivering large-scale projects in sectors such as Oil & Gas, Power, Infrastructure, Industrial, and Energy within the region. To support our growth track, we are recruiting a highly skilled Senior Cost Control Manager to spearhead cost governance and enhance financial performance across multiple mega EPC projects.

Role Summary

This senior leadership position involves managing cost control, budget oversight, forecasting, and financial governance for a portfolio of significant EPC projects. The successful candidate acts as the Corporate Cost Authority, ensuring the accuracy of project budgets, forecasts, commitments, and reporting. Providing executive management with precise, data-driven insights for strategic decision-making is key.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Create and enforce comprehensive cost control policies, standards, and governance frameworks applicable to all EPC projects.
• Develop and sustain Cost Breakdown Structures (CBS), budget control procedures, forecasting frameworks (ETC/EAC), and management processes for commitments and accruals.
• Guarantee uniformity and compliance in cost control methods across all projects and serve as the central figure for portfolio-wide financial governance.
• Oversee the preparation, review, and maintenance of project budgets, cost baselines, forecasts at completion (EAC), estimates to complete (ETC), and cash flow projections.
• Monitor project expenditures closely and validate forecast precision.
• Analyze trends in productivity, risk factors, and cost performance metrics.
• Challenge optimistic assumptions and forecast variances presented by project teams to align forecasts with actual project conditions and commercial risks.
• Manage cost performance across a suite of concurrent EPC and mega projects, consolidating financial data into executive portfolio reports and dashboards.
• Identify and report cost overruns, deviations, trends, and potential risks, providing early warnings and actionable recommendations to senior leadership.
• Oversee cost-related aspects of change management, including variations, change orders, claims, and counterclaims.
• Ensure all cost increments are rigorously evaluated, justified, recorded, and approved.
• Assist commercial teams during negotiation and contract discussions, providing substantiated cost impact analyses for dispute resolution.
• Drive effective use of SAP, ERP, and other project cost management tools.
• Ensure accuracy in cost coding, commitment tracking, accruals, and allocation.
• Review and authorize monthly cost reports, forecast updates, executive dashboards, and portfolio performance reports, maintaining transparent, audit-ready cost documentation.
• Lead, mentor, and develop Cost Control Managers and Engineers across projects, fostering a culture of excellence and accountability.
• Formulate team KPIs, growth plans, and performance targets to align with corporate standards.
• Collaborate closely with Project Directors, Commercial & Contracts teams, Finance, Procurement, and Executive Management to ensure seamless cost governance integration.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, Finance, or a related discipline.
• Professional credentials such as CCP, PMP, AACE, EVP, or equivalent are highly favored.
• Expert proficiency with cost management systems including SAP, ERP platforms, Power BI, and reporting software.
• At least 15 years of progressive responsibility in Cost Control and Project Controls within EPC organizations.
• Proven delivery experience on major Oil & Gas, Power Generation, Energy, Industrial, or Infrastructure projects, especially mega projects in the Middle East and internationally.
• Strong portfolio-level cost management skills and multi-project oversight experience.
• Deep understanding of EPC, EPCM, and Lump Sum contract frameworks.

Key Competencies

• In-depth EPC cost forecasting and control capability.
• Portfolio and multi-project cost governance expertise.
• Budget planning and financial control acumen.
• Contractual and commercial management skillset.
• Proficiency in change management and claims evaluation.
• Leadership in team development and strategic planning.
• Engagement with stakeholders and executive reporting abilities.
• Strong commercial insight and analytical capability.
• High integrity and professional credibility, effective under high-pressure conditions.