Senior Cost Engineer

Location: Derby, Warrington or Manchester with hybrid working available.
 

About the role

We’re looking for a Senior Cost Engineer to play a critical role in shaping the financial performance of our SMR programme. You’ll sit at the heart of high-value work packages, ensuring cost clarity, driving robust forecasting, and providing the insights that enable confident decision-making across the business.

This is a highly visible role where you’ll work closely with senior stakeholders and project leaders to ensure cost performance is transparent, risks are understood, and the programme remains on track.

What we need you to do

Cost Leadership & Delivery

• We need you to lead the development and maintenance of cost baselines and forecasts
• We need you to ensure alignment between cost, schedule, and scope
• We need you to conduct detailed variance analysis and scenario modelling
• We need you to drive cost risk assessments and contingency planning
• We need you to provide cost input into business cases and investment decisions
• We need you to support procurement through benchmarking and supplier reviews

Reporting & Governance

• We need you to produce clear, high-quality cost reports and dashboards
• We need you to lead monthly cost reviews and support governance forums
• We need you to ensure consistency and traceability across cost data
• We need you to provide assurance on data quality and compliance

Systems & People

• We need you to improve cost systems and reporting tools
• We need you to mentor and develop junior cost engineers
• We need you to promote collaboration and knowledge sharing across the programme

What success looks like

You’ll succeed in this role by:

• Delivering accurate cost forecasts aligned to programme performance
• Producing high-quality reporting that supports decision-making
• Driving effective cost risk mitigation strategies
• Building strong relationships with stakeholders
• Developing others and contributing to continuous improvement

What we’re looking for

We recognise that no one meets every requirement, and that’s okay. If you meet around 75% of the below, we’d still love to hear from you.

Core experience

• Strong experience in cost engineering, including forecasting, earned value, and cost risk analysis within complex projects or infrastructure programmes
• Confidence working with cost systems such as EcoSys, SAP, or Primavera
• Experience influencing stakeholders and working across multiple functions
• A track record of managing cost performance on large-scale capital projects
• Experience mentoring or supporting the development of others

Qualifications

• Degree in Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Project Controls, Finance, or a related discipline
• Professional accreditation (or working towards) such as RICS, ICE, PMI or CICES

Reward & benefits

We offer a competitive package including:

• Salary: £50,650 - £66,500
• Bonus: 12.5% performance-related bonus
• Flexible benefits allowance: £2,200
• ️ Life assurance: 6x pensionable salary
• Income protection: 50%
• Holiday: 28 days plus bank holidays
• New joiner payment: £250
• Flexible & part-time working options available