Cost Controller

Location: Middle East / International Project-Based

Industry: Engineering / Hard Commodities / Industrial Projects

Reporting to: Finance Director / Project Finance Lead

On Behalf of Our Client

Our client, a well-established international engineering and hard commodity group operating across industrial, energy, and infrastructure projects, is seeking an experienced and commercially driven Cost Controller to strengthen its finance and project control function.

This is a critical role supporting large-scale engineering operations, CAPEX-intensive environments, and complex cross-border commodity activities.

Role Overview

The Cost Controller will be responsible for overseeing project and operational cost structures, monitoring budget compliance, conducting variance analysis, and ensuring financial discipline across engineering and commodity-driven activities. The role requires strong exposure to industrial projects, procurement-heavy environments, and multi-layer cost structures.

Skills

Key Responsibilities

·      Calculation of service costs – man-hours, man-days.

·      Analysis of contractor agreement costs.

·      Verification of Acts and Invoices.

·      Maintain cumulative calculations by contractors and services.

·      Monitor the cost of services.

·      Monitor project budgets, CAPEX, and operational expenditures.

·      Track actual vs. forecasted costs across engineering phases (pre-FEED, FEED, execution).

·      Analyze cost variances and identify financial risk areas.

·      Support project managers with financial insights and corrective actions.

·      Participate in annual budgeting and quarterly reforecasting.

·      Prepare detailed cost projections and scenario analyses.

·      Support cash flow forecasting for large-scale engineering projects.

·      Review supplier contracts and procurement cost structures.

·      Monitor subcontractor and vendor payments.

·      Ensure alignment between project milestones and financial commitments.

·      Prepare monthly cost reports for senior management.

·      Develop KPI dashboards and financial performance metrics.

·      Support internal and external audits.

·      Ensure compliance with company financial policies and international accounting standards.

Candidate Requirements

Minimum 7 years of relevant experience in cost control within engineering, industrial, energy, or hard commodity sectors.

·      Proven experience in project-based, CAPEX-intensive environments.

·      Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Engineering Finance, or related field.

·      Professional certification (ACCA / CPA / CMA) is a strong advantage.

·      Advanced Excel and strong ERP experience (SAP / Oracle / similar systems).

·      Strong analytical mindset and ability to work in fast-paced industrial settings.

·      Fluent English (written and spoken) –essential.

Profile

·      Highly structured and detail-oriented.

·      Strong commercial acumen.

·      Comfortable working with engineering and operational teams.

·      Ability to manage multiple cost centers and large data sets.

·      High level of integrity and confidentiality.

Application Note

This role is published on behalf of a client under confidential executive search mandate.

Please submit your CV in English only.