Cost Controller

Position: Cost Controller

Reports to: General Manager

Industry: Highway Maintenance & Heavy Civil Construction

Location: Oromocto, NB

Role Purpose

The Cost Controller will be responsible for the end-to-end oversight of project budgets, resource allocation, and financial forecasting. Reporting to the General Manager, you provide the data-driven insights necessary to keep our highway maintenance and construction projects on track. You don't just report on the past; you predict the future to mitigate risks before they hit the ledger.

Key Responsibilities

• Budget Management & Forecasting: Develop and maintain detailed project budgets. Perform monthly "Estimate to Complete" (ETC) and "Estimate at Completion" (EAC) forecasting to ensure the GM has a clear picture of year-end performance.
• Variance Analysis: Track actual costs (labor, equipment, materials, subcontracts) against the baseline. Investigate discrepancies and provide actionable "why" behind the numbers.
• Progress Claims & Billing: Oversee the accuracy of monthly progress applications to clients (DOT, Municipalities, etc.), ensuring all extra work orders and claims are documented and recovered.
• Operational Partnership: Work closely with Project Managers and Superintendents to ensure field data (daily logs, fuel usage, material tickets) is captured accurately and timely.
• Risk Mitigation: Identify financial trends that could lead to overruns. If asphalt prices spike or fleet maintenance costs surge, you're the first to flag it.
• Reporting: Prepare and present comprehensive monthly financial packages for the GM and executive leadership, highlighting KPIs and margin health.

The Ideal Candidate

Education & Experience

• Degree: Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Construction Management, or a related field.
• Experience: 5+ years of cost control or project accounting experience, specifically within heavy civil, highway, or large-scale infrastructure.
• Software Savvy: Advanced proficiency in Excel (you should dream in Pivot Tables) and experience with ERP and/or accounting systems.

Core Competencies

• The "Field" Fluency: You can speak the language of a site foreman just as well as a CPA. You understand that a delayed salt shipment isn't just a logistical hiccup-it's a financial variance.
• Analytical Rigor: You have a "detective" mindset. You don't just see a cost overrun; you find the root cause.
• Integrity: In this industry, the numbers have to be bulletproof. You provide the unvarnished truth to the GM, even when it's not what they want to hear.