Cost controller

For one of our clients in the oil&gas industry we are looking for a cost controller.

Our client is established in 11 countries worldwide and is active in the energy and water sectors. In the Netherlands, they operate as a producer of natural gas and are co‑owner and operator of two gas storage facilities.

The Cost Controller will be an integral part of the FC&A team at TAQA Energy and will be part of a team that maintains and supports the integrity and effectiveness of the internal (for budget holders, MT and TAQA HQ) and external (Joint Venture partners) information.

The Cost Controller will be responsible for all budgeting, reporting and control activities within the various operational departments of both TAQA’s operated offshore oil and gas business and onshore Gas Storages, together with another Cost Controller. The Cost Controller will monitor and analyze actual performance as well as forecasts and specific KPI’s. Main tasks will include collecting and challenging all cost related data and work in close cooperation with both operational departments and Finance team.

• Collect and challenge all required data for preparing an annual budget by working together with the heads of operational departments for operational costs
• Facilitate inter‑departmental challenge sessions before final budget submissions
• Submit budgets and reports into the budget reporting tool

• Collect and challenge information and prepare the monthly forecasts in close cooperation with the operational departments (i.e. activity based update of costs for the remaining months in the year) and the Business Controllers Upstream and Midstream (Gas Storages)

• Understand the specific cost procedures and carry out all work in accordance to these
• Prepare monthly cost reporting and analysis of variances (explain actuals versus budget)
• Review cost commitments and expenditure information for all cost elements for input in the forecast
• Prepare monthly financial forecast of expenditures, update Oracle Forecasting tool in order to be able to create monthly accruals for work done of which invoices have not yet been received
• Validate cost codes on purchase requests with budgets
• Highlight cost areas of concern and suggest areas for improvement
• Strive for continuous improvement of tools (system / models) in use
• Maintain connectivity and alignment of local planning and control tools with central systems (Oracle/Maximo)
• Support transfer of financial knowledge to non‑financial employees (i.e. budget project codes, cost centers)
• Provide analysis that supports leadership on any ad‑hoc information requests

• Supporting role on preparation of the operational budget and forecast
• Lead role on analysis of the variances
• Promotion of finance literacy in the O&M teams
• Liaise with the business controllers, accounting and supply chain to ensure alignment reporting and accurate input into the accounting and corporate systems

We’re happy to hear from professionals with a degree in Economics, Finance or similar experience and at least 5 years’ experience within the Oil & Gas industry. In this role you’ll require both Dutch and English language skills.

• Specialist in Cost control
• Excellent Interpersonal skills
• Experience with Oracle and Maximo
• Excellent analytical skills
• Self‑directed, highly motivated and hands‑on
• Good organisation and planning skills
• IT literate:
  Applicable database/s, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) to intermediate level (Excel: advanced level)
• Living in the Netherlands