Cost Assurance Specialist

Location:

Hybrid Working with occasional travel to Birmingham or other sites when required.

Contract Duration: 6 Months (with potential extension)

Day Rate: £600-£700 per day

Our client is seeking an experienced and dynamic Cost Assurance Lead to join their team and play a pivotal role in delivering commercial assurance, cost optimisation, and analytical challenge across major capital infrastructure programmes. This position is ideal for a professional with a keen eye for detail and a passion for ensuring value for money while fostering contractor accountability.

• Lead cost optimisation and commercial assurance activities across significant contracts and programmes, ensuring efficient delivery outcomes.
• Provide independent challenges to contractor estimates, budget costs, and final account positions, utilising benchmarking, historical data, and should-cost modelling techniques.
• Support contract award recommendations by thoroughly evaluating contractor submissions and ensuring all costs are justified with robust evidence.
• Assess construction methodologies and delivery strategies to understand their impact on cost, programme duration, and risk.
• Apply commercial and contractual principles to support negotiations and discussions on cost substantiation and risk allocation.
• Develop and maintain benchmarking and assurance models to enhance commercial decision‑making and identify efficiency opportunities.
• Produce clear, evidence‑based reports and assurance papers for senior stakeholders and governance forums.
• Monitor contractor performance against key metrics like cost, schedule, and productivity, and challenge as necessary.
• Improve reporting and analytical capabilities through digital tools and performance dashboards.
• Build trusted relationships across commercial, procurement, finance, engineering, project management, and contractor teams, while maintaining an independent viewpoint.

Essential:

• Significant experience in Cost Assurance, Commercial Assurance, Quantity Surveying, or a related discipline within major capital projects.
• Proven experience in reviewing and challenging contractor estimates and commercial proposals.
• Expertise in benchmarking, cost modelling, variance analysis, and commercial assurance methodologies.
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to work with large datasets and provide practical commercial recommendations.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proficiency in advanced Excel and comfortable with complex datasets.

Desirable:

• Experience with in regulated infrastructure, utilities, transportation, or large-scale capital delivery environments.
• Knowledge of NEC contracts and commercial mechanisms.
• Familiarity with tools such as Power BI, SAP, Oracle, or Primavera P6.

• Degree or equivalent experience in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, Economics, or a related discipline.
• Professional membership or qualifications such as MRICS, ACostE, CIMA, or ACCA are desirable.

• Naturally inquisitive and curious.
• Commercially astute and data‑driven.
• Proactive and self‑motivated with a continuous improvement mindset.
• Comfortable providing constructive challenges to established norms.
• Highly organised with exceptional time‑management skills.
• Confident in engaging with senior stakeholders and balancing technical details with commercial decision‑making.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a driven professional to make a significant impact in a collaborative environment that values curiosity and innovation. If you possess the skills and experience outlined above, this could be the perfect role for you!