Head of Cost - Line of Route

Job Description

Grade 21 - internal promotions will be aligned to the pay policy.

The Head of Cost
- Delivery will be responsible for baseline management,

• Provide overall leadership across the portfolio and contracts.
• Accountable for implementation of cost management policies, processes and standards, and ensuring these are effectively executed across the portfolio.
• Support development of industry best practice tools, policies and processes by sharing with Cost Director and core cost team.
• Provide delivery leadership and direction to a team of Senior Cost Managers and Cost managers across multiple locations.
• Assure and challenge data and information provided by supply chain.
• Analyse and report cost performance in monthly programme reviews.

We have opportunities for Head of Cost for Systems, Stations and Line of Route

• Accountable for the deployment of the Cost Management Plan and other functional management plans, in line with the business needs of the wider HS2 Ltd organisation.
• Provide leadership to support the portfolio cost baseline and the development of performance reports to articulate current cost performance, including Earned Value, forecast costs and cost pressures, to internal and external stakeholders.
• Accountable for review and analysis of actual costs and ensuring the data accurately reflects the supply chain’s current performance for onward reporting.
• Ensure team adherence to the Performance Measurement Cycle for Baseline Management, Change Control, capture of actual costs, and supply chain data upload and assurance.
• Maintain the unlet scope, baseline and cost forecasts, ensuring early visibility of trends and emerging issues, and that these are highlighted and acted upon accordingly, allowing the Cost Director, Delivery Directors and Executive team to make decisions based on real-time intelligence.
• Ensure alignment and integration with other Project Controls functions, including Risk, Planning, Change and Reporting, as well as wider functions such as Commercial and Finance.
• Support the continual improvement of cost management standards, policies and processes. Ensure lessons learned are captured and shared with the team and implement governance processes and review policies to ensure they remain aligned with strategic functional objectives.
• Maintain a high-performing team and drive performance standards through effective leadership and robust management processes. Manage the team by setting individual objectives, conducting performance reviews/appraisals, and providing ongoing support and development.
• Accountable for reviewing and assuring period end cost information to support reporting and management requirements providing insights and analysis to enables interventions.
• Actively promote and embed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in all your work and support and comply with all organisational initiatives, policies and procedures on EDI.

• Cost and Performance Management skills in large complex Programme.
• Ability to establish and maintain constructive working relationships with stakeholders at all levels across the organisation, improving processes and guidance to support project delivery.
• Ability to manage stakeholders and information flow in a matrix environment, with ability to work across business areas and provide specialist advice where needed.
• Experience and practical technical capability in the management and control of cost management systems (e.g. Contruent (Prism), Ecosys, etc.).
• Ability to always maintain a self-challenging team with problem-solving abilities and attention to detail.
• Ability to innovate and champion best practice within data, people, processes and systems.
• Ability to provide support, develop a large team, providing clarity, direction and motivation.
• Interpersonal skills, including tact and influence, with ability to be assertive without causing unnecessary conflict and to communicate effectively with a variety of stakeholders.
• Ability to analyse and interpret data and ability to produce accurate, timely and informative reports in multiple formats targeted to the needs of the audience.
• Ability to manage both internal and external stakeholders and present persuasive / alternative view points.

• Understanding of Project Controls, Commercial and Finance processes with a view of how these operate within complex organisations.
• Knowledge and commercial awareness of multiple construction contract types and their respective benefits to client organisations.
• Knowledge of the core Project Controls disciplines, including;
  Schedule Management, Change Management and Risk Management.
• Specialist level of knowledge of cost baseline development and maintenance of cost baselines on a major programme.
• Knowledge of the Project and Commercial Management principles including understanding of…