Project Cost Controller Manager - Defence

Job Description

At Turner & Townsend, we are passionate about making a difference by delivering better outcomes for our clients and helping our people realize their potential. With 245 offices worldwide, we support major global clients on highly technical projects. The Defence Infrastructure Cost Centre supports projects across Programme and Project Management, Project Planning, Cost Engineering, Risk Management, and Commercial Disciplines, delivering infrastructure projects ranging from a few hundred thousand pounds to over £200 M.

In the UK, Turner & Townsend partners with a diverse portfolio of clients across Health, Local Government, Higher Education, Highways, Utilities, Rail, and Defence. We are a Tier 1 supplier of Project and Programme Management Services to the UK Ministry of Defence and key strategic Defence suppliers, playing a vital role in national security.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Cost Controller (Project Controls Engineer Grade) to join our growing Defence South East team. You will play a key role in delivering cost control and performance management services across a portfolio of high‑profile projects and programmes, working at the forefront of UK Defence.

• Work collaboratively with project delivery teams as part of a wider cost control function or independently with support from experienced cost professionals.
• Implement, administer, and maintain cost control systems and procedures to monitor project budgets, commitments, expenditures, and forecasts.
• Support the development and maintenance of a robust, integrated Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB) in collaboration with the Integrated Project Team, ensuring alignment with the change control process.
• Assist in the creation of Cost Breakdown Structures (CBS) and align time‑phased budgets with the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to enable accurate cost tracking and control.
• Prepare accruals to ensure timely and accurate reflection of the Actual Cost of Work Performed (ACWP) in project cost data.
• Develop and maintain cost tracking tools as needed, generating regular cost reports, including Earned Value Analysis (EVA) to assess project performance.
• Provide cost input to support the development of Change Requests, participate in change control boards, and integrate approved changes into the project baseline.
• Update project forecasts to maintain an accurate and comprehensive Estimate to Complete (ETC).
• Deliver timely and accurate cost information to support project status reporting, performance management, and informed decision‑making by project leadership.

We offer a hybrid working arrangement, expecting you to be at client sites or Turner & Townsend offices about 60 % of your time, with flexibility depending on business and client requirements.

We’re seeking individuals with a strong background in performance and reporting management, ideally within the Defence sector or a similarly complex and regulated environment. A desire to be part of a high‑performing, collaborative team committed to delivering world‑class outcomes for our network of Defence clients is essential.

• Proven experience in cost control and project controls within large‑scale infrastructure or Defence programmes.
• Strong understanding of cost management principles, including budgeting, forecasting, accruals, earned value management (EVM), and cost performance analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain CBS and align them with WBS and project schedules.
• Experience producing high‑quality cost reports and dashboards, communicating complex financial data clearly to stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and leadership skills, with experience managing or mentoring junior cost professionals and collaborating across multidisciplinary teams.
• Sector‑specific experience in Defence or Nuclear industries, with understanding of the regulatory, commercial, and security frameworks.
• Proven ability to build and maintain trusted advisor relationships with clients, contributing to long‑term partnerships.
• Experience coordinating contractors, consultants, and…