Cost Engineer

Company Description

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 97,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world.

Job Description

To control and report on the financial or cost status of the project and highlight any deviations timeously.

Provide Costing Function Strategies

• To provide support in delivering a complete suite of cost-control services and financial consignments to the Project team.
• To provide cost input and to implement the cost element of risk management plan.
• To ensure adherence to the segment financial, business and project processes.
• To provide input in the cost control strategy, plans and procedures.
• Stay abreast of new trends and innovations.

Provide Cost Control Support During Project Lifecycle

• To understand the scope of work and obtain relevant documentation.
• Getting the estimate for a specific project.
• Ensuring that both the client’s and company requirements are clear and understood.
• To develop a project budget ensuring pre-budget steps are taken by:
• Defining the work breakdown structure, aligning to project strategy and PMO and getting it signed off.
• Developing CBS’s, finalising them and getting them signed off.
• Finalising the set budget, making changes if necessary, and input approved data on the relevant system.
• To ensure forecasting of financial project cost and trending.
• To ensure continuous contact with the project team on a regular basis.
• To manage the close-out process of budget/actual data by:
• Summarising the history of the project in the report.
• Conducting checks and balances to track between commitment and actual.
• Indicating the lessons learned during the project in the report.

Client Relationships (Internal & External) & Reporting

Ensure team participation by:

• Attending and participating in the following meetings:
• Project Kick-off meeting.
• Progress and co-ordination meeting.
• Risk analysis meeting.
• Project Review meeting for a specific project.

To deliver Dashboard reports during the project.

Internal Reports:

• WIP Summary Report (which entails cost allocation).
• Labour Man-hour Report.
• Call Forward Report (budget vs actual).
• Change order report.
• Internal Management Report (Cash flow, commitment, issues major variances and ledger).
• Purchase order Report.
• Project History Report.
• Sundries Report.

External Reports:

• Cash Flow Report.
• Client management Report.
• Direct Field Cost (DFC) Report.

Actively promote the Company's professional image, both internally & externally.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS

• Applicable tertiary qualification in either Engineering, QS or commercial environment, alternatively professional certification as a Certified Cost Engineer (CCE), Certified Cost Consultant (CCC), or Earned Value Professional (EVP) or Project Management Professional (PMP) Grade 12.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• 5 or more years in a capital projects cost engineering environment.
• Must be able to work unsupervised in a multi-disciplinary project environment. Must have good communication skills and must be able to work under pressure. Must be able to cope with deadline-related stress. Must be able to relate to clients in a professional manner.
• A good understanding of the Oracle E-Business Suite (Projects) would be a recommendation.
• Advanced user of Microsoft Excel.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.

REQUIRED SKILLS / KNOWLEDGE

• Cost control: Knowledge of cost engineering principles: total cost management and total quality management etc.
• Reporting: Ability to prepare detailed reports and manage the most effective techniques and tools in report drafting.
• Risk analysis: Ability to identify project and activities risks from any point of view.
• Basic IT Tools: Familiarity and use of office automation software tools and basic computer applications.
• Accounting: Knowledge of basic accounting principles.
• Planning & Control: Knowledge of methods and techniques to analyse current and future financial situation identifying trends and problems (actual vs budget analysis, variances etc.).
• Change management: Ability to effectively and efficiently manage changes during the project.
• Industry Knowledge: Understanding of contract types and their main features.
• Legislation & Standards: Knowledge of sector-specific law e.g. Engineering, safety etc. and standard specifications e.g. Plant layout requirements etc.
• Project Management: Knowledge of basic project management methods and all project lifecycle phases.