Senior Cost Analyst
Steltic is seeking a Senior Cost Analyst with seven years of experience to lead cost control and financial performance efforts for a large-scale data center construction project. This role partners closely with project management, field operations, scheduling, procurement, and subcontractors to manage project costs, maintain forecast accuracy, support change management, and drive financial performance throughout the project lifecycle. The Senior Cost Analyst will play a lead role in supporting project execution by ensuring alignment between budget, productivity, procurement, scope, and schedule, while also mentoring cost staff and serving as a key point of financial accountability on the project.
Responsibilities (include but are not limited to):
- Lead the development, maintenance, and control of project budgets and cost baselines aligned with project scope, schedule, procurement strategy, and field execution plans.
- Oversee tracking and management of subcontractor commitments, purchase orders, vendor expenditures, and pending cost exposures to ensure accurate project financial reporting and forecasting.
- Partner with field supervision and project management teams to monitor productivity trends, installed quantities, labor performance, and cost impacts related to project execution, proactively flagging risk areas.
- Monitor project financial performance by tracking actual expenditures, commitments, and accruals against the approved budget. Ensure cost data accuracy and prepare structured, executive-ready reports that clearly present financial status, variances, trends, and forecasts to senior leadership and clients.
- Develop and maintain forward-looking cost projections, including Estimate at Completion (EAC) and Estimate to Complete (ETC), incorporating trend analysis, risk assessment, and scenario planning to identify financial exposures ahead of schedule.
- Lead the management of change events, pending change orders, and scope growth by evaluating cost impacts, coordinating pricing inputs, negotiating with stakeholders, and incorporating approved changes into project forecasts and budgets.
- Prepare and maintain cash flow projections based on forecasted spend and procurement timelines. Monitor funding utilization, identify potential funding gaps, and recommend corrective actions for deviations from planned expenditure profiles.
- Lead procurement and buyout activities by reviewing subcontractor and vendor pricing, evaluating bid packages, tracking commitments, and directing subcontract change management processes.
- Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior cost analysts and project controls staff, reviewing their work for accuracy and consistency.
- Serve as a key liaison between project controls and senior project/client leadership on cost matters, presenting financial status updates in project review meetings.
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of cost control processes, tools, and reporting standards across the project and broader portfolio.
Requirements:
- Seven years experience in project cost control, Cost Engineering, or project controls within the construction management or capital project environment.
- Demonstrated experience leading cost control functions on large-scale construction projects through the full lifecycle, from budget development through financial closeout.
- Proven experience managing subcontractor cost management, commitment tracking, and procurement/buyout processes on construction projects, including complex or high-value contracts.
- Extensive experience working closely with field operations teams to support productivity tracking, quantity reporting, and cost forecasting, with the ability to identify and escalate risk trends.
- Strong command of pending change order (PCO) management and subcontract change administration, including negotiation experience.
- Demonstrated experience establishing and maintaining cost baselines aligned with scope and schedule on complex projects.
- Advanced experience developing and managing Cost Breakdown Structures (CBS) aligned with Work Breakdown Structures (WBS).
- Extensive experience preparing and maintaining Estimate at Completion (EAC), Estimate to Complete (ETC), and monthly cost forecasts, including variance analysis and executive-level reporting.
- Experience administering and maintaining project change logs and evaluating the cost impact of scope changes, including guiding change strategy.
- Strong background leading procurement processes, bid evaluations, and change order cost reviews.
- Proven experience managing project funding and developing cash flow forecasts, including identifying and resolving funding gaps.
- Experience leading financial reconciliation and closeout processes on construction projects.
- Advanced analytical and quantitative skills with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail, including the ability to interpret complex financial data and clearly communicate cost drivers, variances, and trends to varied audiences.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including structured documentation, formal reporting, and presentation to senior stakeholders.
Environment:
- Full-time on-site support at a large data center project in Greater Atlanta, Georgia.
- High collaboration with field supervision, project management, commissioning, and trade partners.
- Requires regular participation in coordination meetings and site walks.
Education:
- Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field; relevant certifications (e.g., CCP, PMP) a plus.
ATR is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) who will provide equal employment opportunity to employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, color, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, veteran status, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family structure, genetic information, or mental or physical disability.