Project Cost Controller

Job description / Role

Location

Saudi Arabia (preference for local candidates)

Contract type

Permanent - full-time

Languages

Must be fluent in English & Arabic

Turner Lovell is partnering with a renowned global infrastructure and energy organisation delivering complex turnkey projects across the power sector. We are seeking an experienced project controller to join a highly regarded project controls team supporting large-scale, multi-functional industrial programs. This role offers the opportunity to contribute to technically ambitious and game-changing projects that are enabling the global energy transition. You'll work in a dynamic, high-impact environment surrounded by committed professionals.

Your role

You will be responsible for ensuring rigorous planning, cost tracking, risk analysis, and financial visibility across large-scale projects, while helping drive informed decision-making through high-quality reporting.

Key responsibilities

Planning & scheduling:

• Build and maintain integrated project schedules across all functions and suppliers.
• Ensure schedule alignment with contractual milestones and risk scenarios.
• Conduct critical path analysis and challenge schedule assumptions with stakeholders.
• Facilitate operating rhythm reviews to monitor project status.
• Generate "what-if" scenarios, forecast delays, and propose mitigation plans.
• Work closely with third parties to ensure accurate schedule inputs and reporting.

Cost control:

• Implement and maintain standard cost control processes across project scopes.
• Monitor scope evolution and productivity trends to identify cost risks/opportunities.
• Drive budget alignment with sold scope and maintain deviation tracking tools.
• Forecast project costs, challenge functional estimates, and report transparently.
• Support claims and change order analysis with robust financial data.
• Ensure cost reporting is aligned with financial systems and revenue recognition requirements.

Quality, compliance & continuous improvement:

• Ensure all activities align with internal project control standards (WBS, tools, procedures).
• Identify inefficiencies, contribute to standardisation and lean improvement efforts.
• Promote health, safety, and quality best practices within all project control activities.

The ideal candidate

• Degree-qualified in engineering with strong financial acumen.
• Minimum 5 years' experience planning and cost controlling complex EPC or turnkey projects.
• Proven track record as lead planner and cost controller on at least two large projects.
• Experienced in schedule risk analysis and cost forecasting in high-stakes environments.
• Proficient in planning tools and reporting platforms.
• Strong communication, analytical and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Knowledge of forensic analysis and claims support is a strong advantage.
• Must be based in KSA; KSA nationals preferred.

Why apply?

• Join a globally respected organisation at the forefront of large-scale energy infrastructure delivery.
• Contribute to complex turnkey projects in a high-growth region at the centre of the energy transition.
• Gain valuable exposure to multidisciplinary engineering, advanced planning tools, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Develop your career within a high-performance culture that rewards technical excellence, ownership, and continuous improvement.