Lead Cost Engineer – PMC

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Role Summary

The Lead Cost Engineer is the PMC's principal authority for cost engineering, forecasting, budget control, trend management, change evaluation, and project financial performance. Acting as an independent assurance function between the Owner and the EPC Contractor, the role provides accurate visibility of the project's current and future cost position. On a large-scale brownfield RKEF smelter expansion in Sulawesi, the Lead Cost Engineer plays a critical role in protecting project value, forecasting commercial exposure, and supporting informed decision-making throughout engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and start-up.

Role Purpose

The Lead Cost Engineer is responsible for establishing, implementing, and maintaining all cost engineering, cost control, forecasting, change management, and cost reporting activities associated with the expansion of an operating nickel smelter through the addition of a second Rotary Kiln Electric Furnace (RKEF) production train in Sulawesi, Indonesia.

As part of the PMC organization, the Lead Cost Engineer provides independent cost assurance and commercial performance monitoring on behalf of the Owner while remaining independent from both the Owner and EPC Contractor.

The role is responsible for developing an accurate understanding of project cost performance, identifying emerging cost risks and opportunities, validating EPC Contractor forecasts, and supporting project leadership through timely and reliable cost reporting and financial analysis.

Particular emphasis is placed on managing the cost risks associated with a large brownfield industrial expansion involving significant procurement from China, major construction activities within an operating facility, extensive shutdown and tie-in works, and complex contractor interfaces.

Key Accountabilities

The Lead Cost Engineer is accountable for:

• Development and maintenance of project cost control systems.
• Independent validation of EPC Contractor cost performance.
• Cost forecasting and Estimate at Completion (EAC) development.
• Project budget monitoring and reporting.
• Cost trend management.
• Change and variation cost assessment.
• Cash flow forecasting.
• Cost risk identification and mitigation.
• Management reporting and executive cost dashboards.
• Integration of cost, schedule, progress, and change management information.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Cost Engineering Leadership

• Lead the PMC cost engineering and cost control function.
• Implement project cost control procedures, systems, and reporting requirements.
• Ensure consistency and accuracy of cost data across the project.
• Provide cost management advice to the Project Director and Project Controls Manager.
• Develop a proactive cost management culture across the project team.
• Support strategic project decision-making through financial analysis and forecasting.

2. Project Budget Management

• Budget Establishment and Control

• Maintain the approved project budget structure.
• Monitor budget allocations across project disciplines and work packages.
• Track approved budget revisions and transfers.
• Monitor utilization of management reserves and contingencies.
• Ensure budget performance remains aligned with project objectives.

Typical budget categories include:

• EPC Contract
• Owner Costs
• PMC Costs
• Temporary Facilities
• Utilities and Infrastructure
• Commissioning Support
• Permitting and Regulatory Costs
• Logistics and Importation
• Contingency Allowances

3. Cost Control and Monitoring

Provide independent oversight of project cost performance.

Responsibilities include:

• Monitor commitments and expenditures.
• Review EPC Contractor cost reports.
• Validate cost performance information.
• Analyze cost variances and emerging trends.
• Monitor budget consumption and forecast accuracy.
• Identify potential overruns and savings opportunities.
• Challenge unsupported contractor assumptions.

Develop and maintain:

• Cost Reports
• Trend Registers
• Cost Forecasts
• Cost Dashboards
• Variance Analyses

4. Cost Forecasting and Estimate at Completion (EAC)

A key responsibility of the role.

Responsibilities include:

• Develop independent Estimate at Completion (EAC) forecasts.
• Assess forecast accuracy and confidence levels.
• Review contractor forecast assumptions.
• Evaluate impacts of current and emerging issues.
• Update cost forecasts on a regular basis.
• Identify potential future liabilities and exposures.

Forecasting should incorporate:

• Approved changes
• Potential changes
• Claims exposure
• Productivity impacts
• Schedule impacts
• Procurement risks
• Logistics risks
• Regulatory impacts

Provide objective forecasting independent of contractor reporting.

5. Change Management and Cost Impact Evaluation

Support project change management processes.

Responsibilities include:

• Review proposed changes and variations.
• Assess cost impacts.
• Develop independent cost evaluations.
• Validate contractor estimates.
• Coordinate with Contracts and Engineering teams.
• Monitor cumulative impacts of changes.

Typical changes may arise from:

• Design development
• Brownfield discoveries
• Utility tie-ins
• Shutdown restrictions
• Regulatory requirements
• Scope growth
• Access constraints
• Commissioning requirements

Maintain a comprehensive Change Register and forecast future exposure.

6. Trend Management

Lead project cost trend management.

Responsibilities include:

• Establish trend identification and tracking systems.
• Monitor emerging commercial and technical issues.
• Evaluate potential cost consequences.
• Quantify estimated impacts.
• Provide early warning of budget threats.

Trend categories may include:

• Engineering growth
• Construction productivity losses
• Additional quantities
• Logistics impacts
• Contractor performance issues
• Supply chain disruptions

Ensure trends are monitored before becoming formal changes.

7. Cash Flow Management

Develop and maintain project cash flow forecasts.

Responsibilities include:

• Forecast monthly and annual cash requirements.
• Monitor actual versus forecast expenditures.
• Support Owner funding reviews.
• Assess impacts of procurement and construction delays.
• Coordinate with Project Controls and Supply Chain teams.

Particular focus should be placed on:

• Chinese equipment manufacturing milestones
• Overseas shipment schedules
• Major progress payment events
• Commissioning expenditures

8. Progress and Earned Value Analysis

Support integration between cost and project progress measurement.

Responsibilities include:

• Review progress measurement methodologies.
• Validate earned value calculations.
• Assess performance trends.
• Analyze productivity impacts.
• Monitor cost efficiency indicators.

Typical metrics include:

• Cost Performance Index (CPI)
• Schedule Performance Index (SPI)
• Earned Value (EV)
• Planned Value (PV)
• Actual Cost (AC)

Support management understanding of project performance beyond simple expenditure reporting.

9. Procurement and Supply Chain Cost Monitoring

Work closely with the Supply Chain Manager to monitor:

• Procurement Costs

• Major equipment packages
• Imported equipment
• Logistics costs
• Freight escalation
• Customs costs

• China-Based Supply Chain

Particular attention should be given to:

• Manufacturing cost escalation
• Currency exposure
• Shipping market fluctuations
• Customs and import costs
• Expediting-related expenditures

Track impacts of procurement performance on project cost forecasts.

10. Brownfield Cost Management

A critical aspect of the role.

Monitor costs associated with execution inside an operating smelter.

Key focus areas:

• Shutdowns
• SIMOPS activities
• Utility tie-ins
• Restricted access areas
• Productivity impacts
• Outage costs
• Temporary systems

Assess and forecast cost consequences resulting from operational constraints.

11. Risk and Opportunity Analysis

Support project risk management through cost analysis.

Responsibilities include:

• Participate in project risk workshops.
• Quantify cost impacts of identified risks.
• Support contingency assessments.
• Monitor effectiveness of mitigation strategies.
• Support quantitative risk analysis where required.

Typical risks include:

• Supply Chain Risks

• Chinese manufacturing delays
• Shipping disruptions
• Import restrictions

• Construction Risks

• Productivity shortfalls
• Labor market issues
• Rework

• Brownfield Risks

• Operational constraints
• Shutdown overruns
• Utility outages

• Commercial Risks

• Claims
• Variations
• Inflationary pressures

12. Management Reporting

Prepare cost reports for:

• Weekly Reporting

• Cost performance summary
• Significant trends
• Emerging risks
• Forecast changes

• Monthly Reporting
• Budget status
• Cost variances
• EAC updates
• Cash flow forecasts
• Change status
• Contingency utilization
• Risk exposure summaries

Present findings to:

• PMC Project Leadership
• Owner Management
• Steering Committees
• Project Controls Reviews

RKEF and Brownfield-Specific Knowledge

The Lead Cost Engineer should possess a strong understanding of the cost drivers associated with:

• Process Facilities

• Rotary Kilns
• Electric Furnaces
• Furnace Transformers
• Electrode Systems
• Ore Drying Systems
• Coal Handling Facilities
• Slag Handling Facilities

• Infrastructure and Utilities

• HV Substations
• Power Distribution Systems
• Water Treatment Systems
• Cooling Water Systems
• Fuel Systems
• Port Infrastructure

• Brownfield Execution

• Utility tie-ins
• Shutdown activities
• Temporary facilities
• SIMOPS impacts
• Operational constraints

• Commissioning

• Mechanical Completion
• Pre-Commissioning
• Energization
• Start-up
• Performance Testing

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Cost Engineering, Construction Management, Finance, or related discipline.

Preferred Professional Certifications

• AACE Certified Cost Professional (CCP)
• AACE Earned Value Professional (EVP)
• MRICS or FRICS
• PMP
• Chartered Engineer (desirable)

Experience

• Essential

• Minimum 12–15 years of cost engineering and project controls experience.
• Minimum 5 years as a Lead Cost Engineer or Senior Cost Engineer on major capital projects.
• Experience with EPC project execution.
• Experience developing EACs, cash flows, trends, and forecasts.

• Preferred

• Mining and Metals projects.
• Nickel, copper, ferroalloy, or steel smelters.
• Brownfield industrial expansions.
• PMC, Owner's Engineer, or EPCM projects.
• Indonesia or Southeast Asia project experience.
• Projects involving Chinese EPC contractors and supply chains.
• Large CAPEX projects (>US$500 million).

• Technical Competencies
• Cost Engineering

• Cost forecasting
• Budget management
• Cost control
• Trend analysis
• Change management
• Cash flow management
• Earned Value Management (EVM)

• Systems

• Primavera P6
• EcoSys
• Prism
• SAP
• Power BI
• Oracle
• Advanced Excel

• Commercial Awareness

• EPC contracts
• Claims impacts
• Variations
• Procurement commercial structures
• Risk-based forecasting

• Leadership Competencies

• Analytical thinking
• Commercial acumen
• Attention to detail
• Problem solving
• Influencing skills
• Communication and presentation
• Stakeholder management
• Independent judgement

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Cost Management

• Accuracy of Estimate at Completion (EAC).
• Timely identification of cost overruns.
• Effective trend management.
• Forecast accuracy within agreed tolerance.

• Reporting

• Timely issue of cost reports.
• Quality and credibility of reporting.
• Clear communication of cost risks and opportunities.

• Change Management

• Timely assessment of cost impacts.
• Accurate valuation of project changes.
• Effective tracking of contingency utilization.

• Risk Management

• Early identification of cost risks.
• Quantification of commercial exposure.
• Effective support to risk mitigation planning.

• Stakeholder Satisfaction

• Confidence of Project Director and Owner in cost forecasts.
• Effective support to Contracts, Supply Chain, and Construction teams.
• Strong collaboration across PMC functions.

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