Cost Controller
Finance & Business Services
Job Purpose
Situation in Organisation
N+1: Senior Business Analyst
N+2: Head of Cost Controlling
Reports indirectly to client-entity managers in a customer <--> supplier relationship.
ACCOUNTABILITIES
Embedded within the business, the Cost Controller supports effective financial stewardship by providing cost transparency, sound budgetary control and timely financial insight. The role promotes good cost control practices in line with applicable accounting standards, internal policies, governance requirements and delegation of authority, while partnering with operational and technical teams to support informed decision-making and a strong cost-conscious culture.
Key Accountabilities
- Works across multiple departments and stakeholder groups, adapting to changing business requirements and priorities.
- Supports annual budget, forecast and planning cycles by reviewing work programs, cost assumptions, phasing and financial impacts.
- Performs monthly cost control and financial close activities, including review of actuals, commitments, accruals, cost allocations and value-of-work-done information.
- Provides financial and budgetary validation across the Procure-to-Pay cycle, including Purchase Requisitions, Purchase Orders, Service Entry Sheets and invoices, as applicable.
- Monitors contracts, commitments and expenditure trends and highlights potential cost, budget, contractual or payment risks in a timely manner.
- Maintains regular interaction with business entities, Supply Chains, Finance, project teams, service providers and other relevant stakeholders.
- Support preparation of annual budgets, forecasts and management updates in close collaboration with business and technical stakeholders.
- Prepare and review necessary SAP financial entries and support documentation for period-end close, including accruals, cost allocations and other required adjustments.
- Collect, organize, challenge and validate cost information so that financial records appropriately reflect business activity, contractual progress and value of work done.
- Prepare and support monthly cost reporting, variance analysis, trend analysis and explanations against budget, forecast, commitments and actual expenditure.
- Monitor project and departmental costs from planning through execution and completion, providing early visibility of deviations, risks and opportunities
- Validate Purchase Requisitions and Purchase Orders from a cost control perspective, including budget availability, coding, allocation, commercial support and compliance with applicable governance.
CONTEXT AND ENVIRONMENT
- Acts as a visible Finance partner to the business, maintaining open and constructive communication with stakeholders.
- Develops a strong understanding of the activities, work programs, contracts and cost drivers of the departments supported.
- Works closely with spenders, project engineers, operational teams and Finance colleagues to ensure timely and reliable financial information.
- Operates within defined Finance calendars and tight reporting deadlines while maintaining quality, accuracy and control.
- Escalates significant changes in scope, cost, forecast, commitments and execution plans at an early stage.
Competencies
Demonstrate Learning Agility and Drive Innovation
Improve Safety, Technical Proficiency and Results
Communication Skills
Focusing on Quality
Detail Orientation
Accounting Fundamentals (Cost Control)
Cost Control Tools
General Taxation Knowledge (Cost Control)
Control - Cost Control
Cost Control Coordination
Budget & Cost Management and Control
Education
- Degree in Accounting, Finance, Engineering, Business or a related discipline; a relevant professional certification is an advantage.
Experience
-
Technical
- Relevant experience in cost control, financial control, project controls or a comparable finance role; experience in the oil and gas/upstream sector is preferred.
- Good understanding of budgeting, forecasting, accruals, cost allocations, commitments, invoice control and Procure-to-Pay processes.
- Good knowledge of SAP and strong analytical capability in Microsoft Excel; experience with Power BI or similar reporting tools is an advantage.
- Experience with SAP S/4HANA and SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) is a plus.
- Understanding of supply chain processes, contracts, financial governance, Delegation of Authority and accounting principles relevant to a large organization.
Soft Skills
- Strong communication skills with the ability to translate financial information for technical stakeholders and technical information for Finance audiences.
- Analytical mindset and ability to synthesize complex information into clear conclusions and actions.
- Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver accurate work under tight deadlines.
- Collaboratively organized and proactive approach with strong stakeholder engagement skills.
- Ability to listen to different perspectives, work effectively within a team and take initiative when required.