Cost Controller

Our client, an Oil & Gas client in Darwin is currently seeking a Cost Controller to join them for a 12-month contract with potential to go permanent.

The client has more than four decades of experience in operating advanced offshore production systems and executing complex projects.
The client is actively engaged in the energy transition by developing clean energy production solutions, applying its offshore engineering and operations capabilities to drive future value creation. Their aim is to create tailored energy solutions for evolving global energy markets.

This role is an onshore position, working Monday to Friday, and will be based in Darwin, Northern Territory.
Reporting Line: Commercial Manager

Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Track and analyse expenditure across the asset lifecycle, including operations, modifications, life extensions, and decom/demob, ensuring costs are captured and recorded accurately.
• Liaise with all functional teams to understand cost drivers, validate forecasts, and ensure expenditure is correctly captured and classified against budgets and cost structures.
• Assist in the preparation, consolidation, and review of annual budgets, forecasts, and cost phasing aligned with operational and business plans.
• Prepare monthly cost and forecast reports, coordinating with stakeholders to ensure accuracy, completeness, and timely submission.
• Support management by analysing historical data, benchmarking against technical scope, and providing operational insights for cost optimisation.
• Reconcile actual expenditure against budgets to support accurate, auditable reimbursable cost claims to the Client.
• Support the assessment of variation orders, change requests, and contract amendments by providing cost impact and recoverability analysis.
• Provide input to Commercial and Estimating teams on OPEX and CAPEX considerations, ensuring accurate reflection of costs.
• Maintain cost data integrity within ERP and cost control systems and support audits, client reviews, and corporate reporting.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of cost control processes, reporting quality, and undertaking other ad-hoc cost control tasks as required.

Skills and Experience Required:

•  Bachelor’s degree level in relevant discipline
• Sufficient relevant experience may replace certain educational requirements
• Experience in cost control, project control, commercial roles, or related financial management within the offshore oil & gas industry, with exposure to budgets, forecasts, and cost monitoring.
• Proficient in MS Office and Suite of Tools - Word, Excel (VBA), Power Point, Visio, Outlook and SharePoint.
• Knowledge of ERP systems (i.e. IFS, SAP, JDE) and its processes
• Exceptional communication skills with multi-disciplinary teams and stakeholders.
• Collaborative and able to build strong working relationships across all functions.
• Proactive and adaptable with logical analysis and critical thinking skills
• Please note, this role may require short term travel to Singapore for training/ workshops etc. therefore they must be able to travel internationally.

With over 90 years' combined experience, NES Fircroft (NES) is proud to be the world's leading engineering staffing provider spanning the Oil & Gas, Power & Renewables, Chemicals, Construction & Infrastructure, Life Sciences, Mining and Manufacturing sectors worldwide. With more than 80 offices in 45 countries, we are able to provide our clients with the engineering and technical expertise they need, wherever and whenever it is needed. We offer contractors far more than a traditional recruitment service, supporting with everything from securing visas and work permits, to providing market-leading benefits packages and accommodation, ensuring they are safely and compliantly able to support our clients.