Cost Lead

Job Title: Cost Lead – Mega Construction Project
Location: Edmonton, AB
Employment Type: Contract
Contract Length: 1 year (potential for extensions); ~Feb 23, 2026 – Feb 23, 2027
Schedule: Mon-Fri, 40 hrs/week (potential for OT depending on project demands)
Notes: Background Check (Criminal, Education, & Employment) required to candidate upon receiving an offer

About the Role
We are seeking a highly experienced Cost Lead to manage and oversee all cost engineering activities on a large-scale construction project. This role is critical in ensuring accurate cost forecasting, reporting, and compliance with corporate standards. As the Cost Lead, you will provide strategic direction, lead a team of cost engineers, and deliver timely, reliable cost information to support project decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of cost engineers, ensuring consistency and accuracy in cost reporting.
• Develop and maintain project dashboards, cost reports, and earned value metrics.
• Manage the control budget and oversee change management processes.
• Collaborate with planning and scheduling teams to align cost and schedule structures.
• Prepare and maintain corporate and project-specific cost reports using SAP and Omega 365 (PIMS).
• Integrate project estimates, schedules, and risk analysis into cost forecasts.
• Validate and aggregate cost data from contractors, vendors, and procurement teams.
• Provide proactive cost management assessments and trend analysis to identify risks.
• Facilitate meetings with project stakeholders to review cost performance and forecasts.
• Support the Project Controls Manager in workload planning and strategic initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Economics, Business Administration, Accounting  or Engineering.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in cost engineering, with proven leadership on mega projects.
• Expertise in SAP, familiarity with Omega 365 (PIMS) or similar tools, familiarity with Acumen Fuse or similar risk tools.
• Accreditation from PMI, AACE would be preferred
• Advanced Excel skills and strong analytical capabilities.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and adapt to changing priorities.

Preferred Experience

• Managing cost for mega projects during the construction phase.
• Developing and maintaining project dashboards and reports.
• Team leadership experience on large-scale projects.

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.