Cost Audit Manager

This is a key role responsible for ensuring robust cost assurance, audit governance, and value for money across a diverse portfolio. The Cost Audit Manager will provide independent review, challenge, and validation of M&E quoted, remedial, and project works. The role will focus on auditing quotations, invoices, and applications for payment to ensure accuracy, compliance, and commercial integrity while identifying opportunities for cost savings and value engineering. The position will also produce audit reports that demonstrate savings, efficiencies, quality of workmanship, adherence to specifications, and overall value for money.

Operations

• Ensure that all contractual obligations are met within the defined area and/or activities assigned, supporting the Account Director and wider Account Management Team in achieving all contractual KPIs.
• Develop strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders and provide timely responses to requests for support.
• Work with the Contract Manager and client to obtain approvals for works, ensuring appropriate accruals/commitments are reflected in financial systems.
• Monitor suppliers to ensure effective day‑to‑day service delivery and escalate performance issues where required.
• Promote a positive Health and Safety culture, ensuring issues are escalated and addressed.

Commercial & Audit

• Lead the independent audit and validation of supplier quotations, invoices, and applications for payment to ensure compliance with contractual terms and commercial accuracy.
• Challenge costs, assumptions, and scopes of work to ensure value for money and alignment with contract requirements.
• Identify discrepancies, overcharges, or non‑compliant submissions and take appropriate action, including rejection where necessary.
• Provide detailed audit reports highlighting savings, cost avoidance, trends, and areas of risk.
• Support CAPEX planning by validating cost assumptions and providing insight into financial risks and opportunities.
• Work with Supply Chain and Finance teams to produce monthly reporting on spend, accruals, and forecasted activity.
• Support the management and audit of contract variations, ensuring full transparency and documentation.

Technology

• Utilise the Concerto CAFM system and other client/Bellrock systems to monitor cost performance and audit activity.
• Produce reports analysing asset performance, lifecycle costs, and replacement priorities.
• Identify opportunities to enhance cost visibility and audit capability through system improvements, APIs, and data integration.

Technical

• Lead audits of statutory compliance records, ensuring both technical and financial alignment.
• Analyse supplier performance and cost trends, providing actionable insights and improvement plans.
• Provide lifecycle and forward maintenance cost assurance advice.

Risk Management

• Maintain and develop the commercial audit and risk register, identifying financial exposure and trends.
• Ensure all cost and procurement activity complies with contractual, statutory, and governance requirements.
• Lead cost investigations relating to incidents, contractor performance issues, or non‑compliance.
• Support change management by ensuring robust audit, cost validation, and risk assessment of all proposed changes.
• Attend governance and management meetings as required.

Business Growth

• Ensure additional services and variations are commercially robust, audited, and aligned with contractual requirements.
• Identify and drive cost savings and efficiency opportunities across the portfolio.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of commercial audit processes and best practice.

Competencies

• Strong experience in a cost audit, commercial assurance, or Quantity Surveying role within FM, property, construction, or building services.
• Proven experience auditing supplier costs, invoices, and commercial submissions.
• Strong understanding of commercial governance, contract compliance, and cost control mechanisms.
• Ability to challenge and influence stakeholders at multiple levels.
• Advanced Excel and financial analysis capabilities.
• High attention to detail with the ability to identify anomalies and risks.
• Strong understanding of FM commercial models, PPM regimes, and contractual performance frameworks.
• Ability to interpret technical maintenance data and relate it to financial outcomes.

Desirable

• BSc in Quantity Surveying or related discipline.
• MRICS or working toward chartership.
• NEC, JCT, or FM contract experience.
• Facilities Management qualification or working toward one.

AI Fluency & Learning Mindset

We are looking for people who actively use AI in their day‑to‑day work, demonstrate strong curiosity about new technologies, and take ownership for continuously improving how they think, work, and deliver.

Working Arrangements

We embrace smarter working practices which offer our employees the opportunity to work their hours flexibly and remotely where their roles and business needs allow. In this role, the successful candidate would be required to work from the Yorkshire site and work three days a week with the team, with the rest of the week able to be worked from home.

What can we offer you?

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays + 1 additional day as a thank you (enjoy it, it’s on us)
• Salary exchange pension scheme
• Life cover
• Paid sick leave
• Health Assured employee assistance and wellness program
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave
• Salary sacrifice schemes: Cycle to work
• Holiday purchase scheme of additional 5 days per year
• Offers and discount scheme designed to save money on everyday shopping and essentials
• Healthcare Cashplan
• MotorSave Scheme
• Refer a friend
• Liftshare
• Virtual GP