At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead cost management for exciting capital projects and ensure financial success.
- Company: Join Center Parcs, the UK's top choice for short breaks with a vibrant team.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, bonus scheme, company car, and great perks.
- Other info: Hybrid role with opportunities for growth and a supportive work culture.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on multi-million-pound projects while developing your career.
- Qualifications: Experience in cost engineering or commercial management is essential.
Forest House | Circa £60,000 - £65,000 per annum dependent upon experience plus 18% bonus scheme plus company car. This is a hybrid role, based in the office two days per week, with the remainder worked from home. The position is based at Head Office (Forest House), with regular travel to villages/sites as required. Free on site parking is available.
Welcome to Center Parcs, the number one choice for short break holidays, employing a team of over 10,000 across Forest House and six separate villages located in the UK and Ireland.
The Cost Manager is the commercial and cost-control lead for Center Parcs' UK and Ireland Capital Investment portfolio, providing robust estimating, forecasting, cost engineering and assurance across major infrastructure, development and refurbishment projects. Working to the standards of highly regulated capital environments, the role establishes auditable cost baselines, drives forecasting accuracy, applies Earned Value Management principles, and provides independent challenge to ensure investment decisions are commercially sound, transparent and deliver maximum value.
What You’ll Be Doing
- You’ll own the financial heartbeat of a multi-million-pound capital investment portfolio, providing expert estimating, cost control, forecasting and commercial insight from concept through to completion.
- By turning complex project data into clear, actionable intelligence, you’ll help leaders make smarter investment decisions, identify risks early, control costs and maximise value across a wide range of development, infrastructure and operational projects.
Key responsibilities include:
- Feasibility Estimating & Investment Decision Support: Lead the development of early-stage cost models, benchmarking and option appraisals that provide confidence in project affordability, highlight commercial risks and opportunities, and enable informed investment decisions across the capital portfolio.
- Project Cost Control & Forecasting: Drive cost certainty and financial control across the capital portfolio through robust forecasting, performance analysis and commercial challenge. Maintain visibility of budgets, commitments, change and contingency, manage and report Earned Value Management, EAC, calculating portfolio CPI, then trending data to identify risks early, safeguard investment value and support proactive decision-making.
- Estimating, Procurement & Commercial Assurance: Partner with Project Managers, Procurement teams and external consultants to provide robust estimating, tender evaluation and commercial support, ensuring projects remain affordable, contractually compliant and commercially controlled, while driving value, challenging costs and strengthening future investment decisions through accurate cost capture and benchmarking.
- Portfolio CAPEX & Performance Management: Provide a consolidated view of capital investment performance across the portfolio, tracking spend, forecast, risk and value against annual and multi-year CAPEX plans. Identify cost pressures, funding opportunities and performance trends, delivering clear insight and decision support that enables effective prioritisation, forecasting accuracy and optimisation of capital investment.
- Cost Governance & Assurance: Drive robust cost governance across the capital portfolio, ensuring consistent forecasting, reporting, change control and cost-data integrity. Provide independent assurance, challenge cost performance and forecasting assumptions, and deliver clear, auditable insights that strengthen financial control and support confident investment decisions.
What you’ll need:
- Proven experience in cost engineering, quantity surveying or commercial management experience gained within complex capital programmes, with the capability to control, forecast and assure investment across a diverse, multi-million-pound construction and infrastructure portfolio.
- Ability to develop robust early-stage estimates and cost plans from limited information, using benchmarking, assumptions and risk analysis to assess affordability, inform investment decisions and provide confidence in project viability.
- Experience of project budgeting, forecasting, cost reporting, contingency management and change control, with the ability to provide accurate financial insight and support effective investment decision-making.
About the Benefits
- Management Bonus Scheme (up to 18%)
- Company Car
- Access to our enhanced pension plan, with 8% from you and 7% contributed by Center Parcs
- Life Assurance
- Private Medical Insurance (available if you enrol in the Enhanced Pension Plan)
- Discounted Center Parcs breaks
- Free use of our leisure facilities
- 20% discount in our restaurant and retail outlets
- Access to Perks at Work Portal - offering a wide range of retail and leisure discounts
- An Employee Assistance Program - providing support on financial, health and legal matters
- Excellent opportunities for career development and progression with the opportunity to gain externally recognised qualifications
Our values
Each colleague at Center Parcs is involved in building better worlds for our guests, colleagues, communities and our environment. Contributing to our purpose means living out our values: We care, we're brave, we're determined and we're naturally us.
Sound like your kind of job? Closing date: 25th September 2026
At Center Parcs, everyone's welcome. We recognise that we're all at our best when we're being ourselves. We are committed to building a culture that champions diversity, equity and inclusion, where everyone is treated fairly and with respect. We welcome people from all backgrounds and want them to feel valued for their individuality, thrive in our business and share a sense of belonging. We place a lot of value on recruiting based on behaviours rather than prioritising qualifications or experience. We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, please let us know if you require any support or reasonable adjustments during the application or interview process.
Cost Manager - Capital Projects NEW Center Parcs Posted today Newark employer: Center Parcs group
Center Parcs is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture where teamwork and excellence thrive in a stunning natural forest setting. As the Head of Village Facilities, you will benefit from a competitive salary, generous bonus scheme, and extensive career development opportunities, all while being part of a company that values diversity, inclusion, and employee well-being. With access to leisure facilities, discounts, and a commitment to personal growth, Center Parcs provides a fulfilling environment for those looking to make a meaningful impact.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Cost Manager - Capital Projects NEW Center Parcs Posted today Newark
✨Join Construction Networks
Get yourself involved in local construction networks or industry events. They often have job boards, and networking can lead to unadvertised positions. Plus, it’s a great way to meet potential future colleagues!
✨Show Off Your Skills on Site
If you’ve done any hands-on work, whether it's through internships or personal projects, make sure you can showcase it. Consider volunteering for local construction projects or getting involved in community build days; it’s a solid way to demonstrate your skills and build connections.
✨Utilise Construction Job Sites
Don't just rely on the big job boards. Look at niche construction job sites—many companies prioritise these for full-time roles. Apply through these sites, but don’t forget to reach out directly to companies you admire, like Center Parcs group, to express your interest!
✨Tailor Your Application for Full-Time Roles
Make your application stand out by tailoring it specifically for full-time positions. Highlight how your previous projects align with the company's work. At StudySmarter, we encourage you to demonstrate your commitment and long-term interest in the industry when applying for roles like Cost Manager - Capital Projects NEW Center Parcs Posted today Newark at Center Parcs group.
We think you need these skills to ace Cost Manager - Capital Projects NEW Center Parcs Posted today Newark
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Relevant Experience:In the construction industry, it's essential to highlight any hands-on experience you have. Whether it’s past projects you've worked on or specific roles you've held, make sure your CV emphasises your practical skills and contributions to construction sites.
Include Certifications and Qualifications:Don’t forget to list any certifications relevant to construction, like CSCS cards or other safety qualifications. These can really set you apart from other candidates and show that you’re serious about health and safety on-site.
Tailor Your Cover Letter to Construction:When writing your cover letter for a construction role, focus on your problem-solving capabilities and teamwork. Construction relies heavily on collaboration, so mention how you’ve worked successfully with others to complete projects on time and within budget.
Adapt Your CV Format to the Field:Ensure your CV is clear and easy to read, with sections dedicated to skills such as project management, technical abilities, and site supervision. Construction roles often require a blend of technical know-how and soft skills, so make sure both are highlighted effectively.
How to prepare for a job interview at Center Parcs group
✨Brush Up on Technical Knowledge
For a construction role, it's crucial we have a solid grasp of industry standards, safety protocols, and specific tools used on-site. Make sure you're familiar with relevant regulations and can talk confidently about them, as these often come up in interviews.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Since this is a full-time position, be ready to discuss any previous construction projects you've worked on. Bring a portfolio or have detailed descriptions that highlight your role, the challenges you faced, and how you overcame them—this’ll show you’re not just book-smart but also practically savvy.
✨Understand the Team Dynamics
Construction is all about teamwork, so prepare to discuss how you interact with different stakeholders like architects, engineers, and contractors. Maybe think of examples from past experiences to illustrate your ability to communicate and collaborate effectively.
✨Prepare for On-the-Spot Problem Solving
Be ready for some practical questions or scenarios where you'll need to demonstrate your problem-solving skills. Interviewers might present you with a hypothetical construction issue to solve, so practice articulating your thought process clearly and logically—this could really set you apart!
