At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage project costs and ensure accurate financial reporting for major infrastructure projects.
- Company: Leading UK civil engineering contractor with a focus on infrastructure.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, car allowance, strong pension, healthcare, and 26 days holiday.
- Other info: Hybrid working and excellent long-term career opportunities.
- Why this job: Join a dynamic team and play a key role in impactful infrastructure projects.
- Qualifications: Strong numerical skills and attention to detail; finance or construction background preferred.
A leading UK civil engineering contractor is looking to appoint a Cost Manager to support its long-term delivery of infrastructure projects across the South West Water AMP8 framework. This is a key role within the commercial team, ensuring project costs are accurately recorded, allocated and managed across a busy programme of civil engineering and utilities projects.
The Role
- Oversee the monthly allocation and reconciliation of project expenditure, ensuring costs are recorded against the correct projects and cost codes using the company's IFS financial management system.
- Reviewing and reconciling monthly project costs.
- Ensuring labour, plant, materials and subcontractor expenditure is correctly allocated.
- Investigating discrepancies and resolving cost coding queries.
- Maintaining accurate financial records within IFS.
- Ensuring costs are appropriately allocated and recoverable in accordance with NEC contract provisions.
- Supporting accurate monthly financial reporting and cost control.
What We’re Looking For
- Open to candidates from accounts, purchase ledger, construction finance, cost control or quantity surveying backgrounds.
- Strong numerical skills, excellent attention to detail and the confidence to work with operational teams to ensure costs are recorded correctly.
- Experience with construction projects, NEC contracts or IFS would be advantageous, but isn’t essential.
- This could particularly suit a finance professional looking to move into construction cost management, or a Quantity Surveyor who enjoys the financial side of projects but would prefer a predominantly internal role.
What’s In It For You?
- £40,000 - £50,000 salary
- Car allowance or EV company vehicle
- Strong pension and healthcare package
- 26 days' holiday plus bank holidays
- Hybrid working
- Long-term career opportunities
- A secure pipeline of major infrastructure projects
Interested? If you’re organised, commercially aware and enjoy working with financial information, we’d be interested in hearing from you.
Cost Manager employer: Girling Jones Ltd
Join one of the UK's largest and most established construction groups as a Pre-Construction Director in Bristol, where you'll lead a talented team and shape the future of regional projects. With a strong emphasis on collaborative client relationships and sustainable construction, this role offers significant opportunities for professional growth and influence within a supportive work culture. Enjoy a competitive salary, generous annual bonus, and a comprehensive benefits package while working in a dynamic environment that values innovation and teamwork.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Cost Manager
✨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 Girling Jones Ltd, 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 at Girling Jones Ltd.
We think you need these skills to ace Cost Manager
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 Girling Jones Ltd
✨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!
