At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage financial control for the Smart Metering Programme, ensuring accurate reporting and governance.
- Company: Join Southern Water, a leader in transforming the UK's water industry.
- Benefits: Competitive salary from £45k, with opportunities for professional growth and development.
- Other info: Diverse workplace welcoming unique perspectives and experiences.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on sustainability and service excellence in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in project finance and strong Excel skills required.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 45000 £ per year.
Location: Durrington, Worthing
Contract Type: Permanent
Hours: 37
Salary: From £45k depending on skills and experience
About the role:
The Cost Controller is responsible for the end-to-end financial control of the Smart Metering Programme, ensuring accurate forecasting, reporting and governance across Opex and Capex.
What you will be responsible for:
- Maintain a single source of financial truth, reporting consistently and on time at all levels
- Capture and manage all Opex and Capex spend at a detailed level
- Provide end-to-end financial management, including tracking, reporting and analysis; purchase order and invoice processing; and finance system updates
- Coach workstream leads on forecasting and profiling spend
- Identify and report budget risks and opportunities, with clear actions and mitigations
- Month-end / period close alignment: ownership of timetable, cut-off, accruals/prepayments, and reconciliation steps
- Capex governance and accounting compliance: making sure Capex vs Opex treatment is correct, evidence is retained, and approvals meet policy
- Maintain an audit trail of budget approvals and subsequent changes
- Change control impact on budget: formal linkage between scope change requests and budget movements
- Vendor/contractor cost control: checking invoices against contract/SOW/milestones, rate cards, timesheets, and ensuring correct cost coding
- Data quality controls: checks on master data/cost centres/WBS, and resolving exceptions
- Contribute financial inputs to programme and governance reporting packs
- Ensure the full financial scope is captured and kept up to date
- Stakeholder cadence: running regular cost reviews with workstream leads
- Benefits/ROI linkage: ensuring costs can be mapped to business case lines/benefits themes
What you’ll bring to the role:
- Significant experience in a project finance, management accounting, or finance co-ordinator role, supporting programmes/projects
- Proven experience managing detailed Opex/Capex budgets, including actuals, forecast and variance analysis
- Hands-on experience with purchase order and invoice processing, cost coding and resolving exceptions
- Experience working to month-end timelines and maintaining a clear audit trail of budget changes
- Strong Excel skills and experience maintaining data quality across financial trackers
- Experience using finance systems and project cost structures
- Experience partnering with Finance Business Partners and coaching non-finance stakeholders to improve forecast accuracy
- Experience in a regulated or highly governed environment is desirable
Southern Water is at the forefront of transforming Britain’s water industry, investing significantly to enhance resilience, sustainability, and service excellence. With £7.8bn planned investment for 2025-30, this is an unparalleled opportunity to join a business committed to delivering a generational shift in the way water services are managed.
We offer an environment where senior professionals can make a meaningful impact, influence major strategic decisions, and drive long-term value creation.
At Southern Water, we believe diverse perspectives drive innovation. If you’re passionate about making a positive impact and think you can bring value to our team, we’d love to hear from you—even if you don’t tick every box. Your unique skills and experiences could be exactly what we need.
If this role isn’t quite what you’re looking for but are keen to be contacted about opportunities at Southern Water, you can register your details here.
Our Commitment to Diversity: We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, or any other protected characteristic. If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.
Additional information: In line with Southern Water’s security requirements, successful candidates will be required to provide evidence of their identity, eligibility to work in the UK, criminal record check (DBS) and verification of their employment and/or education history for the past three years. Appointment to this role is subject to the successful completion of all pre-employment checks, including security vetting.
Please note that if a candidate does not meet the required security standards or fails to pass the vetting process, Southern Water reserves the right to withdraw the offer of employment. Some positions may also require higher levels of security vetting, which may involve providing additional documentation.
Cost Controller in Worthing employer: SouthernWaterServices
Southern Water is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Durrington, Worthing, where you can play a pivotal role in transforming the water industry. With a strong commitment to employee growth, a culture that values diverse perspectives, and significant investment in sustainability, you will have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact while enjoying competitive benefits and a supportive team atmosphere.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Cost Controller in Worthing
✨Tap into Campus Networks
If you're still in uni, don’t forget to engage with your campus's career services and attend finance-related events. Banks often do presentations and recruitment drives on campus, so put yourself out there and make use of these opportunities to show off your passion for the field.
✨Get Certified
Consider pursuing relevant certifications like the CFA or ACCA while you’re job hunting. They not only beef up your CV but also connect you with professional bodies which can lead to networking opportunities and even job openings in banking and financial services.
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Join finance-focused groups on platforms like LinkedIn and engage in discussions. This can really help you stand out from the crowd, allowing potential employers to see your knowledge and interest in industry trends. Plus, you might stumble upon job postings shared exclusively within the group.
✨Apply Directly and Be Proactive
Don’t shy away from reaching out directly to firms like SouthernWaterServices. Use their websites and apply through them, but also consider following up with a polite email to express your enthusiasm. Being proactive can make a huge difference in getting noticed in the competitive financial services sector.
We think you need these skills to ace Cost Controller in Worthing
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Numbers!:In the banking and financial services world, quantifiable achievements are key. Make sure your CV highlights your grades in relevant subjects, any financial certifications you hold, and specific projects where you've delivered measurable results. Employers love to see how your skills translate into real-world success.
Tailor Your Cover Letter to the Role:When applying for a full-time position, your cover letter should make a direct connection between your experience and the job description. Don't just state your enthusiasm for finance—dive into how your background in banking or financial analysis sets you apart. Let your passion shine through while being specific about what you can bring to SouthernWaterServices.
Include Relevant Financial Software Experience:If you've worked with financial modelling tools or software like Excel, SAP, or specific analytical tools during your studies or internships, bring that up! Highlighting your proficiency can really make your application pop and show you're ready to hit the ground running in a full-time role.
Research and Reflect:Before hitting that 'apply' button on SouthernWaterServices's website, do a little digging. Look up their recent projects, values, and culture. Reflecting their ethos in your application can make a huge difference and show you’re genuinely interested in being part of the team!
How to prepare for a job interview at SouthernWaterServices
✨Brush Up on Financial Analysis Skills
Make sure you're well-versed in financial concepts and analytical techniques relevant to banking and financial services. Get comfortable with tools like Excel for modelling or financial forecasting, as technical questions in this area are common during interviews with SouthernWaterServices.
✨Prepare for Case Studies
Expect to tackle case studies that demonstrate your problem-solving skills in real-world banking scenarios. Familiarise yourself with the types of problems you might face—think risk assessments or investment evaluations—and be ready to articulate your thought process clearly.
✨Show Your Passion for Finance
Since this is a full-time position, employers at SouthernWaterServices will be keen to see your genuine interest in finance. Be prepared to discuss recent industry trends or news articles that excite you, showcasing your enthusiasm and engagement with the field.
✨Network with Industry Professionals
Before your interview, reach out to current or former SouthernWaterServices employees on platforms like LinkedIn. They'll offer unique insights into the company's culture and the interview process, which can give us a delightful edge in showcasing a good fit for the team.
