Cost Control Manager
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Key skills for this role
About the Role
Arada seeks a Cost Control Manager to lead the independent cost control audit and governance function across pre- and post-contract stages for its real estate portfolio. The role requires 12-15 years of experience in cost control, commercial management, or quantity surveying, with MRICS certification preferred.
Key Skills for This Role
Responsibilities
- Review, audit, and provide formal feedback on all Pre Tender Estimates and Tender Recommendation Reports before package finalization
- Act as independent control point to cross verify procurement and commercial tender returns against approved business case
- Prepare and present concise 'Gate Review' commercial analysis briefs to Project Controls Director, CDO, and CEO
- Monitor schematic and detailed design progressions to flag budget deviations early
- Own monthly audit of Budget versus Forecast Final Cost across all active assets
- Establish and enforce strict governance over project risks and contingencies
- Implement and oversee active Trend Log system to capture potential variations
- Validate and sign off on all monthly cost reports, cash flow projections, and cost to complete metrics
- Drive development of automated, live Power BI dashboards for C suite
- Oversee construction and maintenance of live internal cost per square foot benchmarking database
- Manage and mentor Senior Cost Controllers and Analysts
- Partner effectively with Pre and Post Contract Commercial, Procurement, and Project Management teams
Requirements
- Bachelor’s Degree in Quantity Surveying, Civil Engineering, or a related field
- MRICS certification is highly preferred
- 12–15 years of experience in cost control, commercial management, or quantity surveying within top tier developers or international consultancies in the UAE
- Deep proficiency in enterprise cost management systems
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills
- Strong Power BI dashboard development and reporting capabilities
- Exceptional analytical authority with confidence to challenge commercial submissions
Full Job Posting
About Arada
- Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Sharjah, UAE, Arada was created to build spaces that inspire, connect, and enrich communities.
- As one of the region’s fastest growing master developers, Arada has delivered landmark residential, retail, hospitality, and lifestyle destinations that redefine modern living.
- At Arada, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We foster a collaborative, innovative, and high performance culture where talented professionals are empowered to make a meaningful impact on the communities we create.
Role Purpose
- Lead the independent Cost Control Audit & Governance function across pre and post contract stages for Arada’s portfolio.
- Operating as a mandatory control point, this role ensures absolute baseline integrity, strictly audits commercial recommendations prior to package awards, and enforces rigorous governance over the Forecast Final Cost (FFC) versus project budget, disciplined cost governance, and financial visibility
- The role drives cost strategy, reporting integrity, and team capability development.
Key Responsibilities
- Pre Award Independent Audit & Gateway Control: Mandatory Tender Sign Off: Review, audit, and provide formal feedback on all Pre Tender Estimates (PTE) and Tender Recommendation Reports before any package finalization.
- Independent Budget Verification: Act as an independent control point to cross verify procurement and commercial tender returns against the approved business case.
- Executive Gateway Reporting: Prepare and present concise 'Gate Review' commercial analysis briefs to the Project Controls Director, CDO, and CEO, explicitly highlighting budget variances and risks prior to contract award.
- Design Stage Cost Checks: Monitor schematic and detailed design progressions to flag budget deviations early, forcing mandatory Value Engineering (VE) triggers if baselines are breached.
- Post Award Budget Governance & FFC Control: Budget vs. FFC Reconciliation: Own the monthly audit of Budget versus Forecast Final Cost (FFC) across all active assets. Identify and challenge hidden cost overruns or optimistic forecasting by project site teams.
- Contingency Drawdown Audit: Establish and enforce strict governance over project risks and contingencies. Validate that any drawdown request is backed by robust data and contractually justified.
- Trend Log & Early Warning Governance: Implement and oversee an active Trend Log system to capture potential variations, design changes, and claims weeks before they manifest as formal commercial risks.
- Cost Monitoring, Reporting & BI Automation: Data Integrity Auditing: Validate and sign off on all monthly cost reports, cash flow projections, and cost to complete metrics, ensuring they represent a single source of truth.
- Executive Dashboards: Drive the development of automated, live Power BI dashboards for the C suite, focusing strictly on Management by Exception by flagging projects tracking outside a 5% variance threshold.
- Proprietary Benchmarking: Oversee the construction and maintenance of a live internal cost per square foot benchmarking database using historical data from completed Arada phases.
- Team Leadership & Interface: Internal Audit Team Management: Manage and mentor Senior Cost Controllers and Analysts, instilling a culture of objective, data driven financial auditing.
- Cross Departmental Interface: Partner effectively with the established Pre and Post Contract Commercial, Procurement, and Project Management teams while maintaining strict departmental independence.
Qualifications & Experience
- Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Quantity Surveying, Civil Engineering, or a related field.
- MRICS certification is highly preferred.
- Experience: 12–15 years of experience in cost control, commercial management, or quantity surveying within top tier developers or international consultancies in the UAE.
- Technical Skills: Deep proficiency in enterprise cost management systems.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
- Strong Power BI dashboard development and reporting capabilities.
- Core Competency: Exceptional analytical authority with the confidence and credibility to challenge commercial submissions and present objective risk data directly to executive leadership.
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