Senior Cost Specialist - Program

About the role

Ivanhoe Electric is advancing the Santa Cruz Copper Project into the execution phase using an Integrated Project Execution Team. We are seeking an experienced Program-Led Planner to join our Program Controls team for an on-site role in Casa Grande, providing cost engineering/management support for our major Capital Project.

Responsibilities

• Provide cost leadership to 2 cost analysts, responsible for their respective projects.
• Identify, coach, and mentor talent to realize their potential.
• Display excellence in leadership in cost management delivery in line with the conditions of the role.
• Provide estimates and cost planning, including producing and presenting the final cost plan.
• Review and participate with the engineering and construction teams in the development of cost estimates (WBS / Cost Center coding and confirmation of work packages).
• Develop cost plans and estimates through the detailed design phase, delivering updated cost plans at appropriate design milestones.
• Recast the overall program budget into the Control budget for the Program to a level of detail required for appropriate forecasting and evaluation of performance of partners and contractors.
• Contribute to the procurement process by reviewing critical packages for a scope-to-scope review and alignment of the WBS / Code of accounts.
• Work with the project team to review contingency drawdown requests and recommend mitigation measures for high-probability risks or trends.
• Ensure Project Cost analysts contribute to explaining variances during the period and submit reconciliation requests to the accounting and accounts payable teams.
• Lead estimating, cost controls, and change management activities throughout the project lifecycle.
• Carry out validation of trend/changes on a bi-weekly and monthly basis.
• Support procurement and construction teams in estimating to negotiate change orders throughout the program lifecycle.
• Liaise with the project managers to ensure the team gathers status information to prepare a forecast update in a timely fashion.
• Use Earned Value Management methods to support forecasting or bottom-up estimating for forecasting.
• Ensure that cost auditing, validation of accruals and evaluation of work in progress is managed effectively and that a robust process is in place.
• Prepare Cost and incurred flows to ensure alignment with cash needs with the finance team.
• Develop and implement priority plans, including risk mitigation strategies, using internal tools and performance metrics (KPIs, critical success factors, and earned value frameworks).
• Support program-level capital planning and reporting.
• Produce monthly cost forecast reports and provide regular updates on project performance, including recommending solutions and securing leadership alignment.
• Participate in leadership meetings with the SVP, GM, Directors, and team members, and prepare/deliver presentations as required.
• Use Project Controls tools compatible with Microsoft Dynamics or Business Central and internal tools to track earned value and forecast costs through financial reports.
• Implement and maintain internal Business Management Systems (including Power BI) and delivery methodologies to ensure consistent delivery of cost management services.
• Compile as-built or actual cost data for benchmarking purposes.
• Drive knowledge management by capturing lessons learned and maintaining internal databases.

Requirements

• Excellent communication and presentation skills that combine sound analytical cost engineering principles with the ability to summarize and present budget strategy/cost plans to technical and non-technical team members.
• Initiative-taking, purposeful, and capable of thriving in a multi-partner project execution delivery team.
• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, cost management, estimating, engineering, or a field related to mining or construction.
• Minimum 10 + years of relevant experience working in a cost management role in the construction or mining industry.
• Experience in leading cost management on major construction projects with a high degree of complexity.
• Good knowledge of various construction industry technical matters, such as different procurement processes for cost management, value engineering, accounting principles for accruals, and earned value management for forecasting.
• Good knowledge of SOX requirements for cost reporting and interfacing with accounting.
• Experienced at leading a small team and interfacing in a matrix functional environment.
• Demonstrated skill in establishing Project Controls activities and directing cost engineering functions, including cost estimating, cost control, and cost analysis.
• Skilled in providing direction, team management, and training of technical and non-technical personnel.
• Demonstrated skill in identifying, analyzing, and solving problems.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and experience with Power BI or equivalent tools for Cost Reporting preferred.

Skills

• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Initiative-taking, purposeful, and capable of thriving in a multi-partner project execution delivery team.
• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, cost management, estimating, engineering, or a field related to mining or construction.
• Minimum 10 + years of relevant experience working in a cost management role in the construction or mining industry.
• Experience in leading cost management on major construction projects with a high degree of complexity.
• Good knowledge of various construction industry technical matters, such as different procurement processes for cost management, value engineering, accounting principles for accruals, and earned value management for forecasting.
• Good knowledge of SOX requirements for cost reporting and interfacing with accounting.
• Experienced at leading a small team and interfacing in a matrix functional environment.
• Demonstrated skill in establishing Project Controls activities and directing cost engineering functions, including cost estimating, cost control, and cost analysis.
• Skilled in providing direction, team management, and training of technical and non-technical personnel.
• Demonstrated skill in identifying, analyzing, and solving problems.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and experience with Power BI or equivalent tools for Cost Reporting preferred.

Benefits

The Company offers a professional, entrepreneurial office environment and the opportunity to work alongside and grow with talented colleagues. The Company offers competitive compensation and an employee benefits package.

Pay

Competitive compensation package.

Schedule

Site-based at Santa Cruz project office and site presence at the mine site on an as-required basis. Partial local remote work may be considered upon request.