Director, Data Center Cost Control Team Lead

Job Description

The AI Gigascale Construction Cost Manager Lead (OCI) provides end-to-end cost leadership for Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) gigascale construction programs, including hyperscale data center campuses and associated enabling infrastructure. This role blends rigorous cost management and project controls with scaled, time-to-market–focused delivery execution to improve forecast accuracy, accelerate executive decision-making, strengthen early risk detection, and deliver clear, auditable cost transparency across the full project lifecycle.

You will build and lead a cost controls function and team, establishing standardized processes, systems, and reporting that scale across multiple sites and workstreams. You will own the development and maintenance of estimates, budgets, forecasts, cash flow, contingency, and change control, partnering closely with Design & Construction, Procurement/Supply Chain, Finance, Scheduling/Project Controls, and Delivery leadership to drive predictable outcomes and disciplined cost governance.

You will also champion the responsible use of AI and advanced analytics within Oracle construction and engineering productivity suite; creating repeatable models, dashboards, and insights that improve performance (e.g., variance detection, cost risk indicators, productivity signals, invoice/bid anomalies), while ensuring outputs are explainable, traceable, and aligned with enterprise data governance and compliance expectations.

NOTE: Work from home/remote with no less than 50% travel.

Responsibilities

Cost Strategy, Governance & Controls

• Own the cost management strategy across one or more gigascale projects/programs from early design through closeout.

• Build cost governance: WBS/CBS structures, cost codes, control accounts, reporting cadence, and executive dashboards.

• Establish standards for estimating, forecasting, contingency management, and cost risk practices across the program.

• Provide clear cost narratives to leadership: variances, drivers, corrective actions, and forward-looking risk.

Estimating, Budgeting & Forecasting

• Lead concept-to-definitive estimating aligned to design maturity (e.g., ROM, schematic, DD, CD).

• Develop and maintain the overall project budget, cash flow, and long-range forecast; reconcile to funding and finance requirements.

• Benchmark costs using historical data, market intelligence, and parametric models; validate unit rates and productivity assumptions.

• Drive monthly cost report cycles with disciplined cost-to-complete and earned-value-informed forecasting where applicable.

Change Management & Commercial Management

• Implement a robust change control process to manage scope, schedule, and cost impacts with strong documentation.

• Evaluate change orders and claims: pricing, entitlement, schedule linkage, and negotiation support.

• Partner with contracts/procurement to align cost controls with contract types (GMP, lump sum, target cost, T&M) and commercial terms.

• Manage contingencies and allowances using risk-based approaches; maintain traceability of drawdowns and releases.

• Develop and govern dashboards (e.g., Power BI/Tableau) that integrate schedule, procurement, and cost data for predictive insights.

• Ensure AI outputs are explainable, auditable, and compliant with data governance and privacy requirements.

Procurement & Market Intelligence

• Support procurement strategy through cost modeling, bid analysis, supplier benchmarking, and should-cost frameworks.

• Track material and labor indices; assess escalation exposure and recommend mitigation actions (buyouts, alternates, hedging where applicable).

• Coordinate with logistics and construction teams to quantify impacts from lead times, resequencing, and field productivity shifts.

Stakeholder Leadership

• Serve as a trusted advisor to program leadership, project managers, design teams, construction managers, and finance partners.

• Lead cost reviews with internal and external stakeholders; communicate complex cost topics clearly to non-cost audiences.

• Mentor junior cost engineers/analysts; standardize templates, playbooks, and training for scale and repeatability.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Finance, or related field (or equivalent experience).

• 12+ years progressive experience in cost management/cost controls for large capital projects (multi-site or campus-scale preferred).

• Extensive experience leading large construction projects of over $1B in total cost, preferably in data center construction

• Demonstrated expertise in estimating, forecasting, change control, and contract/commercial evaluation.

• Strong working knowledge of construction means and methods, cost drivers, productivity, and sequencing.

• Advanced Excel skills; proficiency with cost systems and project controls tools (e.g., EcoSys, Unifier, Primavera P6, MS Project, SAP/Oracle ERP, or similar).

• Ability to build executive-ready reporting and drive disciplined monthly performance routines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience on hyperscale/gigascale programs (data centers, semiconductor fabs, EV/battery plants, large infrastructure, energy).

• Experience integrating cost and schedule data (EVMS concepts, production/earned value methods).

• Certifications: CCP (AACE), MRICS, PMP, or equivalent.

• Experience designing cost data models, governance standards, and automated reporting pipelines.

Core Competencies

• Commercial acumen and negotiation support

• Structured problem solving; strong attention to detail with executive-level judgment

• High ownership in ambiguous, fast-moving environments

• Data fluency and a continuous improvement mindset

• Integrity, discretion, and strong governance orientation

Disclaimer:

Certain US customer or client-facing roles may be required to comply with applicable requirements, such as immunization and occupational health mandates.

Range and benefit information provided in this posting are specific to the stated locations only

US: Hiring Range in USD from: $139,400 to $291,800 per annum. May be eligible for bonus, equity, and compensation deferral.

Oracle maintains broad salary ranges for its roles in order to account for variations in knowledge, skills, experience, market conditions and locations, as well as reflect Oracle's differing products, industries and lines of business.

Candidates are typically placed into the range based on the preceding factors as well as internal peer equity.

Oracle US offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes the following:

1. Medical, dental, and vision insurance, including expert medical opinion

2. Short term disability and long term disability

3. Life insurance and AD&D

4. Supplemental life insurance (Employee/Spouse/Child)

5. Health care and dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts

6. Pre-tax commuter and parking benefits

7. 401(k) Savings and Investment Plan with company match

8. Paid time off: Flexible Vacation is provided to all eligible employees assigned to a salaried (non-overtime eligible) position. Accrued Vacation is provided to all other employees eligible for vacation benefits. For employees working at least 35 hours per week, the vacation accrual rate is 13 days annually for the first three years of employment and 18 days annually for subsequent years of employment. Vacation accrual is prorated for employees working between 20 and 34 hours per week. Employees working fewer than 20 hours per week are not eligible for vacation.

9. 11 paid holidays

10. Paid sick leave: 72 hours of paid sick leave upon date of hire. Refreshes each calendar year. Unused balance will carry over each year up to a maximum cap of 112 hours.

11. Paid parental leave

12. Adoption assistance

13. Employee Stock Purchase Plan

14. Financial planning and group legal

15. Voluntary benefits including auto, homeowner and pet insurance

The role will generally accept applications for at least three calendar days from the posting date or as long as the job remains posted.

Career Level - M4

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