Cost Controls Analyst

Job Description

InnoActive Group is seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Cost Controls Analyst to support a portfolio of complex capital projects within the utilities and power generation industry , with a particular focus on gas turbine projects and associated infrastructure.

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The ideal candidate will have a strong background in utility capital projects, gas turbine power generation, and project cost controls , with hands-on experience managing budgets, forecasts, expenditures, financial reporting, and cost performance throughout the project lifecycle.

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In this role, you'll collaborate with project managers, engineering teams, construction professionals, and finance stakeholders to monitor project costs, identify financial risks, maintain accurate forecasts, and provide meaningful analysis to support project execution and informed decision-making.

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This is a remote position requiring periodic travel to project sites. Candidates must be comfortable working independently while collaborating with geographically dispersed teams and traveling to active utility and power generation facilities as needed.

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Job Functions & Responsibilities

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• Support cost control activities across a portfolio of utility capital projects, gas turbine installations, power generation upgrades, and related infrastructure improvements .
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• Monitor and analyze project budgets, actual expenditures, committed costs, forecasts, and overall financial performance.
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• Develop, maintain, and update project cost forecasts, including estimates to complete (ETC) and estimates at completion (EAC).
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• Perform budget-to-actual variance analysis, identify potential cost overruns, and provide recommendations to address financial risks.
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• Track and analyze costs associated with gas turbine projects, equipment installations, plant upgrades, outages, construction activities, and other utility capital improvements.
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• Support project budgeting, cost tracking, cash flow analysis, accruals, and monthly financial reporting throughout the project lifecycle.
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• Prepare and process project billings, invoices, journal entries, and other project-related financial transactions.
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• Perform project and portfolio reconciliations to ensure financial accuracy across multiple systems and reporting platforms.
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• Review purchase orders, contracts, change orders, funding requests, and invoices to verify accuracy, compliance, and budget availability.
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• Track committed costs, actual expenditures, pending changes, and forecasted costs to maintain visibility into overall project financial performance.
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• Collaborate with project managers, engineering teams, construction personnel, plant operations, and finance professionals to evaluate project cost performance.
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• Assess the financial impacts of project scope changes, schedule delays, equipment procurement, construction activities, and unforeseen field conditions.
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• Prepare monthly cost reports, financial dashboards, variance analyses, and executive-level reporting materials.
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• Maintain accurate project financial records, including billing information, payment history, labor hours, purchase orders, and cost allocations.
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• Support project closeout activities, including final cost reconciliations, cost recovery, financial documentation, and reporting.
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• Utilize SAP, Primavera, Excel, and other project management or financial systems to maintain accurate cost information and reporting.
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• Participate in project meetings, cost reviews, and periodic site visits to support alignment between financial reporting and field execution.
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• Identify opportunities to improve cost control processes, reporting accuracy, forecasting methodologies, and overall project efficiency.
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Required Qualifications & Skills

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• Professional experience supporting utility capital projects, preferably within electric utilities and power generation.
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• Direct experience with gas turbine projects , including installations, upgrades, replacements, outages, maintenance, or associated power generation infrastructure.
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• Demonstrated experience in project cost controls, cost analysis, forecasting, budgeting, and financial reporting for construction or capital improvement projects.
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• Strong understanding of utility capital project lifecycles, including engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and closeout.
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• Experience monitoring project expenditures, commitments, accruals, budget variances, and cost performance.
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• Experience developing and maintaining project cost forecasts, including ETC and EAC.
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• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including PivotTables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, complex formulas, and financial data analysis.
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• Experience with SAP, Primavera P6, or comparable ERP and project controls systems.
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• Experience reviewing invoices, purchase orders, contracts, change orders, and project financial documentation.
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• Ability to analyze the financial impacts of schedule changes, construction delays, procurement activities, and project scope modifications.
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• Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify financial discrepancies and cost risks.
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• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple projects and competing deadlines.
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• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across project management, engineering, construction, operations, and finance teams.
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• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, SharePoint, Teams, and other business collaboration tools.
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• Ability to work effectively in a remote environment while maintaining communication and accountability across project teams.
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• Willingness and ability to travel periodically to utility and power generation project sites as required.
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Preferred Qualifications

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• Experience working directly for or supporting electric utility companies, utility capital programs, or power generation asset owners .
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• Experience supporting gas-fired power plants, combined-cycle facilities, combustion turbines, or other utility-scale generation assets .
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• Familiarity with gas turbine equipment and projects involving manufacturers such as GE Vernova, Siemens Energy, Mitsubishi Power, or similar OEMs.
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• Experience supporting major generation equipment installations, turbine upgrades, plant outages, modernization projects, or brownfield construction within operating facilities.
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• Knowledge of utility capital budgeting, cost allocation, financial reporting, and project governance requirements.
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• Experience working alongside project controls, scheduling, engineering, and construction management teams.
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• Familiarity with earned value management, schedule-driven cost forecasting, and integrated project controls.
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• Experience with SAP financial modules, Primavera P6, Power BI, Procore, EcoSys, or similar cost management and reporting platforms.
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• Experience managing cost controls across multiple simultaneous utility capital projects.
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Education

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Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Construction Management, Engineering, or a related field preferred, or equivalent relevant professional experience.

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What We're Looking For

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We're looking for a Cost Controls Analyst who brings more than traditional accounting or financial reporting experience.

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The ideal candidate will have direct exposure to the electric utility industry and gas turbine power generation projects , with an understanding of how capital projects are planned, funded, executed, monitored, and closed out.

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This individual should understand how engineering, equipment procurement, construction activities, outages, schedule changes, and field conditions impact project budgets and forecasts.

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We're looking for someone who can confidently analyze cost performance, identify potential overruns, maintain accurate financial projections, and partner with project teams to support successful capital project delivery.

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Compensation & Benefits

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We offer a competitive salary and benefits package, along with opportunities for professional development and advancement.

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Equal Employment Opportunity

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InnoActive Group is an equal opportunity organization and will not tolerate discrimination based on age, ethnicity, ancestry, gender, national origin, disability, race, size, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or any other status prohibited by applicable law.

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InnoActive Group participates in E-Verify.