Senior Cost Engineer

Kent is looking for a Senior Cost Engineer based in Basra, Iraq. As a Senior Cost Engineer embedded directly within the owner/operator’s project delivery team in Basra, Iraq, you will be responsible for the financial health, cost control, budgeting, and forecasting of major oil and gas capital projects. Acting as a key pillar in the project's financial governance, you will closely monitor project expenditures, manage change control, and ensure that all financial reporting is aligned with international joint-venture and asset-owner standards. Skills and Responsibilities: Track, analyze, and manage daily, weekly, and monthly project expenditures against approved budgets to ensure overall cost control. Develop and maintain realistic Estimate at Completion (EAC) forecasts, cash flow curves, and contingency analyses. Review, verify, and audit EPC and local contractor progress payment certificates, monthly invoices, and timesheets to validate actual progress versus billed costs. Administer the variations and Change Order Request (COR) process, assessing the cost impact of positive or negative scope changes on the total project cost. Generate Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), purchase requisitions, and process Service Entry Sheets (SES) directly inside SAP. Prepare comprehensive monthly cost reports, cost variance analyses, and key performance indicators (KPIs) for senior management and project shareholders. Partner with Project Managers, Planning Engineers, and Procurement teams to flag budget overruns and identify cost-saving initiatives early. Your knowledge/skills, education, and experience: Knowledge/ Qualification/ Training/ Certification: Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Civil, Chemical, or Industrial), Quantity Surveying, Finance, or a related discipline. 10 - 12 years of dedicated cost engineering or project controls experience specifically within the oil and gas sector (upstream, midstream, or gas processing). Direct experience working on mega-projects or complex infrastructure upgrades within an operator or asset-owner environment is highly preferred (client-side experience vs. purely EPC contractor). Prior experience working with major international oil companies (IOCs) or national oil companies (NOCs), including their specific commercial guidelines and project management frameworks. Willing and able to work on a rotational schedule in Basra, Iraq. Excellent written and spoken English is mandatory for high-level reporting; conversational Arabic is highly preferred to interface effectively with local contractors. Communication: Excellent interpersonal and analytical attributes Able to effectively communicate technical issues to peers and line manager (written and verbal) Skills (Technical Competencies) Mastery of SAP project system modules (WBS creation, PO tracking, and Service Entry Sheets). High proficiency in MS Excel (pivot tables, complex formulas, and macro-based data analysis) and cost-estimation databases. Familiarity with FIDIC contract management standards, estimation methodologies, and progress measurement systems. Practical capability in tracking physical progress against financial burn rates to deliver accurate performance indices (CPI/SPI). Behavioural Core Competencies Strict adherence to audit compliances and financial governance protocols. A data-focused, meticulous approach to checking contractor claims and verifying invoice milestones. Professional confidence to push back on unjustified contractor claims, undocumented variations, or mathematical discrepancies. Ability to articulate complex financial variances, budget risks, and mitigation strategies clearly to non-financial project management teams. Preferred Certifications (Optional) Certified Cost Professional (CCP) or Certified Estimating Professional (CEP) via AACE International. Project Management Professional (PMP) or equivalent execution credentials. Formal SAP End-User or Super-User certification in Project Systems (PS). HSSEQ: The Employee shall observe the Health, Safety, Sustainability, Environment and Quality rules of the Company; it’s clients and the governing authorities of the host country.