Senior Cost Control Engineer

Job Description

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

Execute detailed cost audit and verification activities for assigned Arada project clusters. The role supports the Cost Control Manager by acting as the analytical engine that tracks detailed line-item variances, cross-checks contractor and commercial team claims, and ensures data integrity across all pre-award packages and post-contract Forecast Final Cost (FFC) tracking.

Key Responsibilities

• Pre-Award Verification & Estimating Audit
• Line-Item Reconciliation: Conduct detailed, line-by-line normalization and technical audits of contractor bids against the Pre-Tender Estimate (PTE).
• Anomalies & Front-Loading Flags: Analyze tender breakdowns to identify commercial anomalies, front-loading risks, unbalanced unit rates, or under-priced preliminaries.
• Baseline Alignment: Verify that all pre-contract documentation and Bills of Quantities (BOQ) are accurately mapped to the approved Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) and Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).
• Post-Contract FFC Tracking & Variance Analysis
• Active FFC Auditing: Maintain and continuously update the project’s Forecast Final Cost (FFC) ledger, cross-referencing site data against actual commitments, expenditures, and contract accruals.
• Variance Deep-Dives: Perform rigorous monthly variance analysis comparing approved budgets against the FFC, identifying specific sub-packages, trades, or disciplines driving cost drift.
• Trend & Change Validation: Track and maintain the live potential variation Trend Log. Quantify and validate the true cost impact of proposed site instructions, claims, or design changes before they advance through the commercial workflow.
• Reporting, Documentation & Systems Compliance
• Audit-Ready Ledger Management: Maintain precise and transparent documentation for all cost baseline adjustments, contingency allocations, approved variations, and commercial decisions.
• Dashboard Inputs: Provide clean, verified financial data to the central reporting system to support executive Power BI dashboards and monthly project controls reviews.
• Process Enforcement: Verify that project teams, PMCs, consultants, and contractors adhere to Arada’s cost control governance frameworks, reporting requirements, and submission timelines.
  

Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Bachelor’s Degree in Quantity Surveying, Civil Engineering, or a related field.
  

Experience

• 6–9 years of project cost control, quantity surveying, or commercial management experience within the UAE real estate, developer, or construction sector.
  

Technical Skills

• Strong proficiency in quantity take-off and measurement software.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel modelling and analytical capabilities.
• Experience working with ERP systems, cost management platforms, and project financial databases.
• Strong understanding of cost reporting structures, Forecast Final Cost (FFC) methodologies, and commercial controls.
  

Core Competency

• Highly detail-oriented with a strong focus on compliance, data accuracy, and governance.
• Demonstrated ability to identify cost tracking gaps, reporting discrepancies, and commercial risks through analytical review and audit processes.
• Strong communication skills with the confidence to challenge inconsistencies and escalate findings through the appropriate governance channels.