Job description
Role Overview
Senior Manager - Cost Planning at JASARA PMC, a leading program management company driving large-scale infrastructure and giga-projects across Saudi Arabia.
Company Overview
JASARA is a leading program management company driving large-scale infrastructure and giga-projects across Saudi Arabia. The role operates within a complex, client-facing environment supporting major infrastructure assets including metro, rail, tunnels, and stations.
Role Purpose
Lead the planning, scheduling, cost control, and performance monitoring of complex projects, ensuring delivery excellence aligned with client and Vision 2030 objectives. The role is primarily focused on managing cost consultants and driving consistency, accuracy, and transparency in cost planning and reporting across major infrastructure assets.
Key Responsibilities
Cost Planning & Estimates
- Develop, review, and challenge cost plans, estimates, and benchmarks across all design stages.
- Validate cost assumptions, rates, and methodologies used by consultants, ensuring they are robust, justified, and benchmarked against standards such as BCIS.
- Oversee measurement, quantification, and take-offs from drawings and digital models.
- Support the development and implementation of cost benchmarking frameworks, templates, and best practices.
Consultant Management
- Lead and manage external cost consultants (e.g., Currie & Brown, AECOM) to ensure high-quality deliverables and alignment with programme requirements.
- Facilitate effective information flow between internal teams and consultants, ensuring all parties have the required inputs for accurate cost planning.
Reporting & Governance
- Ensure consistent and structured cost reporting, aligned with programme standards and stage-gate requirements.
- Contribute to stage gate reviews, programme milestones, and internal governance processes.
Stakeholder Management
- Engage with internal stakeholders and developers to justify cost positions, explain variances, and support decision-making.
- Manage interfaces across multiple disciplines in large-scale programmes.
Qualifications & Experience
- Strong consultancy-side background with significant post-contract experience.
- Demonstrated expertise in cost planning for transportation and linear infrastructure projects.
- Solid grounding in Civil Engineering Standard Method of Measurement (CESMM).
- Proven ability to operate in a complex, multidisciplinary programme environment.
Skills & Competencies
- Expertise in take-offs, measurement, and quantification from drawings and digital models.
- Advanced experience in infrastructure cost planning and estimating.
- Proficiency in CostX or equivalent digital measurement platforms.
- Strong understanding of benchmarking methodologies such as BCIS.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, particularly in client-facing and developer interactions.
- Professional accreditation such as RICS or AIQS preferred.