
Associate - Cost Management (Utilities Consultancy)
- United Kingdom
- £120,000 per year
- Permanent
- Full-time
- Develop strategic commercial approaches tailored to regulated and developer-funded infrastructure.
- Identify and manage project risks.
- Ensure compliance with regulatory and contractual requirements.
- Implement control mechanisms to assure project delivery.
- Provide cost assurance, benchmarking, value engineering, and whole-life costing for major utility schemes.
- Drive commercial innovation and client value creation through data-led insights and risk modelling.
- Analyse project processes and provide recommendations for improvement.
- Ensure best practices are followed and implemented.
- Support tendering and bidding processes.
- Monitor compliance with client frameworks, commercial controls, and relevant regulatory guidance (e.g. Ofgem, Ofwat, DEFRA).
- Shape service lines, case studies, and delivery methodologies that align with market demand and client expectations.
- Lead tender preparation, evaluation, and contract negotiation processes.
- Provide expert guidance on procurement routes for primary infrastructure, including statutory undertaker, IDNO/ICP, NAV, and EPC frameworks.
- Develop Post-Contract & Project Controls
- Manage the financial performance of active projects
- Support programme recovery, dispute resolution and claim mitigation.
- Liaise with delivery and technical colleagues to ensure alignment between commercial objectives and engineering solutions.
- Build and manage relationships with stakeholders across the regulated and de-regulated utility market place.
- Represent at industry events and within strategic client forums.
- Manage client expectations and ensure effective communication.
- Lead, coach and develop a team of commercial consultants and cost managers within the utilities division.
- Foster a collaborative working environment.
- Collaborate with delivery and technical/regulatory utility leads
- Collaborate across wider business including cost, project management, and advisory disciplines.
- Contribute to the development of internal capability, service offers and market presence.
- Promote a strong safety culture.
- Provide clear and visible leadership.
- Strong understanding of electricity, water, wastewater or multi-utility environments (including regulated and non-regulated).
- Experience in commercial management and the delivery of projects in the regulated market place and de-regulated marketplace.
- Proven track record in managing multi-disciplinary teams and client relationships.
- Proficient in procurement advisory, cost planning, contract management and dispute resolution.
- Proven experience in managing high voltage Transmission and Distribution projects.
- Extensive experience in delivering EHV projects (132kV, 275kV, and 400kV), grid connections, and other utility-scale projects.
- Good working knowledge of the UK Transmission & Distribution ecosystem, including the DNO/IDNO landscape, and major players in the ICP market.
- Experience with standard construction contracts (e.g., Fidic, JCT).
- Proven track record in tendering and managing major projects.
- Excellent communication and leadership/people management skills.
- Confident presenter and client-facing professional.
- Capable of balancing delivery and leadership priorities.
- Ability to work under pressure and make evidence-based decisions.
- Strong commercial reporting and financial modelling skills
- Comfortable working across pre-construction, delivery, and close-out phases with agility.
- Ability to mentor junior team members and upskill peers through formal or informal coaching.