Senior Cost Controller - Metrolinx

Role Overview

Metrolinx is dedicated to connecting communities across the Greater Golden Horseshoe, operating GO Transit, UP Express, and the PRESTO fare payment system. As an agency of the Government of Ontario, Metrolinx is also at the forefront of building new and improved rapid transit infrastructure, including GO Expansion, Light Rail Transit routes, and significant expansions to Toronto’s subway system.

The GO Expansion, Preconstruction Office is seeking a Senior Cost Controller for a 12-month contract. In this pivotal role, you will serve as the expert in all matters related to cost control, forecasting, cost reporting, and procedural implementation to ensure capital projects achieve their on-time and on-budget goals. Reporting to the Manager, Cost Controls, you will provide the Project Management and Business Unit teams with vital information for effective management and robust cost control of projects. This includes implementing stringent processes, checks, and balances to accurately determine Actual Cost (AC) and Estimate at Completion (EACs) for projects, informed by the Project Delivery Team, and managing all associated tasks.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• Develops and implements internal cost control systems, operational procedures, and reporting systems to manage the flow of funds for capital projects in accordance with Metrolinx financial policies and procedures.
• Develops and implements financial risk management strategies and controls to mitigate financial risk and exposure on multi-year, multi-billion-dollar capital projects.
• Leads continuous financial reporting with accurate and timely information on budget, commitments, forecast, trends, variances, progress, performance, risk and opportunity, contingency, and cash flow. Conducts ongoing analysis of project risks during execution, collaborating closely with the Project Delivery Team (PDT), Cost Control Manager, and PMO Leads to optimize contingency strategies.
• Establishes financial and performance metrics, reports on, and presents performance measures and financial information to management as well as Metrolinx Finance services on all capital projects, including issues, discrepancies, and potential risks.
• Conducts variance analysis on project components and provides feedback on a regular and ad-hoc basis.
• Understands different stakeholder (project delivery team) and team member priorities and adapts support accordingly.
• Provides finance forecasting and reports (e.g., variance and cost-recovery analysis, reconciliation of accounts), prepares entries, and takes corrective action.
• Analyses and recommends, through evaluations, presentations, and analysis for business cases, technologies to enhance finance data analytics to meet business objectives and strategies.
• Supports the project team in forecasting Estimate at Completion (EAC) and Forecast to Complete (FTC), building bottom-up forecasting models.
• Consolidates and analyses large datasets from multiple sources, creates user-friendly templates, and builds and maintains complex Excel models to support project cost forecasting and reporting.

Skills and Qualifications

• Completion of a degree in Finance, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related discipline – or a combination of education, training, and experience deemed equivalent.
• Minimum eight (8) years' progressive experience in financial accounting, cost control, and reporting functions within a construction environment.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including Pivot Tables, Power Query, Power Pivot, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, INDEX-MATCH, financial modeling, dashboard creation, data analysis, and reporting automation.
• Experience in and knowledge of accounting, financial analysis, controllership, risk management, and reporting principles and practices in large, complex multi-billion dollar and multi-project construction and infrastructure environments.
• Knowledge of quality assurance principles and practices and audit processes to analyse financial data and formulate conclusions and recommendations.
• A recognized accounting designation (CA/CPA) is considered an asset.
• Understanding of governance and accountability, quality management systems, and risk mitigation strategies to use a risk assessment lens to identify and address risks, issues, and accounting implications for the project baseline.
• Influencing skills to convince senior management, colleagues, clients, and vendors of the need to adhere to financial/cost control processes.

Even if your past experience doesn’t perfectly align with every qualification listed, Metrolinx encourages you to apply if you are excited about working with them. They are always looking for great talent and you might be the right candidate for this or other roles.

About the Employer

At Metrolinx, equity, diversity, and inclusion are fundamental to living their values of serving with passion, thinking forward, and playing as a team. They are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Metrolinx is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to offering reasonable accommodation to job applicants in accordance with applicable legislation. Should you require assistance or an accommodation at any point during the hiring process, please contact them directly via phone at 416-202-5601 or email at hr.recruitment@metrolinx.com.

All applicants must be legally entitled to work in Canada. Metrolinx uses email for all job competition communications, so it is essential to provide an updated email address that is checked daily and accepts emails from unknown users. A Criminal Record Check may be required for the successful candidate.