Manager Cost Optimization Jobs in Arkansas (NOW HIRING)

Position Description

• The Senior Cost Manager – Mechanical will support big scale and complex industrial manufacturing projects by managing project costs, monitoring commercial risks, and helping ensure that projects are delivered within approved budgets while meeting quality, schedule, and client expectations.

• This role will establish, develop, and implement project cost management procedures tailored to client requirements, U.S. construction practices, and our standards.

• The position requires close coordination with client representatives, our leadership, design and construction teams, and contractors to maintain clear cost visibility and timely decision-making.

Job Description

• Lead overall cost management, reporting, and communication for program/project budgets, cost trends, forecasts, commitments, changes, and commercial issues.

• Perform preliminary reviews of cost and schedule risk factors and provide practical recommendations for mitigation, recovery, or escalation.

• Establish cost control, change management, invoice review, contract administration, and reporting workflows for all relevant project stakeholders.

• Monitor design and construction budget status, commitments, change orders, contingency usage, and forecast-at-completion impacts across the project.

• Support the client, Lead Project Manager, and/or Project Director during tendering, bid evaluation, negotiation, contractor selection, and consultant procurement processes.

• Review contractor Mechanical cost proposals, pay applications, change order requests, and related backup documentation for completeness, reasonableness, and contractual alignment.

• Prepare periodic reports, dashboards, and executive summaries covering commercial progress, budget status, risks, change items, and required decisions.

• Coordinate with project controls, scheduling, procurement, design, construction, and document control teams to maintain accurate cost data and commercial records.

• Support value engineering, risk management, cost optimization, and claim avoidance initiatives throughout pre-construction, construction, and close-out phases.

• Communicate regularly with client stakeholders in a professional, culturally aware manner to support alignment, transparency, and client satisfaction.

Minimum Requirements Expectations

• BS/BA degree from an accredited college/university in construction management, engineering, quantity surveying, architecture, business, or a related field is highly preferred.

• 15+ years of relevant cost management, project controls, quantity surveying, estimating, commercial management, or construction management experience.

• Strong background in Mechanical works, including HVAC, Piping, Package Equipment, sitework, and related construction packages.

• Experience with large-scale industrial, manufacturing, semiconductor, battery, data center, logistics, or other Korean FDI-related projects is preferred.

• Solid understanding of U.S. construction delivery methods, contractor procurement, change management, claims awareness, and construction contract administration.

• Knowledge of design, engineering, construction terminology, estimating methods, quantity takeoff, cost coding, and project controls processes is required.

• Ability to review and challenge contractor pricing, assumptions, unit rates, productivity, manpower, procurement impacts, and schedule-related cost impacts.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to prepare clear client-facing reports, dashboards, commercial narratives, and executive summaries.

• Bilingual Korean and English capability is mandatory to support communication with Korean clients and project stakeholders.

• Proficiency in Excel and cost/reporting systems is expected; experience with Power BI, Primavera P6, Procore, e-Builder, Oracle, SAP, or similar platforms is a plus.

Key Competencies

• Manages complex Mechanical construction cost issues with limited supervision and clear escalation of key risks.

• Sets up and maintains internal and external project management files, cost logs, change logs, trend logs, and commercial reporting tools.

• Assigns and coordinates responsibilities with Mechanical construction managers, project controls staff, and project coordinators as needed.

• Leads or supports pre-construction cost planning, budget validation, constructability input, procurement strategy, and bid package development.

• Proposes bidding, contract, change management, and commercial strategies aligned with client objectives and Korean FDI project requirements.

• Reviews contractor Mechanical construction schedules and assists with project delivery, phasing, and cost-impact evaluation strategies.

• Supports project close-out by confirming final cost status, change order resolution, lessons learned, and commercial documentation completion.