Role Description
The Business Cost Analyst / Cost Planning Specialist / Cost Planning Manager evaluates expenditure and develops cost plans that support financial discipline and business priorities. Responsibilities include analysing cost drivers, preparing forecasts, investigating variances, and assessing improvement opportunities with Finance and business teams.
The Analyst explains spending trends and performance. The Specialist develops estimates, planning assumptions, and scenarios, while the Manager leads cost planning cycles, reviews proposals, and coordinates actions to improve efficiency while maintaining service and quality requirements.
Qualifications
- Degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
- Relevant experience in cost analysis, budgeting, financial planning, estimating, or management accounting.
- Understanding of fixed and variable costs, allocation methods, cost drivers, and financial controls.
- Strong Excel skills and familiarity with ERP, planning, and reporting systems.
- Ability to validate cost data, challenge assumptions, and explain budget variances.
- Experience developing forecasts, estimates, scenarios, and business cases.
- Strong communication skills for working with budget owners, Finance, Procurement, and delivery teams.
- For analyst positions, experience analysing expenditure, profitability, and efficiency opportunities.
- For specialist positions, experience building cost models, maintaining planning standards, and evaluating resource requirements.
- For manager positions, proven experience leading planning cycles, reviewing estimates, and monitoring cost improvement outcomes.