About this role
As a Cost and Trend Specialist, you will play a critical role at Tesla in optimizing and controlling the cost and change management on Megaprojects. You will be responsible for monitoring the Cost Management Program, including forecasting, cashflow, risk management, change management and performing budgetary analysis. You will work closely with Project Managers, Procurement, Finance and Engineering to drive accurate forecasting and cost control. Your expertise will contribute to the overall profitability and competitiveness for Tesla. This role is based full-time, onsite in one of Tesla’s Sparks, Nevada locations.
- Own end-to-end project cost control: forecasting, cashflow, risk cost analysis, cost variance (budget vs. actual vs. forecast), EVM (CPI, SPI, EAC), commitments, accruals, remaining work, and ETC; keep cost performance current and actionable, identify root causes, and recommend corrective actions
- Set up and maintain cost codes, WBS, and Cost Breakdown Structure; use procurement and cost management system data to maintain spend and drawdown curves
- Coordinate with the Project Manager and project team on tracking performance against budget and schedule, and provide clear status reporting
- Perform cost trending and validate contractor unit rates against historical data, benchmarks, and market inputs; support project estimating and quantity takeoffs as needed
- Assist with change orders and budget adjustments in the in-house cost management system; review/audit contractor invoices and work with internal teams and third parties on invoicing and cost tracking
- Advanced Excel user able to build and interpret complex formulas and summarize large datasets; use AI tools to streamline processes and produce intuitive reports for executive management
- Self-starter with the ability to prioritize competing tasks
- Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or equivalent experience
- 3 – 5 yrs + experience in cost management, budgeting, and forecast analysis, ideally in the complex industrial process industry
- Strong knowledge of cost management processes and cost structures on a large-scale EPC project
- Proficiency in financial modeling and cost analysis tools
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments, in ambiguous environments
- Analytical mindset with attention to detail