Director of Cost Management
ARCO/Murray Construction Company · Downers Grove, IL, US · $160k–$210k
Posted by ARCO/Murray Construction Company on their careers site · View the original posting
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ABOUT YOU
Are you a passionate problem solver? Do you act with integrity and hold yourself and others to the highest standard? If the answer is, “Yes!” then we have an opportunity that will impress you. Who are we? We are ARCO, a Family of Construction Companies. At ARCO, every associate is empowered to drive their success. The Director of Cost Management will lead ARCO’s cost management function and oversee cost management practices across complex construction projects. This role will establish the team’s operating model, processes, procedures, reporting standards, and performance expectations while building a high-performing team of cost managers.
Working closely with Project Management, Preconstruction, Operations, Finance, and executive leadership, the Director will promote consistent project budgets, forecasts, cost reporting, change management, and risk controls. The ideal candidate brings deep construction cost-control expertise, a track record of leading and developing teams, and experience creating a cost management function or implementing new processes and procedures. They can translate financial and project data into practical guidance that improves project and business outcomes.
A DAY IN THE LIFE
COST MANAGEMENT STRATEGY AND STANDARDS
- Establish and continuously improve cost management standards, procedures, tools, and reporting practices across the project lifecycle.
- Build and maintain the operating framework for a cost management team, including roles, workflows, review cadence, escalation paths, and quality controls.
- Develop consistent approaches to budgets, cost codes, work breakdown structures, commitments, accruals, forecasts, cost-to-complete analysis, and estimates at completion.
- Align cost management practices with project controls, preconstruction, accounting, procurement, and operational needs.
- Evaluate systems, data, and processes; identify gaps and lead practical improvements that increase accuracy, consistency, and usability.
- Promote strong documentation, internal controls, and timely, reliable project financial information.
TEAM LEADERSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT
- Lead, coach, and develop a team of cost managers supporting projects and business units.
- Set clear goals, performance expectations, and professional development plans; provide regular feedback and support career growth.
- Allocate team resources across projects, balance workloads, and adjust coverage to meet business priorities.
- Create a collaborative team culture focused on accountability, continuous improvement, and partnership with project teams.
- Recruit and onboard cost management talent as the function grows, and build knowledge-sharing and training practices.
- Serve as a senior advisor and escalation point for cost managers and project leadership on complex cost issues.
PROJECT FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT AND INSIGHT
- Provide oversight of project budgets, commitments, actual costs, accruals, cash-flow projections, forecasts,
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ied applicants will receive consideration for employment. From recruiting, training, and hiring practices to selecting our subcontractors, we understand that diversity of all those involved in the construction process enhances our ability to deliver the best solutions to our customers. We hire the best and the brightest from across the country – constructing a team of experts in architecture, design, engineering, project management, and business services.
This represents typical base compensation for the role. Candidates with extensive experience may exceed this range. In addition to base salary, the role is eligible to receive discretionary bonus compensation based on individual and company performance.
Pay Range
$160,000 — $210,000 USD
MAKE YOUR MOVE
We are proud to be one of the fastest-growing, privately-owned companies in America, celebrating over 30 years of experience as design-build experts. We have completed over 7,500 design-build projects nationwide. We ranked #9 on ENR’s Design-Build Firms list and #34 on ENR's Top 400 Contractors list of 2026. Most importantly, our clients like us, trust us, and want to do business with us. We are looking for people with the same enthusiasm, passion, and respect for the hard work that brought us to where we are today. Are you a person who can make a difference at ARCO? If the answer is “Yes!” we look forward to meeting you.
ARCO does not accept unsolicited resumes from individual recruiters or third-party recruiting agencies without pre-approval from ARCO’s Human Resources team. Pre-approval is required before any external candidate can be submitted. ARCO will not be responsible for fees related to unsolicited resumes and for candidates who are sent directly to our hiring managers. Agencies must have a fully executed vendor agreement in place as well as written approval to submit candidates from an ARCO TA Manager for a specific position before submitting candidates.