Overview
This opportunity is being managed by Morgan McKinley on behalf of an exclusive client - a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer with a significant capital investment portfolio in the Midlands.
The successful candidate will support project cost control, financial governance, and reporting across a portfolio of capital projects within a highly regulated manufacturing environment.
Role Purpose
The Junior Project Controller will support financial oversight and governance of capital expenditure (CAPEX) projects. This includes cost tracking, reporting, procurement coordination, and ensuring compliance with internal controls and external regulatory standards across the full project lifecycle.
Key Responsibilities
- Assist in overseeing investment costs and project capacity spend across multiple projects
- Support financial reporting, budgeting, and cost control activities
- Ensure compliance with internal governance frameworks and regulatory requirements
- Work closely with Project Managers and stakeholders to support project delivery
- Contribute to the development and maintenance of project control standards and tools
Core Duties
Project Cost Control & Reporting
- Track and monitor project costs across full lifecycle
- Support development and maintenance of Total Project Costs (TPC)
- Assist in budget cycles (Annual Budget / Latest Estimate / Rolling Estimate)
- Ensure accurate cost capture, accruals, and forecasting
- Analyse and report variances (budget vs actuals)
- Support financial planning including depreciation forecasting
Project Support
- Provide support to Project Managers across cost, risk, procurement, and reporting
- Assist with financial inputs at project stage gate reviews
- Maintain project tracking tools and documentation
Procurement & Financial Governance
- Support contract creation and procurement processes
- Raise and manage purchase orders (POs)
- Ensure approvals align with Delegation of Authority (DoA)
- Validate invoices against POs and contractual agreements
- Liaise with procurement teams on larger contracts
Project Lifecycle Administration
- Create and manage Work Breakdown Structures (WBS)
- Support asset creation processes
- Assist with project close-out activities
- Track and consolidate internal labour hours and recharges
Scope of Authority
- Support oversight of CAPEX project portfolio
- Contribute to governance and approval processes
- Work independently within defined project control frameworks
Stakeholder Engagement
Key stakeholders include:
- Project Managers
- Site Leadership
- Finance Teams
- Procurement & Sourcing Functions
- Engineering & External Contractors
Responsibilities include:
- Financial reporting and presentations
- Budget communication and tracking
- Supporting vendor interactions and negotiations
Continuous Improvement
- Identify opportunities to enhance project control processes and tools
- Support implementation of best practices in financial governance
- Contribute to innovation in reporting and tracking methodologies
Candidate Profile
Education
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Finance, Business, or related discipline
Experience
- 0-3 years' experience in project controlling, finance, or quantity surveying
- Exposure to CAPEX or investment projects preferred
Key Skills
- Strong analytical and numerical capability
- High attention to detail and accuracy
- Effective communication and stakeholder management
- Proactive, self-starting mindset
- Strong organisational and planning skills
- Resilience and ability to work in a fast-paced project environment
- Fluent written and spoken English
