Cost Pilot (8 -11 years of experience)

Role

The Cost Pilot is responsible for defining, monitoring, and optimizing cost performance across components, systems, and project development phases. This role drives design‑to‑cost activities, supports supplier negotiations with analytical insights, manages cost risks and opportunities, and ensures accurate budgeting and forecasting to support strategic business decisions.

Job Responsibilities

Cost Data Management:

Maintain a complete, structured, and accurate database of historical and current cost information.

Ensure cost traceability across project milestones.

Risk & Opportunity Management

Identify, quantify, and track cost‑related risks and opportunities.

Update cost forecasts based on changes in supplier quotations, engineering updates, or commercial conditions.

Supplier Cost Quotation Analysis

Analyze supplier quotations for accuracy, competitiveness, and compliance with technical specifications.

Conduct cost gap analysis in partnership with the Should‑Cost team to benchmark supplier offers against target cost structures.

Design‑to‑Cost (D2C) Initiatives

Lead design‑to‑cost initiatives throughout all development phases.

Collaborate with engineering, purchasing, and cross‑functional teams to drive cost‑optimization and value‑engineering activities.

Cost Tracking & Budget Control

Monitor actual material costs versus budgeted values for both recurring expenses and investment needs.

Identify variances, perform root‑cause analysis, and support corrective action planning.

Cost Target Setting

Define cost targets for components and complete systems in alignment with project, engineering, and purchasing objectives.

Attention to Detail

Ensures cost data, quotations, and reports are precise

Maintains high accuracy in budgets, forecasts, and variance analyses

Catches inconsistencies early to avoid financial or project risk

Qualification

Bachelor of Engineering

Work Experience

8 – 11 years of experience in Cost Management

Competencies

Technical

• General Automotive knowledge (Design and manufacturing)
• Knowledge of economic concepts, make vs buy studies
• Any specific commodity knowledge, manufacturing processes know how
• Understanding of RM rates , vendor tooling cost estimations
• Knowledge of cost engineering or should‑cost methodologies
• Good project cost management experience
• Strong communication and presentation skills
• Strong analytical and financial modelling skills

Behaviour

• Clear communication with all the stakeholders
• Analytical thinking and problem solving
• Collaboration and cross functional teamwork
• Good Negotiation skills.
• Risk management mindset
• Strategic and financial thinking
• Ownership & accountability mindset