Job Description
About this opportunity:
Cenovus is seeking a Senior Cost Lead to serve as the functional leader for the Cost Control discipline across Downstream Site Project Execution and Front-End Development (FED), providing strategic leadership, governance, and accountability for cost management performance across a diverse project portfolio. Reporting to the Project Controls Manager, this high-impact leadership role is responsible for the development, continuous improvement, and execution of cost tracking, analysis, forecasting, reporting, and change management processes that deliver accurate, value-added insights to improve project performance, portfolio management, and project-related financial decision-making. The successful candidate will drive cost-efficient, lean, and system-optimized use of cost control resources while fostering predictable and competitive business performance through strong cross-functional integration with Project Management, Engineering, Supply Chain, Construction, contractors, and Finance. Location is flexible between Toledo, OH, Lima, OH, or Superior, WI, with occasional travel to other Cenovus sites, including Lloydminster, Alberta.
What you’ll do:
Lead the Cost Control function across Front-End Development (FED) and Project Execution, providing governance, strategic direction, and accountability for cost management performance throughout the project lifecycle.
Provide functional leadership, coaching, and oversight for internal Cost Engineers, contract resources, and third-party service providers, ensuring consistent application of standards, high-quality deliverables, and strong individual and team performance.
Own and continuously improve project cost management processes, including budgeting, commitments, actual costs, forecasting, cash flow, change management, variance analysis and performance reporting to support disciplined capital stewardship.
Ensure project budgets and forecasts accurately reflect approved scope, schedule performance, contractor progress, changes, risks, and opportunities, while integrating risk assessments into project and portfolio financial outlooks.
Deliver timely, accurate, and decision-focused reporting and analytics that provide actionable insights into project performance, portfolio health, cost trends, risks, and opportunities, enabling informed leadership and decision making.
Partner with Project Managers, Front-End Development, Engineering, Estimating, Scheduling, Supply Chain, Construction, and Finance and external contractors to drive integrated project controls alignment, challenge cost performance, and advance cost competitiveness through benchmarking, lessons learned, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Who you are:
Legally authorized to work in the US.
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Finance, or a related discipline.
8+ years of related experience, including progressive experience in project cost engineering, project controls, or project management.
Working knowledge of project controls systems such as SAP, EcoSys, Maximo, Primavera P6, and advanced Excel reporting tools.
We acknowledge the value of transferrable skills and may consider equivalent combinations of experience and education should you not meet a specific requirement.
Note: The application deadline for this position is 11:59 PM MT JULY 1, 2026.
Cenovus was ranked one of Canada’s Best Employers in 2025. We’re committed to being an employer of choice in our industry by offering a competitive total rewards package and employee programs and rewarding career development opportunities. Learn more.
#LI-MG1
If you require accessibility assistance to complete the on-line application or otherwise apply for an open position with Cenovus, its subsidiaries and affiliates, please email [email protected].
Who we are:
Cenovus is an integrated energy company headquartered in Calgary. We’re committed to maximizing value by developing our assets in a safe, responsible and cost-efficient manner.
We operate in Canada, the United States and the Asia Pacific region. Our downstream operations include upgrading, refining and marketing operations in Canada and the United States. We are currently the largest refiner in Ohio and transport products from our refineries in Lima and Toledo, Ohio and Superior, Wisconsin via pipelines, rail cars and trucks to customers throughout the United States.
Other operations include oil sands projects in northern Alberta, thermal and conventional crude oil and natural gas projects across Western Canada, crude oil production offshore Newfoundland and Labrador and natural gas and liquids production offshore China and Indonesia.
Find Cenovus on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
The Cenovus experience
Total rewards
We’re committed to being an employer of choice through competitive compensation and our comprehensive total rewards package, including:
Generous paid vacation
Annual bonus
Retirement savings plan matching
Long-term incentives*
Medical & dental coverage
Life insurance
Disability benefits
Employee assistance program
Virtual healthcare coverage
Generous leave of absence programs
Fitness membership reimbursement
*Eligibility for Total Rewards varies by position. This role may not be eligible for all Total Rewards offerings.
Our development philosophy
We foster a culture of continuous learning and development to support employees as they build meaningful careers. We offer a variety of employee development initiatives, including:
Internal course offerings
Education assistance for additional development
Opportunities to work on special projects
Leadership development programs for emerging and established leaders
We actively promote internal job movement, recognizing the value of gaining new perspectives, building connections across teams, and applying expertise in new ways. As a fully integrated energy company, we believe that sharing knowledge across our business and operations creates stronger outcomes—for employees and for the company as a whole.
Our culture
Our purpose: We energize the world to make people’s lives better.
Our values:
Protect what matters
Do it right
Make it better
Do it together
Cenovus Cares: We believe in the power of purpose-driven work. Our Employee Giving and Volunteering Program, Cenovus Cares, connects our people to our purpose, inspiring action and elevating impact year-round.
Support causes you care about with volunteer opportunities in and outside of work.
Earn donation grants while volunteering (up to $1,000 per event).
Receive donation matching up to $25,000 annually.
Staff resource groups: We have various staff resource groups to help ensure our people feel a sense of belonging and can grow and do their best work. These voluntary groups are employee-led and all groups are open to all staff in all locations.
Equal opportunity employer
We believe a workplace where everyone has merit-based opportunities to grow, achieve career aspirations and feel a sense of belonging benefits our people, our company and the regions where we live and work. We embrace and encourage different perspectives and approaches, which help us make better business decisions. We believe that through this approach, we can solve challenges, seize opportunities and unlock innovative solutions.
To achieve an unbiased and respectful workplace, individuals are evaluated based on qualifications, merit and abilities, and we encourage applications from all qualified candidates. We also acknowledge the value of transferrable skills and may consider equivalent combinations of experience and education should you not meet a specific requirement.
For more information about working at Cenovus, visit cenovus.com.
The requirements of this posting may be modified to support business needs. Title and compensation administration will be based on the skills and capabilities of the successful incumbent.
Interested in this opportunity? Click the Apply link.
If you are a CURRENT EMPLOYEE, please apply by going to our Internal Career Site.