WHY IMPERATIVE
Imperative is building one of the world’s most ambitious and scientifically rigorous portfolios of nature-based carbon removal projects. Operating across Latin America, Africa, and Asia, we develop large-scale reforestation, mangrove restoration and other ecosystem-restoration project assets under a build–own–operate model—ensuring scientific integrity, operational excellence, and long-term accountability.
We aim to set the global benchmark for quality, transparency, and durability in the markets for nature-based removal credits. Our projects integrate applied field ecology, major-projects project execution capabilities, advanced remote sensing, and state-of-the-art carbon measurement and modelling to deliver true, infrastructure-grade removal outcomes.
As our portfolio expands to hundreds of thousands of hectares, robust front-end estimating underpins investment-grade decisions.
OUR VALUES
- Integrity: We act honourably and are guided by a strong moral compass. If things go wrong, we put our hand up, admit it, and adapt.
- Momentum: Speed matters. We have a bias to action. We think quickly, plan tirelessly, mitigate risks, and above all, take action.
- Purpose: We are driven by our desire to make the world better with every interaction, process, and project.
- Accountability: We do what we say and deliver. We seek to be the best at what we do.
- Collaboration: We celebrate diversity of thought, values, and backgrounds, harnessing the strength of our people and partners to achieve more together through teamwork and creativity.
- Tenacity: We are highly ambitious, driven, and hardworking. We persist until we deliver impact.
POSITION PURPOSE
Imperative seeks a Global Estimating and Project Controls Lead to lead enterprise-wide cost estimating, project controls, and risk adjusted forecasting for our infrastructure-grade impact projects. Reporting directly to the VP Project Controls and Risk, this role owns the strategy, standards, and integration across cost control tools, delivering accurate, risk-adjusted cost estimates and controls baselines from opportunity screening through Final Investment Decision (FID). Expertise in nature-based projects is beneficial and the ability to adapt proven major project estimating and controls methodologies to ecologically complex environments like reforestation and mangrove restoration is essential.
Your leadership and skills will drive large-scale investment decisions, feasibility studies, financing packages, and go/no-go gateways across continents, ensuring Imperative sets the benchmark for investable and successful nature-based infrastructure projects.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Estimating & Project Controls Leadership & Standards
- Architect and govern global pre-FID cost estimating and project controls frameworks, benchmarks, and methodologies aligned with AACE, ICEAA, PMI and major project best practices.
- Establish standardised Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), cost coding, normalisation protocols, and escalation models for large-scale projects through execution and carbon asset management.
- Lead estimating and project controls governance: probabilistic techniques, benchmarking databases, peer reviews, and audit-ready documentation for FID deliverables.
- Represent Imperative as the authority on nature-based cost estimating and project controls practices with financiers, contractors, governments, and international standards bodies.
2. Advanced Cost Estimating and Cost Control
- Develop parametric, analogous, and semi-detailed estimates and cost forecasts across all project phases, incorporating geotechnical, civil, ecological restoration, capex and asset management scopes. Conduct risk-integrated estimating and cost control: Monte Carlo simulations, tornado charts, contingency derivation, and sensitivity analyses for variables like site conditions and supply chain volatility.
- Integrate multi-source data: historical benchmarks, vendor quotes, conceptual designs, geospatial analytics, and early field inputs for hybrid nature-infrastructure projects.
- Deliver Class 5 through to Class 3 estimates meeting lender requirements for investment-grade precision. Support in-country teams for further estimate refinement and project controls development through to Class 1 estimate accuracy and execution phase controls.
3. Global Team & Workflow Management
- Build, mentor, and manage a distributed team of cost engineers and data specialists across the globe.
- Oversee estimating and project controls software implementation and development, including Monte Carlo simulation platforms (e.g.@Risk, Oracle Crystal Ball), cost and schedule tools (e.g. 4CastPlus, Synchro 4D), and centralized benchmarking databases for complete project life cycle estimating and controls.
- Drive QA/QC pipelines, traceability, and automation for scalable estimating and project controls at portfolio level.
4. Cross-Functional Pre-FID, & Post-FID Impact
- Partner with operations, ecology, procurement, and finance teams to support value engineering, cost optimisation, and investment committee submissions.
- Provide estimating and project controls leadership for feasibility studies, prefeasibility reports, due diligence, and regulatory filings with robust cost narratives and scenario modelling.
- Hand over FID-ready estimates and controls baselines to downstream project controls with continuous oversight and governance of forecasts through the implementation phases.
5. Strategic Pre-FID Reporting & Innovation
- Produce executive estimate and project controls reports, variance analyses, and forecasting for pre-FID portfolio oversight and gateways.
- Identify pre-FID cost risks, opportunities, and mitigation strategies; champion digital twins and AI-enhanced estimating and controls to drive continuous improvement.
- Package and present estimate and controls summaries to executive global leadership.
- Foster partnerships with industry bodies and tech providers to advance estimating and project controls standards for nature-based projects.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES
- Proven track record leading cost estimating and project controls on major infrastructure projects (e.g. highways, dams, power plants, rail, mining, oil & gas).
- Mastery of advanced estimating and controls techniques: probabilistic modelling, factoring, unit rate build-ups, conceptual quantity take-offs, earned value management.
- Expertise in global supply chains, escalation indices, currency hedging, and regional cost drivers for pre-FID phases.
- Professional certification (e.g., RICS, PMP, ICEAA) and fluency in estimating and project controls platforms.
- Exceptional ability to distil complex estimates and controls data into executive communications for C-suite and stakeholders.
- Hands-on leader bridging high-level strategy with granular front-end analysis and ongoing project controls implementation.
DESIRABLE SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES
- Experience adapting infrastructure estimating and controls to forestry and / or nature-based projects in pre-FID stages.
- Cost control and cost reporting experience on post-FID projects including experience with cost management software.
- A desire and ability to continually broaden skills and responsibilities all aspects of project controls functions including cost control, planning, risk and project controls reporting.
- Proficiency with geospatial cost tools, ecological benchmarks, or sustainability-linked estimating and controls.
- Record of collaboration across global, multicultural teams.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor in Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, or equivalent; Master’s preferred.
- 10+ years in cost estimating and project controls for major projects.
- Demonstrated success delivering estimates and controls for EPC, EPCM, and alliance models in emerging markets.
LOCATION
Global role with preference for time zones aligning with Europe and Africa.
WHAT WE OFFER
- A career-defining opportunity: Lead cost estimating and project controls for one of the world’s largest nature-based infrastructure portfolios.
- Innovative standardisation: Shape estimating and project controls standards with autonomy to innovate tools and processes.
- Impact at scale: Drive investment success for projects restoring ecosystems at scale.
- Outstanding colleagues: Work with a highly motivated, mission-driven, global team combining ecology, data science, engineering, finance, and field operations.
- Competitive compensation: Salary, performance incentives, and potential long-term value creation through company success.
- Flexibility: Remote-first flexibility with travel to project sites.
