COST/SCHEDULE ASSISTANT

About the Department

Assists with managing cost and scheduling forecasts and reports for individual major capital projects, project administration support and departmental budgets, and delivery of reports to the project manager, including master schedule reports for program management leadership.

Supports the finance and administrative team by managing Program Management’s comprehensive budget development, staff resources, and executive and administrative initiatives.

Recruitment Timelines: Exams are projected to be scheduled for the week of May 18th, 2026, and interviews are projected to be scheduled for the week of June 1st, 2026. These dates are subject to change. We encourage you to monitor your governmentjobs.com profile and emails for the latest updates.

Application cut-off: Please be aware that only the first 75 applicants will be guaranteed consideration for this position.

Position Duties

• Assists supervisors in developing engineering and construction models to monitor and forecast project costs/schedules
• Prepares and assists with overseeing the work of Project Control Staff and consultants
• Administers Information Systems by granting access, removing access, managing licenses, and helping with system issues
• Coordinates, prepares, updates, and reviews monthly project cost forecasts and timetables/schedules and provides results to team members
• Coordinates and updates quarterly master schedule
• Assists with recommending options and methods to reduce costs and improve timeliness
• Prepares and reviews special studies of medium complexity
• Supports reporting of overall project finances/schedules to management
• Reviews invoices and funding allocations for accuracy
• Assists with the review and updating of cost reports for accuracy and compliance with laws, regulations, and requirements; coordinates the delivery of monthly cost reports from others
• Assists with the evaluation of change orders and amendments for impact on budget/timetable
• Assists with development and implementation of departmental budgets and ensures all project budget/scheduling changes are approved
• Assists in tracking consultants' monthly performance and expenses
• Maintains and compiles financial/schedule records, reports, and analyses of medium complexity
• Represents project team in meetings with engineers, contractors, consultants, and outside agencies
• Trains ELTP (Entry Level Trainee Program) participants and co-workers
• Coordinates services from other Metro departments to support project forecasts
• Assists with program and project administration support

Minimum Qualifications

A combination of education and/or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of the position. Additional experience, as outlined below, may be substituted for required education on a year-for-year basis. A typical combination includes:
 
Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field

Experience

• None; experience performing project cost/scheduling, budget or program/project administration work preferred

Certifications/Licenses/Special Requirements

• A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions
• Exposure to hazards during site visits

Preferred Qualifications 
Preferred Qualifications (PQs) are used to identify relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) as determined by business necessity. These criteria are considered preferred qualifications and are not intended to serve as minimum requirements for the position. PQs will help support selection decisions throughout the recruitment. In addition, applicants who possess these PQs will not automatically be selected. 

The following are the preferred qualifications:

• Experience utilizing budget and financial information systems, such as Power Bi, FIS, SAP, and/or related applications, for management reports and presentations

• Experience utilizing design applications, such as Canva, Adobe Express, etc., for performance reporting

• Experience using Microsoft Office tools, including Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, for financial management oversight

• Experience working in a public sector environment

Other Qualifications

Knowledge of (defined as a learned body of information that is required for and applied in the performance of job tasks)

• Theories, principles, and practices of budgeting, accounting, scheduling, and cost forecasting
• Applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations
• Department policies and procedures
• Sources of estimating data in the construction industry, such as labor and equipment productivity rates, composition of standard crews, construction cost indexes, etc.
• Applicable cost, scheduling, and other business software applications, including SharePoint

Skill in (defined as the proficient manual, verbal, or mental utilization of data, people, or things)

• Performing non-complex to medium complex cost/scheduling work in support of capital projects
• Analyzing situations, identifying problems, and recommending solutions
• Communicating effectively orally and in writing
• Interacting professionally with various levels of Metro employees, systems users, and outside representatives

Ability to (defined as a present competence to perform an observable behavior or produce an observable result)

• Analyze cost, schedule, and budget data
• Produce required deliverables and meet deadlines
• Organize and manage time efficiently
• Assist in making financial/scheduling decisions within a budget/timeframe
• Compile and analyze data
• Represent Metro before the public
• Prepare comprehensive reports and correspondence
• Understand, interpret, and apply laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, contracts, budgets, and labor/management agreements
• Travel to offsite locations to gather cost and schedule status updates
• Read, write, speak, and understand English

Special Conditions

• This job specification is not to be construed as an exhaustive list of duties, responsibilities, or requirements
• The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job
• Metro provides reasonable accommodation to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions
• This classification is at-will and the incumbent serves at the pleasure of the hiring authority when classified as an Intermittent, Emergency, Annuitant, or Temporary employee, is assigned to the Office of Inspector General (OIG) or Board Clerk's Office, and/or reporting directly to the LACMTA Board of Directors
• Contributes to ensuring that the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies and programs of Metro are carried out

Working Conditions

• Typical office situation
• Close exposure to computer monitors and video screen

Physical Effort Required

• Sitting at a desk or table
• Operate a telephone or other telecommunications device and communicate through the medium
• Type and use a keyboard and mouse to perform necessary computer-based functions
• Communicating through speech in the English language required

(KC)

Operates the public transportation system in Los Angeles County.