Director, Product Cost Strategy and Forecasting

Kairos Power·Alameda, CA, Albuquerque, NM, or Remote·Posted today

Nuclear industryUS only

About this role

Director-level role at Kairos Power leading product cost strategy and forecasting for fluoride-salt-cooled fast reactor (FSCR) commercialization. You will develop and maintain parameterized cost models for reactor hardware, fuel, molten salt, construction, and shared infrastructure, establish enterprise-wide forecasting frameworks, and provide data-driven cost analyses to inform pricing, contracting, and investment decisions as the company scales from demonstration units to commercial deployment.

Responsibilities

—Develop and maintain parameterized cost models across salt, fuel, reactor hardware, construction, and shared infrastructure with transparent, traceable assumptions
—Lead enterprise-wide cost forecasting framework integrating engineering, manufacturing, and financial data to inform planning, pricing, and contracting decisions
—Define cost estimation methodologies, inputs, and governance processes aligned with corporate forecasting and investor-facing financial models
—Establish regular forecasting cadence synchronized with company planning cycles to enable data-driven leadership decisions
—Partner with Finance, Accounting, and FP&A to ensure forecasts directly inform budgeting, scenario analysis, and long-range financial planning
—Reconcile forecasts against actuals with the Cost Accounting Manager, perform root-cause variance analyses, and refine assumptions
—Collaborate with Engineering, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing to identify cost drivers, anticipate impacts, and inform design and sourcing decisions
—Develop learning-curve and scaling frameworks quantifying expected cost improvements across product generations and manufacturing expansions
—Conduct sensitivity and scenario analyses assessing impact of design changes, production scaling, and supply-chain dynamics on total cost
—Provide data-driven recommendations to drive cost reduction, operational efficiency, and market competitiveness
—Support pricing and contracting discussions by confirming proposed terms align with cost targets and quantifying impacts when they do not
—Develop reporting tools and dashboards communicating cost forecasts, trends, and key drivers to executive leadership
—Ensure cost transparency in internal and customer-facing reporting, including cost-plus and open-book contracting frameworks
—Build and lead a small team responsible for product cost forecasting and analysis, providing mentorship and technical direction

Qualifications

—Proven experience leading cost forecasting, modeling, or financial planning functions at a director or senior manager level
—Strong expertise in building parameterized cost models and enterprise forecasting frameworks
—Deep understanding of manufacturing economics, supply chain cost drivers, and engineered systems
—Demonstrated ability to bridge technical, financial, and operational disciplines with exceptional cross-functional coordination
—Experience with cost accounting, variance analysis, and reconciliation of forecasts to actuals
—Track record of developing cost methodologies and governance processes for complex, multi-domain product portfolios
—Ability to translate technical and financial concepts into clear executive communications and visualizations
—Strong analytical capability and proficiency with cost modeling tools and financial analysis software
—Experience building and leading small technical teams with mentorship and development focus

Desired

—Background in advanced manufacturing, aerospace, or capital-intensive engineered systems industries
—Experience with learning-curve analysis, scaling economics, or technology commercialization
—Familiarity with nuclear energy, reactor systems, or related advanced technology sectors
—Experience supporting pricing strategy, contracting discussions, or investor communications
—Knowledge of cost-plus and open-book contracting frameworks
—Exposure to techno-economic modeling or pro forma financial analysis
—Experience with data visualization platforms and advanced Excel or Python for financial modeling