Summary
EDGE Group’s ADASI is hiring a Project Cost Accounting Support Manager in Abu Dhabi to oversee financial tracking, governance and reporting for non-recurring engineering and new product introduction costs across drone development programs. The role manages stage-gate cost cases, development cost capitalization under IAS 38, SAP CO settlements, cost modeling and financial partnership with Engineering and Program Management. Applicants should have 8–12 years of cost accounting experience, a CIMA, ACA or equivalent qualification, strong IAS 38 knowledge and hands-on SAP CO experience. The role is designated for local Emirati talent.
The posting
As published on edgegroup.ae. Pulled from the employer's site and shown as they wrote it.
ABOUT EDGE
At EDGE bold ideas are engineered into technologies that protect, improve and save lives.
Headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, EDGE is a leading advanced technology group working at the forefront of defence and emerging technologies. Spanning more than 35 specialised companies and multiple centres of excellence, we are purpose-built to move fast. Free from heavy legacy processes, we give our people the autonomy, accountability, and agility to bring breakthrough technologies from concept to reality.
Based in Abu Dhabi, a globally connected hub at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, EDGE is home to a truly multicultural community where bold ideas thrive, and the future is shaped.
Together, we are shaping the future.
ABOUT THE ROLE
About ADASI
ADASI is the regional leader in autonomous systems and services, dedicated to offering holistic solutions – from the development and production of unmanned systems to joint mission analysis and equipment acquisition. We manufacture, operate, and maintain next-generation autonomous capabilities for air, land, and sea, operating in demanding environments. Headquartered in the UAE, we are committed to advancing the region’s technological edge in defense innovation.
The Role
The Manager – Product Development Costing owns the financial tracking, governance and reporting of Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) and New Product Introduction (NPI) costs across the entity's business including its drone development Programs, including tactical, MALE and large HALE UAV platforms. The role partners closely with Engineering, Program Management and FP&A to ensure development spend is accurately captured, capitalized in line with IAS 38, and controlled against approved budgets at each stage-gate. The role provides financial rigor to design-to-cost decisions and builds the cost architecture needed to support the entity's new product development and manufacturing scale-up agenda.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Own end-to-end financial tracking of all NRE and NPI costs across drone development Programs, including large UAV and HALE platforms.
- Prepare robust cost business cases for each research & development stage-gate (concept, PDR, CDR, production release), working closely with Engineering and Program Management.
- Drive design-to-cost discipline with Engineering; set, agree and track cost targets at each stage-gate and escalate variances promptly.
- Lead month-end settlement of development and prototype production orders in EBS/SAP CO; ensure NPI actuals are correctly allocated to the right Program and cost object.
- Coordinate with FP&A to ensure development costs feed accurately into entity-level cash flow, month-end close and project settlement processes.
- Manage IAS 38 R&D cost capitalization end-to-end; maintain development cost asset schedules, capitalization triggers and amortization profiles.
- Model cost structures for new manufacturing processes introduced at the development stage, including automation and composite/additive manufacturing investments.
- Conduct make-vs-buy financial analysis for major sub-systems and components to support sourcing decisions.
- Develop cost learning-curve models to support large UAV scale-up economics and inform production ramp planning.
- Lead, mentor and develop a team of costing analysts; build technical costing capability across the team as the function transitions from a largely vacant/legacy structure.
- Act as the primary finance business partner to Engineering leadership on all development cost matters, presenting findings to Program reviews and stage-gate boards.
- Support internal and external audit requirements relating to R&D capitalization and government/customer cost audits where applicable.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 8–12 years of cost accounting experience, with a strong track record in NPI / R&D finance.
- Qualified accountant (CIMA / ACA or equivalent); strong working knowledge of IAS 38 is essential.
- Deep understanding of stage-gate product development and design-to-cost principles
- Hands-on SAP CO experience; familiarity with development order and WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) settlement.
- Engineering or technical degree background strongly advantageous.
- Demonstrated experience developing cost architectures for complex, large-scale engineered systems (aerospace, defense, or comparable high-technology manufacturing).
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Click to add description here. To maintain a consistent format and candidate experience, text formatting is strictly prohibited. When pasting content, always use Remove Formatting before inserting the text
WHY CHOOSE EDGE
Launched in November 2019, the UAE's EDGE is one of the world's leading advanced technology groups, established to develop agile, bold and disruptive solutions for defence and beyond, and to be a catalyst for change and transformation. It is dedicated to bringing breakthrough innovations, products, and services to market with greater speed and efficiency, to position the UAE as a leading global hub for future industries, and to creating clear paths within the sector for the next generation of highly skilled talent to thrive.
At EDGE, the real investment goes beyond compensation. Through our dedicated learning academy and digital learning platforms, employees have access to extensive opportunities to develop new skills, deepen their expertise, and advance their careers. Combined with the freedom to innovate, strong career support, and the opportunity to collaborate with world-class talent from across the globe, EDGE is a place where you can continue to grow, keep learning, and turn ambitious ideas into meaningful outcomes.
Working at EDGE also comes with a package that genuinely reflects how much we value our people. Salaries are highly competitive and tax-free and, depending on your role and seniority, benefits can include family visas, annual flight tickets, medical insurance for you and your dependents, and education allowances for your children.
CANDIDATE PRIVACY & EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT
If you feel your skills, experience and potential are a strong match for a role, we encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every requirement. We are genuinely interested in what you can bring to EDGE.
Any information you share as part of your EDGE candidate profile or job application will be handled in accordance with applicable data protection and privacy regulations.
EDGE is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and high-performing workforce. We believe every individual deserves to be treated with fairness, respect and dignity, and our employment decisions reflect that. We do not discriminate based on race, colour, nationality, ethnicity, religion, gender, marital status, age, disability, pregnancy or parental status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
As a global organisation, effective collaboration across international teams is central to how we work, so English proficiency is required for all roles unless otherwise stated in the job posting.
Please note that EDGE does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruitment agencies. Any resumes in the absence of a formally executed agreement in place will be deemed the property of EDGE, and no placement fees or compensation will be payable in respect of such submissions.