Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor - Commercial Construction

About the role

Turner & Townsend are looking for an experienced Senior Cost Manager and/or Quantity Surveyor to act as the key, day-to-day client interface, ensuring that client objectives are met through the delivery of a value-added cost management service across a portfolio of complex capital projects.

Responsibilities

• Estimating and negotiating change orders throughout the construction lifecycle.
• Provide estimate and cost planning to include producing and presenting the final cost plan.
• Review and participate with the design services team and general contractor in the development of cost estimates.
• Reconcile changes and assist the general contractor to ensure that their data is accurate.
• Communicate and meet with the general contractor, owner, or project manager to gather status information and prepare cost estimate updates.
• Prepare written comments to the general contractor’s submissions, including executive summaries for client reporting.
• Cook up all sources of cost information including subcontractors, suppliers, and design teams to support accurate cost analysis.
• Inform and help drive engineering and design priorities based on cost impact.
• Work proactively with minimal supervision to resolve scheduling and cost-related issues.
• Manage cost checks and carry out valuations on larger, complex projects, ensuring timely and accurate reporting.
• Participate effectively in post-contract cost variances and change control processes.
• Manage cost impact, contingency tracking, and commitment tracking logs across multiple concurrent project phases.
• Prepare funding data presentations and coordinate value engineering sessions with stakeholders.
• Develop cost plans and estimates through the design phase, delivering updated cost plans at key milestones.
• Provide commercial input to design optioneering and value engineering exercises.
• Review contractor and subcontractor pricing and lead negotiations on behalf of the client to drive fair and competitive outcomes.
• Perform quantity surveying, cost controls, and change management activities throughout the project lifecycle.
• Ensure that post-contract cost variances and change control processes are managed effectively.
• Ensure that cost auditing and valuation processes are robust and consistently applied.
• Produce monthly cost reports for presentation to the client.
• Ensure final accounts are negotiated and agreed upon in a timely manner.
• Compile built cost data for benchmarking and future program planning.
• Identify, coach, and mentor team members to support development and performance.
• Demonstrate excellence in leadership and service delivery aligned with client expectations.
• Manage financial performance utilizing internal systems to track margin, fee forecasts, and resource planning.
• Implement and maintain Business Management Systems and delivery methodologies to ensure consistent best practice.
• Act as a role model fostering a collaborative, high-performing team culture.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, cost management, quantity surveying, engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum 5–7 years of experience in cost management or quantity surveying within the construction industry.
• Experience delivering cost management services on medium to large-scale, complex construction or program-based projects.
• Construction consultancy experience is strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of estimating, cost planning, procurement, and change management processes.
• RICS accreditation or working toward certification is preferred.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.