Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor – Data Center Construction

About the role

Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to support a large-scale, multi-phase hyperscale data center program. This position can be based in the Chicago, IL area, with travel to the project site near St. Louis, MO approximately once per month for 2–3 days.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the key, day-to-day client interface; ensure client objectives are met through best-in-class cost management.
• Lead scope delivery for assigned phases/packages; coordinate with designers, GC/CM, and trade partners.
• Prepare and present clear written and verbal updates, executive summaries, and recommendations.
• Develop estimates and cost plans through design, presenting updates at each design milestone.
• Review and reconcile estimates with the GC/CM and design team; validate quantities and scope alignment.
• Provide commercial input to design optioneering and value engineering (VE); inform engineering priorities based on cost/constructability.
• Support procurement strategy and contract administration; review contractor/subcontractor pricing.
• Lead/assist price negotiations to drive fair and competitive contract values.
• Provide independent cost/market inputs using internal benchmarks and supplier intelligence.
• Manage change orders end-to-end: evaluate, negotiate, and track through approval.
• Maintain commitment tracking, contingency management, trend analysis, and risk registers.
• Ensure robust cost validation, auditing, and change control processes throughout delivery.
• Produce timely monthly cost reports, forecasts, cash flows, and variance analyses.
• Coincide funding data, develop executive-level summaries, and facilitate VE/risk sessions.
• Implement and maintain Turner & Townsend Business Management Systems (BMS) and delivery tools; comply with SOX controls where applicable.
• Mentor and coach junior team members; model T&T purpose, values, and service excellence.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of internal tools, templates, benchmarks, and best practices.
• Support account growth and cross-selling through strong stakeholder relationships.

Qualifications

• Ability to travel to the St. Louis, MO area monthly for a 2–3 day trip.
• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or related field (advanced degree a plus).
• A minimum of 6-7 years of cost management / project controls experience, including leading cost deliverables on medium-to-large, complex projects.
• Data center or mission-critical/industrial project experience strongly preferred.
• Consultancy experience preferred; strong knowledge of procurement, commercial management, contracts, change, and risk.
• Demonstrated expertise in estimating, cost planning, budgeting, reporting, and cost control systems.
• RICS accreditation (or working toward it) strongly preferred.
• Excellent client-facing communication and negotiation skills; ability to influence stakeholders.
• Strong analytical skills with high attention to detail; proficiency with industry-standard cost tools.