Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor - Data Center Construction

About the role

Turner & Townsend is seeking a Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to support a large-scale, multi-billion-dollar campus development project in the Indianapolis area.

This is a complex, fast-paced construction environment, requiring strong cost leadership across site development, core and shell construction, infrastructure packages, and multi-phase delivery. The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring robust cost control, commercial management, and stakeholder alignment throughout the lifecycle of the project.

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 or meet with the general contractor and owner or project manager to gather status information to prepare a cost estimate update.
• Prepare written comments to the general contractor’s submissions, including the executive summary.
• Cover all sources of cost information for cost discussions and suppliers direct from NPA, subcontractors, and quantities from architects/engineers.
• Inform and drive engineering priorities based on cost impact.
• Work proactively with minimal supervision to resolve scheduling issues.
• Manage cost checks and carry out valuations on large, complex projects involving multiple concurrent workstreams and phases.
• Participate effectively with post-contract cost variances and the change control processes.
• Manage cost impact, contingency management, and commitment tracking logs.
• 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 appropriate design 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 contract pricing.
• 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 work is delivered effectively with a robust cost validation process in place.
• Carry out the production of monthly cost reports for presentation to the client.
• Ensure that final accounts are negotiated and agreed upon in a timely manner.
• Compile built cost data for benchmarking purposes across large-scale campus developments.
• Identify, coach, and mentor team members to realize their potential and celebrate success.
• Display excellence in leadership and service delivery in line with the conditions of appointment.
• Manage financial performance of commissions, including forecasting, margin tracking, and fee/resource planning utilizing internal systems.
• Implement and maintain internal business management systems and delivery methodologies to ensure consistent best practice.
• Act as a role model contributing to 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 relevant experience in a cost management role within the construction industry (more for Lead-level consideration).
• RICS accredited or working toward accreditation is preferred.
• Experience leading cost management on large-scale, complex construction projects, ideally involving multi-building or campus-style developments.
• Experience with significant site development, infrastructure, and utilities packages is highly advantageous.
• Construction consultancy experience is strongly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of construction industry technical matters, including procurement routes, value management, and value engineering.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.