Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor - Data Center Construction (Heavy Civil)

About the role

Turner & Townsend are seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager and/or Quantity Surveyor to serve as the primary day-to-day client interface on large-scale data center construction projects. This role ensures delivery of disciplined, value-driven cost management services, with a strong focus on heavy civil and site development scopes.

Responsibilities

• Estimating and negotiating change orders throughout the construction lifecycle with particular focus on sitework, earthworks, utilities, and civil packages.
• Provide detailed estimate and cost planning, including producing and presenting cost plans aligned with early works and heavy civil scopes.
• Review and actively participate with the design team and general contractor in the development and validation of cost estimates.
• Reconcile changes and ensure contractor-provided data is complete, accurate, and well-substantiated.
• Interface regularly with the general contractor and client stakeholders to gather project status and inform cost estimate updates.
• Prepare clear, concise written reviews of contractor submissions, including executive-level summaries.
• Cook up all sources of cost information including self-perform work, subcontractors, suppliers, and design quantities.
• Inform and help prioritize engineering and design decisions based on cost and constructability impacts.
• Work proactively to identify and resolve cost, scope, and scheduling challenges with minimal supervision.
• Manage cost checks and carry out valuations on large-scale civil and infrastructure scopes with accuracy and consistency.
• Support post-contract cost control, including change management and governance processes.
• Manage cost impact assessments, contingency tracking, and commitment logs.
• Prepare funding data, support reporting, and participate in value engineering and cost optimization sessions.
• Develop and maintain cost plans throughout design progression, aligned with project milestones.
• Provide commercial input into design options and lead value-based decision support discussions.
• Review contractor and subcontractor pricing and participate in commercial discussions to ensure fair and reasonable pricing outcomes.
• Perform quantity surveying, cost control, and change management activities across all project phases.
• Ensure cost validation, audit, and valuation processes are implemented and consistently applied.
• Produce accurate monthly cost reports for client presentation and decision-making.
• Support timely negotiation and agreement of final accounts.
• Compile and maintain cost data and benchmarks, particularly for heavy civil and site development scopes.
• Identify, coach, and mentor team members to support capability growth and project success.
• Demonstrate strong leadership and service delivery aligned with client expectations and project objectives.
• Support financial management activities, including forecasting, resource planning, and margin tracking.
• Implement and uphold internal business systems, delivery methodologies, and best practices.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performing project environment across client, contractor, and stakeholder teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, quantity surveying, engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum 6–7 years of relevant experience in cost management within the construction industry, including exposure to large-scale infrastructure or heavy civil projects with transferable applicability to data center, mission critical, or similarly complex construction environments.
• Experience supporting complex, fast-paced construction programs with significant site development components.
• RICS accredited or actively working toward accreditation is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience leading cost management efforts on medium to large projects with moderate to high complexity.
• Construction consultancy experience is strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of construction methods, procurement strategies, and commercial management principles.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Candidates must be physically based in the United States and legally authorized to work in the U.S.; remote work is permitted only within the United States.
• Ability to travel to project sites as required.