Senior Cost Manager (Pre-contract)

Turner & Townsend Pty Limited; Dubai; On-site; AED 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Turner & Townsend essentials

Job summary

Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager in the UAE (Dubai) to lead pre-contract cost management and ensure projects stay within scope, time, and budget. The role requires a strong background in real estate and client-facing coordination with stakeholders.

Ideal candidates will have 8+ years in cost management, UAE market experience, and qualifications such as MRICS/AIQS are highly preferred. Proficiency in CostX and cost planning is essential.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in cost management with strong pre-contract focus.
• UAE market experience is mandatory.
• Degree in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management or Civil Engineering.
• MRICS or AIQS accreditation highly preferred.
• Proficient in cost planning, estimating and tender documentation.
• Ability to lead multiple projects and coordinate with clients.

Responsibilities

• Lead pre-contract cost management activities.
• Provide cost-effective solutions including value engineering.
• Conduct risk assessments and manage contingencies.
• Prepare reports on deviations from the budget.
• Review project costs and material costs.
• Ensure compliance with standards and client requirements.
• Mentor junior cost managers and coordinate with multidisciplinary teams.
• Collaborate with clients and stakeholders to manage projects effectively.

Skills

Cost management

Leadership

Client-facing

Stakeholder coord

Communication

Analytical thinking

Education

Degree in QS/Construction

MRICS/AIQS preferred

Tools

CostX

Job description

Turner & Townsend is a global professional services company with over 22,000 people in more than 60 countries.
Working with our clients across real estate, infrastructure, energy and natural resources, we transform together delivering outcomes that improve people’s lives.

Working in partnership makes it possible to deliver the world’s most impactful projects and programmes as we turn challenge into opportunity and complexity into success. Our capabilities include programme, project, cost, asset and commercial management, controls and performance, procurement and supply chain, net zero and digital solutions.

We are majority-owned by CBRE Group, Inc., the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, with our partners holding a significant minority interest. Turner & Townsend and CBRE work together to provide clients with the premier programme, project and cost management offering in markets around the world.
Please visit our website: www.turnerandtownsend.com

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager to join our dynamic team.

The ideal candidate should have extensive pre-contract experience and a strong background in real estate sector, with a focus on commercial real estate.

You will play a key role in ensuring our projects are delivered within scope, on time, and within budget while maintaining quality.

Responsibilities:

• Lead pre-contract cost management responsibilities.
• Provide advice and support on cost-effective solutions, including value engineering.
• Conduct risk assessments and ensure contingency budgets are managed appropriately.
• Prepare regular reports on projects highlighting any deviations from the budget.
• Review and analyze project costs, including Preliminaries, Overheads, and materials.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards, client requirements, and regulatory bodies.
• Mentor and train junior cost managers.
• Collaborate with clients and other stakeholders to ensure the project is managed effectively.

Qualifications

Education:

• Degree in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, Civil Engineering, or a related field.
• Professional accreditation (e.g., MRICS, AIQS, or equivalent) is highly preferred.

Experience:

• 8+ years in cost management, with a strong focus on pre-contract.
• Proven ability to lead and manage multiple projects independently.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience in client-facing roles and stakeholder coordination.
• Understanding of local cost benchmarks.
• UAE market experience is mandatory.

Technical Skills:

• Proficiency in cost planning, estimating, and tender documentation.
• Ability to present cost strategies and reports to clients and senior stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of various methods of measurement (e.g., NRM, POMI, CESMM).
• Skilled in measurement software such as CostX or similar.

Leadership:

• Ability to lead cost management activities across multiple projects.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Capable of mentoring junior staff and coordinating with multidisciplinary teams.

Additional Information

Our inspired people share our vision and mission. We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change.

We want our people to succeed both in work and life. To support this we promote a healthy, productive and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance.

Turner & Townsend is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

It is strictly against Turner & Townsend policy for candidates to pay any fee in relation to our recruitment process. No recruitment agency working with Turner & Townsend will ask candidates to pay a fee at any time.

Any unsolicited resumes/CVs submitted through our website or to Turner & Townsend personal e-mail accounts, are considered property ofTurner & Townsend and arenot subject to payment of agency fees. In order to be an authorised Recruitment Agency/Search Firm for Turner & Townsend, there must be a formal written agreement in place and the agency must be invited, by the Recruitment Team,to submit candidates for review.