Senior / Lead Cost Manager (Pre - Contract)

Turner & Townsend; Abu Dhabi; Hybrid; AED 300,000 - 460,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend in the UAE is seeking an experienced Lead Cost Manager to oversee pre-contract cost management on major infrastructure projects. You will drive cost planning, risk analysis, and value engineering, coordinating with clients and internal teams to keep projects on budget and on schedule.

The role requires strong leadership, client-facing communication, and a track record in pre-contract cost control for infrastructure.

Qualifications

• ,

Responsibilities

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

Skills

Cost planning

Estimating

Tender documents

Client communication

Stakeholder coordination

Leadership

NRM/CESMM methods

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor in QS/CM/CE

MRICS or AIQS preferred

Tools

CostX

Estimating software

Job description

Senior / Lead Cost Manager (Pre - Contract)

• Full-time
• Department: Infrastructure

At Turner & Townsend we're passionate about making the difference. That means delivering better outcomes for our clients, helping our people to realize their potential, and doing our part to create a prosperous society.

Every day we help our major global clients deliver ambitious and highly technical projects, in over 112 offices worldwide.

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

The ideal candidate should have extensive pre-contract experience and a strong background in infrastructure sector.

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.

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

• 10-15years 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.
• Experience in infrastructure projects 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.

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.

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