Associate / Associate Director - Cost Management (Data Centre)

Turner & Townsend; Australia; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend Australia seeks an Associate/Associate Director in Cost Management to lead cost management for large data centre and mission-critical developments from inception to completion. You will drive commercial strategy, governance, client engagement and lead multidisciplinary teams to meet cost, quality and performance objectives in fast-track environments.

The role requires MRICS/AIQS preferred, 8+ years’ experience, and a strong track record in cost planning, procurement and

Qualifications

• Degree in Quantity Surveying, Cost Management, Construction, Engineering or related field.
• MRICS or AIQS preferred.
• 8+ years’ experience in cost management or construction.
• Proven track record delivering data centre, mission-critical, or MEP-intensive projects.
• Strong experience in cost consultancy / professional services environments.
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing teams and complex project portfolios.
• Strong commercial acumen and strategic thinking.
• Expertise in cost planning, procurement, and contract management.
• Excellent client-facing and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage large-scale, fast-track, and complex environments.
• Strong leadership and people management capability.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end cost management delivery for complex data centre projects.
• Define and implement cost strategies, benchmarks, and control frameworks.
• Act as Commission Manager, overseeing multiple high-value or complex commissions.
• Lead cost planning, estimating, and financial forecasting across CSA, MEP, and mission-critical systems.
• Present cost plans, reports, and updates to clients and stakeholders.
• Drive value engineering and life cycle costing initiatives.
• Implement robust controls across cost, schedule, risk, and change management.
• Act as primary client interface, delivering value-added commercial solutions.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams including clients, consultants, contractors, and vendors.
• Build strong stakeholder relationships to ensure project alignment.
• Monitor and manage project budgets, cost drivers, and financial performance.
• Lead contract administration, commercial negotiations, and variation management.
• Identify and mitigate cost and commercial risks across data centre developments.
• Ensure compliance with financial controls, governance frameworks, and client reporting standards.
• Lead and mentor Cost Managers and project teams, driving performance.
• Foster a high-performing, collaborative team culture.
• Manage team resourcing in line with project pipeline and business needs.
• Contribute to business development, client engagement, and proposal activities.
• Identify new opportunities within the data centre and mission-critical sectors.

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

Role Overview

As an Associate / Associate Director in Cost Management, you will lead the delivery of cost management services across large-scale data centre and mission-critical developments, overseeing projects from inception to completion.

You will be responsible for driving commercial strategy, governance, client engagement, and team leadership, ensuring projects meet cost, quality, and performance objectives in highly complex, fast‑track environments.

Key Responsibilities

Project Leadership & Strategy

• Lead the delivery of end-to-end cost management services for complex data centre projects.
• Define and implement cost strategies, benchmarks, and control frameworks to support successful project delivery.
• Act as Commission Manager, overseeing multiple high-value or complex commissions.

Cost Planning & Project Controls

1. Lead cost planning, estimating, and financial forecasting across CSA, MEP, and mission-critical systems.
2. Oversee preparation and presentation of cost plans, reports, and financial updates to clients.
3. Drive value engineering and life cycle costing initiatives to optimise project performance.
4. Implement robust controls across cost, schedule, risk, and change management.

Client & Stakeholder Management

1. Act as the primary client interface, ensuring delivery of value-added commercial solutions.
2. Lead multidisciplinary teams including clients, consultants, contractors, and vendors.
3. Build strong stakeholder relationships to ensure project alignment and successful outcomes.

Commercial, Financial & Risk Management

1. Monitor and manage project budgets, cost drivers, and financial performance.
2. Lead contract administration, commercial negotiations, and variation management.
3. Identify and mitigate cost and commercial risks across data centre developments.
4. Ensure compliance with financial controls, governance frameworks, and client reporting standards.

Team Leadership & Development

1. Lead and mentor Cost Managers and project teams, driving performance and career development.
2. Foster a high-performing, collaborative team culture.
3. Manage team resourcing in line with project pipeline and business needs.

Business Development & Growth

1. Contribute to business development, client engagement, and proposal activities.
2. Identify new opportunities within the data centre and mission-critical sectors.
3. Support market growth through strategic insight, client relationships, and solution development.

Qualifications

1. Degree in Quantity Surveying, Cost Management, Construction, Engineering, or related discipline
2. Master’s degree or professional accreditation (MRICS or AIQS) is preferred
3. 8+ years’ experience in cost management or construction
4. Proven track record delivering data centre, mission-critical, or MEP-intensive projects
5. Strong experience in cost consultancy / professional services environments
6. Demonstrated leadership experience managing teams and complex project portfolios
7. Strong commercial acumen and strategic thinking
8. Expertise in cost planning, procurement, and contract management
9. Excellent client-facing and stakeholder management skills
10. Ability to manage large-scale, fast-track, and complex environments
11. Strong leadership and people management capability

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.

Please find out more about us at www.turnerandtownsend.com/

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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.