Associate Cost Manager

GreenSquareDC marks Partners Group; Sydney; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

GreenSquare seeks an Associate Cost Manager to support cost planning, commercial control, contract administration, and risk management from feasibility through to delivery and final account.

You will lead cost plans, forecasts, cash flow, manage variations, support procurement, and drive risk management across portfolio projects, including data centre developments in Australia.

Qualifications

• Degree in Quantity Surveying or Construction Management.
• 5+ years in large-scale construction or data centre projects.
• Strong commercial acumen with stakeholder influence.
• Experience across multiple projects or programmes.

Responsibilities

• Develop cost plans, budget tracking, forecasting, and cash flow across all project phases.
• Drive consistency in cost planning methodologies and outputs.
• Manage variations, change orders, claims, and commercial negotiations.
• Enforce commercial terms and oversee final account close-out.
• Lead project controls (cost and reporting) across responsible projects.
• Provide clear, decision-ready insights on project and portfolio performance.

Skills

Cost management

Forecasting & budgeting

Contract administration

Risk management

Commercial negotiations

Project controls

Education

Quantity Surveying

Construction Management

Related discipline

Job description

The Associate Cost Manager is a key role supporting the project cost and control function across GreenSquare’s portfolio. The role ensures robust cost planning, commercial control, contract administration, and risk management from feasibility through to delivery and final account.

Key accountabilities / Responsibilities

Cost management

• Develop cost plans, budget tracking, forecasting, and cash flow across all project phases
• Drive consistency in cost planning methodologies and outputs
• Manage variations, change orders, claims, and commercial negotiations
• Enforce commercial terms and oversee final account close-out
• Manage PQS, consultant, and contractor commercial interfaces
• Develop commercial systems, tools, and processes; drive best practice across all projects
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and commercial outcomes

Project controls & performance reporting

• Lead project controls (cost and reporting) across responsible projects
• Deliver cost reports, cashflow forecasts, and performance dashboards
• Provide clear, decision-ready insights on project and portfolio performance
• Lead quantified risk management across projects, covering cost, programme, and probability
• Drive proactive risk mitigation and commercial decision-making

Procurement support

• Support procurement processes, including pre-tender estimates, tender evaluation, and commercial comparison
• Ensure alignment between tender outcomes and approved budgets
• Maintain current knowledge of cost escalation, labour, supply chain, and market pricing
• Develop and maintain cost benchmarks

Who you’ll work with

• Internal: Development & Delivery Managers, Design, Finance, Procurement
• External: Quantity Surveyors, Project Managers, Designers, Main Contractors, Sub-Contractors
• Degree qualified in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, or related discipline
• 5+ years’ experience in large-scale construction, infrastructure, or data centre developments
• Strong experience managing commercial and cost functions across multiple projects or programmes
• Experience working with project controls and cost reporting systems
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to challenge contractors and consultants effectively
• Confident communicator with ability to influence across multidisciplinary teams
• Help shape the next generation of data centre infrastructure in Australia
• Work with an experienced team delivering complex, large-scale projects
• Take real ownership and have a direct impact as GreenSquare grows
• Be part of a business committed to high performance and responsible development
• Backed for the long term by Partners Group, one of the world’s leading private markets firms

Note for Recruiters: GreenSquare manages recruitment directly; recruitment referrals will not be considered.