Contract QS — Cost Control & Estimating for Engineering

Tatton Recruitment; Devon and Torbay; On-site; GBP 64,575 - 101,475; Full time

Job summary

Certain Advantage is partnering with a key client to recruit a Quantity Surveyor on a contract basis in the South West, UK. You’ll lead robust cost management across the full engineering project lifecycle, ensuring financial control, commercial compliance and high-quality reporting.

Day-to-day you’ll shape QS capability, manage budgets and forecasts, lead contract administration, support procurement, and produce structured cost models and pricing schedules to keep projects on track.

Qualifications

• Experience in commercial, cost, or contract management within engineering, construction, or technical project environments.
• Strong cost planning, estimating, and financial control across engineered scopes of work.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, contract terms, and technical documentation.
• Knowledge of procurement processes, supplier evaluation, and contractor management within engineering supply chains.
• Highly analytical with strong numerical capability and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the client to shape and develop future Quantity Surveying (QS) capability.
• Support portfolio-level projects and contribute to strategy for QS deployment and site-wide supportability.
• Develop robust cost plans, engineering estimates, and expenditure profiles.
• Maintain accurate budgets, forecasts, and commercial performance reporting.
• Lead contract administration activities, including variation management and change control.
• Support procurement processes through cost evaluation, tender assessments, and supplier reviews.
• Monitor project expenditure against baseline costs and proactively identify potential risks.
• Produce structured cost models, pricing schedules, and supporting commercial documentation.

Skills

Cost management

Cost planning

Estimating

Financial control

Contract administration

Procurement

Reporting

Budgets & forecasts

Change control

Tools

ERP systems

Project controls platforms

Job description

Certain Advantage is partnering with a key client to recruit a Quantity Surveyor on a contract basis in the South West, UK. You’ll lead robust cost management across the full engineering project lifecycle, ensuring financial control, commercial compliance and high-quality reporting.

Day-to-day you’ll shape QS capability, manage budgets and forecasts, lead contract administration, support procurement, and produce structured cost models and pricing schedules to keep projects on track.