Highway Managing Quantity Surveyor

Carrington West; Winchester; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading civil engineering contractor in the United Kingdom is seeking a Managing Quantity Surveyor to lead commercial delivery for impactful highways projects. This senior opportunity involves managing a team, overseeing contract governance, and ensuring project success. The ideal candidate will have strong experience in civil engineering, particularly in self-delivery and highways, along with excellent relationship-building skills. This permanent, full-time role in Winchester offers competitive salary and benefits, along with flexible hybrid working arrangements.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Company car or car allowance

Private healthcare

Pension and life assurance

25 days' annual leave plus your birthday off

Enhanced maternity and paternity benefits

Qualifications

• Proven experience in senior commercial roles within civil engineering.
• Confidence to work autonomously and manage risks proactively.
• Ability to build strong relationships with clients and teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead commercial delivery of self-delivery highways projects.
• Manage governance across commercial portfolios.
• Resolve issues early with operational teams.

Skills

Managing Quantity Surveyor experience

Highways and self-delivery experience

Knowledge of NEC contracts

Team leadership

Solutions-focused approach

Relationship-building skills

Ability to manage multiple schemes

Education

Degree in Quantity Surveying or Construction Management

Professional membership (RICS, CICES)

Job description

Managing Quantity Surveyor - Civil Engineering | Lead High-Impact Self-Delivery Highways Projects

Lead commercial delivery and shape a growing self-delivery business. This is a senior opportunity where you will be doing far more than managing costs. As Managing Quantity Surveyor, you will be leading the commercial delivery of impactful self-delivery highways schemes, developing people and influencing how a growing civil engineering business operates. If you want autonomy, visibility and the chance to make a lasting impact, this role offers exactly that.

About the company

My client is a leading UK civil engineering and transport infrastructure contractor delivering highways and public realm projects through in-house self-delivery teams. With a strong reputation, long-term frameworks and continued investment in people and projects, the business is growing steadily and offers a supportive, forward-thinking environment where careers can genuinely progress.

The role and responsibilities

As Managing Quantity Surveyor, you will take full commercial ownership of a portfolio of self-delivery highways schemes, working closely with operational teams to ensure strong governance, performance and delivery. You will be doing the following as part of your role:

• Leading, supporting and developing a commercial team of approximately 5-7 people, from Assistant QS to Senior QS
• Owning commercial governance across your portfolio, including NEC contract management, forecasting, CVRs and reporting
• Working hand-in-hand with operational teams to shape commercial solutions and resolve issues early
• Managing risk and opportunity proactively to protect and enhance margin
• Building and maintaining strong client relationships on high-profile highways projects
• Operating autonomously, trusted to manage your portfolio while contributing to wider business improvement
• Working in a hybrid pattern, typically spending time on site or in the Winchester office, with flexibility depending on project needs
• This is not a role where you simply administer contracts - as Managing Quantity Surveyor, you will be influencing outcomes, developing people and helping shape how the business grows.

Must-have skills and experience

• Proven experience in a Managing Quantity Surveyor or senior commercial role within civil engineering
• Strong highways and self-delivery experience
• In-depth knowledge of NEC contracts
• Experience leading and developing commercial teams
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach with the confidence to work autonomously
• Strong relationship-building skills with clients, colleagues and supply chain partners
• The ability to manage multiple schemes and priorities in a fast-moving environment
• A degree in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management or a related discipline (or equivalent experience)
• Professional membership such as RICS or CICES (desirable)

Salary and benefits

• Competitive salary, dependent on experience
• Company car or car allowance
• Private healthcare
• Pension and life assurance
• 25 days' annual leave plus your birthday off
• Hybrid working where possible
• Enhanced maternity and paternity benefits

Career development, location and working pattern

This Managing Quantity Surveyor position offers clear long-term progression, with the opportunity to grow alongside a self-delivery civil engineering business investing for the future. The role is permanent and full-time, with the main base in Winchester, alongside flexible hybrid working and site involvement across the South.

FOOTNOTE: If you feel that you are right for this role technically, but the salary, location or seniority does not suit you specifically then please still feel free to send us your CV. We constantly recruit for roles very similar to this one at all levels UK Wide. We are always keen to chat with you discreetly about your employment situation. Carrington West's Highways, Transport & Infrastructure division is the fastest growing in the country, our specialist team has a combined over 100+ years' experience in this market. Please call Jordan Townley at Carrington West on 023 9431 4917 or email [e-mail] for more information.

By applying for this position, you are agreeing for Carrington West to hold and process your personal data in accordance with our Data Protection Policy. Your data will be shared with third-party clients specifically relevant to any roles you have applied for. If at any stage, you wish to withdraw your consent please contact us.