Managing Quantity Surveyor

1st Executive Ltd; Essex; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

1st Executive Ltd is seeking an experienced Managing Surveyor to lead the commercial team across multiple contracts in a senior capacity. You will own CVR reporting, monitor budgets and forecasts, and drive robust cost control while maintaining strong governance and cashflow.

You will oversee NEC contract administration, lead change control, and mentor a team of Quantity Surveyors and Assistant Quantity Surveyors, with a focus on margin improvement and commercial performance.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in a Managing Surveyor or senior commercial leadership role.
• Strong experience with NEC contract administration and CVR reporting.
• Proven ability to manage commercial performance, forecasts, cost control and margin improvement.

Responsibilities

• Take full ownership of CVR reporting and financial visibility across the business unit.
• Monitor project performance against budgets and forecasts to protect and improve margin.
• Drive robust cost control processes across active contracts.
• Administer contracts in line with NEC principles and manage key timescales.
• Lead change control to maximise recovery and minimise risk across projects.
• Maintain risk and opportunity management to improve commercial predictability.
• Manage applications, valuations and cash collection to support working capital.
• Ensure governance and internal processes are followed and reported.
• Lead, mentor and develop Quantity Surveyors and Assistant Quantity Surveyors.
• Provide commercial training and guidance to drive best practice.

Skills

Managing Surveyor

Senior QS

commercial leadership

NEC contract administration

CVR reporting

cost control

stakeholder management

team leadership

Education

Degree in Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management or related

MRICS (advantageous)

Job description

The Opportunity

Our client is seeking an experienced Managing Surveyor to take a senior commercial leadership role within a successful and growing business.

This is an opportunity to take ownership of commercial performance across multiple contracts, protecting and enhancing profitability while ensuring robust cost control, effective risk management and strong cashflow.

Reporting to the Commercial Director, you will provide leadership to the commercial team and play a pivotal role in driving margin improvement, strengthening commercial governance and embedding a high-performance, accountable culture.

The Role

As Managing Surveyor, you will take responsibility for the commercial management and financial performance of a portfolio of projects and contracts.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Taking full ownership of CVR reporting, providing accurate and timely financial visibility across the business unit.
• Monitoring project performance against budgets and forecasts, identifying opportunities to protect and improve margin.
• Driving robust and consistent cost control processes across active contracts.
• Ensuring contracts are administered effectively in accordance with NEC principles, including early warnings, compensation events, contractual notices and key timescales.
• Leading change control processes to maximise financial recovery and minimise commercial exposure.Identifying, assessing and mitigating commercial and contractual risks across multiple projects.
• Maintaining effective risk and opportunity management processes to improve commercial predictability and outcomes.
• Managing applications, valuations and cash collection to support strong working capital and cashflow performance.
• Ensuring compliance with contractual obligations, governance requirements and internal commercial procedures.
• Leading, mentoring and developing a team of Quantity Surveyors and Assistant Quantity Surveyors.
• Providing commercial guidance and training to drive consistency, best practice and professional development across the team.

About You

We are looking for a commercially astute and experienced Quantity Surveying or Commercial professional with a strong track record of leading teams and managing complex contracts.

You will bring:

• Significant experience within a Managing Surveyor, Senior QS or commercial leadership role.
• Strong practical experience of NEC contract administration.
• Proven experience managing commercial performance, CVRs, forecasts, cost control and margin improvement.
• Strong knowledge of change management, compensation events and contractual risk.
• Experience of leading and developing QS and AQS teams.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, with excellent analytical and reporting capability.
• A proactive, solution-focused approach and the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.

A degree in Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management or a related discipline is preferred, although equivalent experience will be considered.

MRICS or other relevant professional chartership would be advantageous.

Why Apply?

This is a key leadership opportunity for someone who wants genuine influence over commercial performance and the development of a high-performing team. You will work closely with senior leadership, take ownership of significant commercial responsibilities and play a central role in protecting profitability and driving improved business outcomes.

If you are an experienced commercial leader with strong NEC expertise and a passion for developing people and improving performance, we would welcome the opportunity to speak with you.