Quantity Surveyor

HPRtalent; England; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company car

Car allowance

Job summary

HPRtalent is seeking a Quantity Surveyor for a Kent-based, permanent, full-time role. You will manage the commercial side from award to final account across a project portfolio, protecting margins and cash flow.

Requirements include roughly 5+ years of UK construction experience, background with main contractors or subcontractors in groundworks/external works, solid QS grounding, and knowledge of JCT contracts. A driving licence is essential. A company car or car allowance is provided.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of quantity surveying experience in UK construction.
• Experience with main contractor or subcontractor in groundworks, landscaping, fencing or external works.
• Solid grounding in quantity surveying; ideally progressed from Assistant QS.
• Strong working knowledge of JCT contracts.
• Full UK driving licence required.

Responsibilities

• Own the commercial side of a busy portfolio of projects from contract award to final account.
• Protect and grow margin by controlling costs and cash flow; ensure timely valuations and payments.
• Spot on-site changes, price them accurately and secure entitlement.
• Support cost, value and forecast reporting to senior leadership on a monthly basis.
• Lead as the commercial voice alongside Contracts Managers and manage client negotiations for entitlement.

Skills

Quantity surveying

UK construction experience

JCT contracts knowledge

Commercial negotiation

Stakeholder communication

Driving licence

Education

QS degree or professional qualification

Job description

Location: Kent. Office-based, with site visits as needed.

Salary: £50,000 – £70,000 depending on experience, plus company car or car allowance

Type: Permanent, full-time

About the company

Our client is a well-established specialist subcontractor that delivers commercial and high-security perimeter projects across the UK. Their projects range from education and industrial sites to critical infrastructure, data centres and secure government environments. Most of their work is for main contractors.

The business is part of a larger, ambitious group, with real investment behind an ambitious growth plan. Day to day it still runs like an independent company: decisions are quick, the team is hands‑on and down to earth, and senior leadership is easy to reach. This is a chance to join before the next growth phase, in a role that has real influence on the business’s results.

The role

You’ll own the commercial side of a busy portfolio of projects, from contract award to final account. Your work will directly protect and grow margin. Responsibilities include:

• Take each project’s commercial position from the day the contract is awarded and push back on terms that put your margin at risk.
• Keep cash flowing by getting monthly valuations out on time and making sure payment arrives.
• Spot changes on site early, price them properly, and make sure nothing the business is owed slips through the net.
• Protect the programme position with well‑evidenced time extension claims (EOTs).
• Close projects out cleanly and agree final accounts that properly reflect the work delivered.
• Give leadership a clear monthly picture of cost, value and forecast.
• Be the commercial voice alongside Contracts Managers. That includes having the difficult conversations with clients when entitlement is at stake.
• Earn the trust of main contractor clients so that they come back with repeat work.

What you’ll need

• Roughly 5+ years of quantity surveying experience in UK construction.
• A background with a main contractor, or with a subcontractor in groundworks, landscaping, fencing or external works. Experience on both sides is ideal.
• A solid grounding in quantity surveying. Ideally you progressed from Assistant QS under experienced commercial leads.
• A strong working knowledge of JCT contracts.
• Experience running several projects at once, typically £50k – £1m in value.
• Commercial instinct and the confidence to push for entitlement with clients and internal teams.
• A full UK driving licence.

Essential:

QS degree or professional qualification (RICS not essential), and sector experience in fencing, groundworks, landscaping or external works. Fencing experience is not required, and strong main contractor training is valued just as highly.

What’s on offer

• A role you can make your own, with visible impact and direct access to senior leadership.
• A varied portfolio covering commercial, industrial, infrastructure and high-security sectors.
• Long-term career development in a business that is set to grow significantly.