Senior Quantity Surveyor

Colas Ltd; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary £50,000–£60,000 plus CompanyCar

Company Pension up to 10%

Life Assurance x4 salary

25 days annual leave + public holidays

Hybrid working scheme

Support for professional qualification

Employee benefits portal discounts

Job summary

Colas Ltd, a UK subsidiary of Colas Group, seeks an experienced Senior Quantity Surveyor to join the commercial team at the Coleshill depot. You will provide commercial support across the Area 9 Highways Maintenance and Response Contract, ensuring projects are managed effectively and commercially.

You will monitor financial performance, prepare interim and final accounts, manage subcontract packages, and help forecast costs.

Qualifications

• Around five years of post-qualification experience in commercial management.
• Strong knowledge of NEC contracts and cost control.
• Experience administering NEC contracts and managing subcontractors.
• Ability to price and forecast costs and provide practical commercial solutions.
• Excellent communication and leadership to support junior team members.

Responsibilities

• Manage budgets, cost forecasting and financial control across projects.
• Produce commercial reports and advise senior management.
• Oversee subcontract packages, procurement, change management and final accounts.
• Support pricing of new works and pre-contract activities.
• Collaborate with Project Managers, designers and contractors to meet commercial targets.

Skills

Commercial management

Communication

Leadership

Relationship building

Education

BSc in Quantity Surveying

Professional membership pursuit (RICS/CIOB/ICES)

Job description

Colas Ltd are a UK subsidiary of the global Colas Group, which operates in over 50 countries worldwide and employs over 55,000 people including over 1500 in the UK across multiple sites. We are specialists in highways construction and have been involved in large-scale UK and international construction projects within the highways, airfields, and marine sectors as well as offering highways maintenance services and manufacturing our own innovative surfacing products. We hold a 'Gold Investor in People' award for continuously developing and rewarding our employees, offering excellent career potential.

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Purpose of the role

We are looking for an experienced Senior Quantity Surveyor to join our commercial team, you will be based at our Coleshill depot, B46 3HN. You will provide commercial support across the Area 9 Highways Maintenance and Response Contract, working closely with the wider Commercial and Operational teams to ensure projects are managed effectively and commercially. You will provide advice and guidance to the Commercial team, including Quantity Surveyors, Assistant Quantity Surveyors and Trainee Quantity Surveyors, while supporting senior management with accurate and timely commercial reporting. You will play a key role in monitoring financial performance, ensuring costs and value are accurately reconciled and recovered through the appropriate contract mechanisms. You will also support the pricing of new works, manage subcontract packages from procurement through to final account and help ensure that all commercial activities are delivered in line with company governance, policies and procedures.

Main Responsibilities

As a Senior Quantity Surveyor, you will be responsible for managing budgets, cost forecasting and financial control, including monitoring profitability, cash flow, cost and value. You will produce accurate commercial reports and provide clear financial and contractual advice to senior management and project teams, helping to identify risks, opportunities and areas for improvement. A key part of the role will be managing the commercial and contractual aspects of projects and subcontract packages, including procurement, payment mechanisms, change management, final accounts and the resolution of contractual issues. You will identify, record, notify and negotiate changes in accordance with the contract and provide advice on contractual matters, including NEC, FIDIC and JCT forms of contract. You will also support cost planning and pre-contract activities, including reviewing tenders, developing cost plans, analysing rates and understanding the cost implications of labour, plant, materials and subcontractors. You will contribute to the preparation and evaluation of interim and final accounts, compensation events and other contractual or insurance claims. The role will involve working closely with Project Managers, operational teams, client stakeholders, designers, subcontractors and internal departments to ensure commercial requirements are met. You will also support framework quotations and pricing, ensuring these are issued accurately, on time and in line with contract conditions.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will be an experienced Senior Quantity Surveyor with around five years of relevant post-qualification experience and a strong understanding of commercial management within the construction or highways environment. You will ideally hold a BSc in Quantity Surveying or an equivalent commercially related qualification and be working towards, or willing to work towards, professional membership of an organisation such as RICS, CIOB or ICES. You will have excellent knowledge of construction contracts, particularly NEC, alongside strong commercial and financial awareness. Experience in administering NEC contracts, managing subcontractors, pricing and cost control would be highly advantageous. You should be confident analysing complex information, identifying risks and finding practical solutions to commercial challenges. As a senior member of the team, you will need strong communication, leadership and relationship-building skills, with the ability to support, motivate and develop less experienced colleagues. You will be organised, commercially focused and confident working with a range of internal and external stakeholders. A commitment to health and safety, quality, environmental standards, continuous improvement and delivering excellent customer service is also essential. A UK driving licence is required for the role.

Package Description

Here at Colas, we offer a great total compensation package, including:

• A salary between £50,000 and £60,000 (dependent on experience) PLUS Company Car / Car Allowance
• Our Colas Pension Scheme has combined contributions of up to 10%
• Life Assurance Scheme which is x4 basic salary
• 25 days annual leave per year + Public Holidays
• Holiday Purchase & Selling Scheme
• Hybrid Working Scheme (dependent on the role)
• Family-Friendly Benefits, including Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Pay
• Opportunities to study towards a fully funded Professional Qualification
• Ongoing personal / professional development
• Discounts on car leasing, holidays, cinema tickets, restaurants and much more through our online employee benefits portal

At Colas, our culture is guided by four core values: Respect, Commitment, Pioneering, and Sharing. These values shape how we work, collaborate, and grow together. We believe that respect is the foundation of every relationship. By treating others as we wish to be treated, we foster fairness, transparency, and inclusion within our teams and with our clients, communities, and partners. Commitment means dedicating ourselves fully to everything we do. We strive to create an environment where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to make a meaningful impact. With a pioneering spirit, we prioritise bold innovation over blind ambition. We welcome new ideas, invest in our people, and work to deliver sustainable infrastructure solutions that shape the future. Through sharing, we build trust and solidarity, encouraging collaboration and growth at all levels of the business.

Colas Ltd is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that mirrors the communities we serve. As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome applications from all backgrounds. If you want a workplace where your voice is valued and your potential is developed, Colas is the right choice.