Senior Quantity Surveyor

Mott MacDonald; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension matching

Life assurance

Income protection

Flexible benefits

Annual bonus

Employee ownership

Private medical insurance

Job summary

Mott MacDonald is recruiting a Senior Quantity Surveyor to lead commercial delivery across defence programmes. You will provide senior guidance on NEC contracts, cost forecasting and governance, while supporting MOD-facing teams and integrated project teams.

The role sits within our Defence-focused APD unit and involves complex, high-value portfolios. You will drive commercial efficiency, lead risk management, and mentor junior staff in a demanding, secure environment with strong governance and

Qualifications

• Degree qualified with MRICS or close to completion.
• Experience delivering commercial management on complex defence programmes.
• Strong cost control, forecasting, and valuation across lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Lead NEC3/NEC4 contracts across defence programmes.
• Provide senior commercial leadership on infrastructure, equipment, and nuclear projects.
• Own cost forecasting, reporting, and governance at project/programme level.
• Lead valuation of works and robust commercial reporting.
• Act as a trusted commercial advisor to clients and stakeholders, including MOD-facing teams.
• Drive value engineering and commercial efficiency across delivery partners.
• Lead on change management, risk mitigation, and contract compliance.
• Mentor and support junior QS staff.
• Ensure compliance with defence assurance, security, and governance processes.

Skills

NEC ECC experience

Cost forecasting

Contract administration

Stakeholder engagement

Microsoft Office

Leadership

Education

MRICS Chartered

Quantity Surveying degree

Tools

CEMAR

Thinkproject Contracts

NEC ECC/PSC

Job description

Location/s: Cambridge, Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth

Recruiter contact: Michael Smith

Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices.

We work across incredible global industries, delivering exciting work that is defining our future and making an important societal impact in the communities we serve. Our people power our performance – we succeed when they do. With countless opportunities to collaborate, learn, and grow, the possibilities for excellence are as varied as every individual.

Whether you want to grow as a subject matter expert or broaden your experience with roles across our international community, you’re surrounded by global specialists who want to combine their expertise and champion you to be your best. As a proudly employee-owned business, we benefit our clients, our communities, and each other, investing in creating the right space for everyone to feel empowered, included, and valued. Whatever your ambition, Mott MacDonald is where people come to be brilliant.

About The Business Unit

Mott MacDonald’s Advisory and Programme Delivery(APD) unit delivers both project, programme & commercial management (PPCM) services and advisory solutions across the built environment, defence, energy, water, environmental, transportation, health and care sectors.

We deliver tailored solutions that directly address our clients’ key challenges, combining our world-leading project expertise with unrivalled programme delivery capabilities and advisory services.

APD delivers services to projects ranging in scale and complexity up to £20bn, through the technical disciplines of programme management, project management, project controls, scheduling, cost management, estimating, infrastructure finance, management consulting, digital consulting and education, health and care management.

Overview of the role

Due to continued growth in our defence portfolio, we are seeking an experienced Senior Quantity Surveyor to join our team.

This is a senior commercial leadership role supporting complex programmes across defence infrastructure, defence equipment delivery, and defence nuclear environments.

You will play a pivotal role in delivering robust commercial strategies, managing risk, and acting as a trusted advisor to defence clients, ensuring value-for-money outcomes across critical national programmes.

Defence Sector Focus

Mott MacDonald’s Advisory and Programme Delivery teams support high-profile defence clients including the MOD, DIO, and strategic delivery partners, working across:

• Estate-wide infrastructure modernisation programmes
• Support to defence equipment programmes and facilities integration
• Specialist defence nuclear infrastructure, including submarine and dockyard facilities
• Complex, multi-year capital investment programmes

Projects are delivered in secure, highly regulated environments requiring strong governance, assurance, and commercial discipline.

The Senior Quantity Surveyor will take a leading role in commercial delivery across defence programmes.

Key responsibilities and duties include

• Lead the administration of NEC3/NEC4 contracts across defence programmes
• Provide senior commercial leadership on infrastructure, equipment, and nuclear-related projects
• Own cost forecasting, reporting, and financial governance at project/programme level
• Lead valuation of works and ensure robust commercial reporting
• Act as a trusted commercial advisor to clients and stakeholders, including MOD-facing teams
• Drive value engineering and commercial efficiency across delivery partners
• Lead on change management, risk mitigation, and contract compliance
• Mentor and support junior QS staff
• Ensure compliance with defence assurance, security, and governance processes

Candidate Specifications

Essential:

• Degree qualified (or equivalent)
• Significant experience in quantity surveying/commercial roles
• NEC ECC accreditation with strong senior-level NEC3/NEC4 experience
• Chartered (MRICS) or close to completion
• Experience delivering commercial management on complex, high-value programmes in regulated environments
• Strong capability in cost control, forecasting, and valuation across lifecycle stages
• Experience managing cashflow, governance, and commercial risk Experience using CEMAR
• Strong stakeholder engagement and leadership capability
• Advanced Microsoft Office capability
• Hands-on NEC ECC/PSC experience

Desirable:

• Experience administering contracts using Thinkproject Contracts
• NEC Project Manager Accreditation
• Experience working within defence environments (infrastructure, equipment, or defence nuclear)
• Experience supporting programme-level commercial delivery
• Experience mentoring or managing junior team members

Please be advised that offers for this role are conditional upon obtaining the appropriate level of Security Clearance.

UK Immigration

Mott MacDonald Ltd. are not currently offering sponsorship to candidates under the Skilled Worker visa route in the UK. This decision is as a consequence of the changes made to the Skilled Worker route by the UK Government in April 2024. We continue to welcome applications from candidates who are eligible for alternative immigration routes in the UK, that do not require sponsorship as a Skilled Worker now or in future.

Agile working

At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team, and personal commitments. We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces your well-being, flexibility, and trust.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

Accessibility

We want you to perform your best at every stage in the recruitment process. If you are disabled or need any support to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us at [e-mail] and we will talk to you about how we can support you.

We offer some fantastic benefits including

Financial wellbeing

• We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
• Life assurance equal up to 4 x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 x your salary.
• Our income protection scheme provides a financial benefit, as well as absence and return to work support due to long-term illness or injury.
• Flexible benefits, including increased life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
• As an independently owned business we share the financial success of the business with all our colleagues in various ways including annual bonus schemes.

Employee Ownership

• Our employee ownership model means no external investors, just us, creating a culture of shared success.
• Our employees have a stake and a voice in our business, giving them a direct connection to our success through our personal and group performance bonuses.
• As your career grows, so does your stake, recognising your long‑term impact and contribution.
• Your voice matters, with the opportunity to connect directly with senior leadership through formal channels to help shape our future.
• For our senior roles you will have a direct pathway towards ownership from day one.

Health and wellbeing

• Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues.
• Health cash plan to support you with every day health costs and treatments.
• Access to Peppy, providing free support from menopause experts for all UK colleagues.
• A variety of wellbeing support is available through our comprehensive wellbeing program, including access for you and your family.
• Ability to flex your salary to opt into a wide range of health benefits, many of which can be extended to your family too.

Lifestyle

• A minimum of 33-35 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme.
• 10 days additional paid leave for Armed Forces Reservists and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers.
• Holiday entitlement increased to a minimum of 35 days after 5 years’ service.
• Variety of employee saving schemes and discounts from high‑street retailers.

Enhanced family and carers leave

• Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
• Our shared parental leave matches maternity leave meaning we pay up to 24 weeks at full pay.
• Up to five additional days leave are provided for those with significant caring responsibilities, two of which are paid.
• We offer policies and dedicated support to help military families balance service life with career and wellbeing.

Learning and development

• Primary annual professional institution subscription.
• A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self-development options.

Networks, communities, and social outcomes

• Join a wide range of groups including our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities.
• We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and Gold Award holders in the MOD Employer Recognition Scheme, supported by our dedicated internal Armed Forces Network.
• Make a difference within our communities through our social outcomes.

Job Details

Location(s): Cambridge, GB Bristol, GB Exeter, GB Plymouth, GB

Contract Type: Permanent

Work Pattern: Full Time

Market: Defence and security

Discipline: Surveying inspection and field services

Job Ref: 15694