Senior Quantity Surveyor

JAM Recruitment Ltd; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave 26 days

Pension scheme

Health & wellbeing benefits

Hybrid working

Job summary

Thames Water is seeking a Senior Quantity Surveyor in Reading to lead a team of surveyors and provide commercial assurance on major contracts. You will advise delivery teams on contractual matters, challenge tenders, and ensure timely payments, focused on value for money and compliance.

You should have a degree in Quantity Surveying with extensive portfolio experience, plus strong communication and stakeholder management. Hybrid working, competitive package and benefits are offered.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience commercially managing a portfolio of projects.
• Recent experience managing a QS team.
• Degree in Quantity Surveying or equivalent.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Negotiation and dispute resolution experience.
• Knowledge of water regulation (OFWAT).
• Understanding risks in project delivery.
• Self-starter, resilient under pressure.
• Full UK driving license with transport.

Responsibilities

• Provide commercial assurance across major projects and programmes.
• Advise delivery teams on contract matters and tenders.
• Lead and manage the QS team and budget optimisation.
• Challenging project tenders and ensuring timely payments.
• Audit project accounts and monitor contractual compliance.
• Support resolution of claims and changes to contracts.
• Collect data on contracts and support management.

Skills

Commercial management

Team management

Communication

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Dispute resolution

Water regulation OFWAT

Risk management

Driving license

Education

Quantity Surveying degree

Job description

Based in Reading, this full-time Senior Quantity Surveyor role with Pertemps Thames Water offers a competitive salary between £65,000 and £75,000, dependent on experience. You will lead a team of surveyors, providing commercial assurance across major project contracts. Responsibilities include advising delivery teams on contractual matters, challenging tenders, and ensuring timely payments. The portfolio features schemes valued from £25,000 up to £200 million, offering considerable variety. Your focus will be on securing value for money while maintaining strict compliance. This position suits a professional adept at team management and commercial strategy within large-scale infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Providing Commercial Assurance of Major Projects and Programmes Contracts.
• Providing Contractual advice and support to Delivery Teams.
• Management of Team Members.
• Accountable for ensuring that the team carries out the following.
• Challenging and agreeing on Project Tenders
• Ensuring that payments are made on time and in accordance with the Contract
• Assessing the Quantum of Change and/or Extension of Time
• Data Collection of Projects
• Auditing and agreeing on Project Accounts
• Ensuring that appropriate processes are in place and monitored for your Delivery Area to ensure that Contractual Compliance is maintained and advising stakeholders if any non-performance is identified and corrective actions implemented as necessary.
• Advising and supporting the management and optimisation of budgets and spending on the portfolio of Projects.
• Data Collection of the relevant Contracts on the assigned portfolio.
• Supporting the Principal and Managing Quantity Surveyor with the resolution of Claims as necessary.

What you should bring to the role

• Have extensive experience in commercially managing a portfolio of projects, both pre- and post-contract.
• Have recent experience in managing a QS Team.
• Hold a degree in Quantity Surveying or equivalent.
• Have strong Communication and Stakeholder Management skills.
• Be confident in negotiation and have applied dispute resolution skills.
• Knowledge of water regulation. (incl. OFWAT Price Review methodology)
• Knowledge of Risks associated with the delivery of projects and contracts.
• Self-starter, resilient and tenacious under pressure.
• Hold a full UK Driving license and have your own transport.

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary from £65,000 to £75,000 per annum, depending on experience.
• Annual Leave - 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service (plus bank holidays)
• Performance-related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets.
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON.
• Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you and your family’s health and wellbeing, and your finances – from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling, to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance.
• Find out more about our benefits and perks (Please note different T&Cs apply if on secondment).

Location & Working Arrangements

• Base Location: Reading – Hybrid. Maple Lodge – Hybrid.
• Working Pattern or hours: 36 hours

Who are we?

We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people, and the planet to thrive. It’s a big job, and we’ve got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come. Learn more about our purpose and values.

Why choose us?

We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else, just let us know, we’re here to help and support. When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about our business and meet colleagues.

Working at Thames Water

Thames Water is a unique, rewarding, and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you’ll enjoy meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits. If you’re looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people’s lives while helping to protect the world of water for future generations, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region, and our planet. Real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family.