Senior Executive Quantity Surveyor

publicjobs; Waterford; On-site; EUR 73,000 - 89,000; Full time

Job summary

Waterford City & County Council is seeking a Senior Executive Quantity Surveyor to lead financial management, procurement, contract administration and project delivery for housing developments in Waterford. The role involves governance, bid evaluation, and collaboration with architects, engineers and stakeholders.

The successful candidate will oversee life-cycle costing, tender processes and compliance with national public procurement guidelines while ensuring projects are delivered on time and

Qualifications

• Senior-level quantity surveying experience in housing/public works.
• Strong cost management and project delivery focus.
• Familiarity with public procurement and contract administration.

Responsibilities

• Lead budget estimates, cost plans and life-cycle costing for housing projects.
• Manage cost-control systems to monitor expenditures and final accounts.
• Lead tender evaluation, contract awards and change order negotiations.
• Prepare financial reports and funding applications under relevant frameworks.
• Draft tender docs using Cubit/ARM/ICMS standards and coordinate procurement.

Skills

Quantity surveying

Cost management

Project management

Public procurement

Contract administration

Budgeting

Tools

Cubit

ARM

ICMS

Job description

Job title: Senior Executive Quantity Surveyor

Employer: Waterford City & County Council

Location: Waterford

Closing Date: 3pm, Thursday, 29 October 2026

Salary: Starting from €80,680

About the Employer

Waterford City and County Council (Comhairle Cathrach agus Contae Phort Láirge) is the authority responsible for local government in the City & County of Waterford, Ireland. The organisation came into operation on 1st June 2014 after that year's local elections and is a merger of Waterford City Council and Waterford County Council. The mission of Waterford City & County Council is to make Waterford the best possible place for all its people and for those that wish to live, visit, work or invest here.

There are 32 Elected Members. The 2026 Revenue Budget of the Council is €207 million. At a strategic level, the Council operate through its Corporate Policy Group comprising of the Cathaoirleach of the Council and the Chairs of the local authority’s Strategic Policy Committees. The Chief Executive and the Council’s Management Team play a key role in supporting and advising this policy group. Day to day management of services takes place under the stewardship of the Chief Executive, four Directors of Service and a Head of Finance who collectively comprise the Senior Management Team.

This competition presents an opportunity to compete for the role of Senior Executive Quantity Surveyor.

This Candidate Information Booklet is intended to provide information on the post of Senior Executive Quantity Surveyor, and the selection process and candidates are advised to familiarise themselves with the detailed information in advance of submitting their application.

Waterford City & County Council is committed to a policy of open and fair recruitment in line with good practice, recruitment & selection standards, employment legislation and relevant circulars from the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage.

Candidates should satisfy themselves that they are eligible under the Qualifications to apply for the post of Senior Executive Quantity Surveyor. Where a candidate provides false or misleading information or has deliberately omitted relevant information on their application form this may result in their disqualification from the competition.

About the Role

Waterford City & County Council is seeking to fill a post of Senior Executive Quantity Surveyor. This post is for a full-time position with initial assignment to the Housing Department, based in Waterford City. The Senior Executive Quantity Surveyor (Housing) is a key member of the Council’s multi-disciplinary housing delivery team. The successful candidate will lead the financial management, procurement, contract administration and project management of a diverse works portfolio. This includes new-build social housing construction and the retrofitting of existing housing stock. Reporting to the Senior Architect, the role demands high-level technical expertise to ensure all projects are delivered on time, within budget, and in strict compliance with public procurement and national housing guidelines.

The Senior Executive Quantity Surveyor duties include but are not limited to the following:

The successful candidate will be responsible for providing a full range of quantity surveying, cost management, and project management services from initial inception to final completion on allocated projects. The duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Establish comprehensive budget estimates, cost plans, and life-cycle costing assessments for housing developments and construction projects from initial inception to completion.
• Manage strict cost-control systems to monitor project expenditures, manage contingencies, prevent budget overruns, and report/advise on final accounts.
• Commercially lead projects by evaluating construction valuations, processing interim payment applications, assessing Claims of Entitlement and Quantum, estimating Change Orders, and negotiating final accounts with the supply chain/contractors.
• Prepare detailed financial reports, cost-benefit analyses, and funding applications under the Capital Works Management Framework (CWMF) for internal management and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
• Design procurement strategies and manage/coordinate public procurement competitions for works, frameworks, and consultancy services in line with National Public Procurement Guidelines, the CWMF, and the Public Spending Code.
• Draft comprehensive tender and contract documentation, including instructions to tenderers and pricing documents (Bills of Quantities, Pricing Schedules, and the like) using Cubit (or equivalent) in accordance with ARM and its supplements (Agreed Rules of Measurement), ICMS, or equivalent measurement standards.
• Lead the formal assessment, coordination, financial evaluation, and reporting of tender submissions to recommend contract awards.
• Administer public works contracts (typically GCCC contracts) in accordance with the requirements of the Public Works Forms of Contract, managing change orders, variations, and resolving contractual claims.
• Partake actively in adjudications, conciliations, arbitrations, and dispute resolution processes regarding construction projects.
• Collaborate closely with internal multidisciplinary teams—including architects, engineers, planners, and administrative staff to drive progress, set targets/goals/timeframes, and fast-track the delivery of housing strategies in a timely manner.
• Liaise and build relationships with external stakeholders, government departments, agencies, approved housing bodies (AHBs), and private developers.
• Work within the Part V team to deliver social housing stock through the Part V provision of the Planning and Development Act, which involves interrogating costs presented by developers, engaging/negotiating total project costs, and preparing submissions to the Department for funding.
• Ensure absolute adherence to statutory regulations, building control regulations, health and safety legislation, environmental standards, and national climate action targets by incorporating sustainable design practices and energy-efficiency measures into project cost modelling.
• Supervise, mentor, motivate, and develop executive-level and assistant staff, technicians, or divisions by fostering good employee/management relations to ensure the division carries out its functions effectively and efficiently.
• Manage external specialist consultants and cost managers to ensure strict performance against service-level agreements.
• Undertake the role of Project Manager on specific projects when required.
• Represent the Housing Department at regional meetings, council committees, and public information briefings.
• Participate in ongoing personal and professional development.
• Deputise for designated person(s) and undertake any alternative tasks or duties assigned by designated person(s) as required.

The closing date for receipt of completed applications is 3pm on Thursday, 29 October, 2026.

We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and encourage applications under all nine grounds of the Employment Equality Act.