Senior Cost Manager

Savills Middle East; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 420,000 - 660,000; Full time

Job summary

Savills Middle East is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager to lead project cost control and the commercial workstream for assignments in Saudi Arabia. The role focuses on protecting the client’s financial and contractual position from mobilisation through final account, with senior guidance on payments, changes, claims, forecasting, procurement and risk across multiple packages.

The candidate will establish cost management procedures, review interim payments, and lead variations, final

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management, Civil Engineering or related discipline.
• 8+ years of relevant cost and commercial management experience, including major projects in KSA/GCC.
• Chartered status with RICS/CIOB or equivalent preferred.
• Strong knowledge of measurement, valuations, change control, claims and final accounts.

Responsibilities

• Lead project cost control, commercial governance, reporting and coordination with client, management and site teams.
• Establish cost management procedures, change-control protocols and commercial registers.
• Review and recommend interim payment applications based on progress and entitlement.
• Lead assessment, negotiation and recommendation of variations, claims and settlements.
• Prepare cost reports, accruals, cash-flow forecasts and final cost risk allowances.
• Provide contractual/commercial advice including notices, delays and extension-of-time matters.
• Review quotations, rates, build-ups and supporting records; challenge non-compliant submissions.
• Support procurement, tender evaluations, clarifications, negotiations and awards.
• Manage final measurement, close-out of changes and final accounts with documentation.
• Lead and mentor cost managers; ensure auditable records.
• Present dashboards/recommendations to senior client stakeholders.

Skills

Cost management

Commercial management

KSA market experience

Advanced Excel

Stakeholder communication

Education

Quantity Surveying

Civil Engineering

Commercial Management

Tools

Excel

Cost systems

MS Office

Job description

The Role

Lead the project cost management and commercial workstream, protecting the client’s financial and contractual position from mobilisation through final account. The role will provide senior advice on payments, change, claims, forecasting, procurement and commercial risk across multiple work packages.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead project cost control, commercial governance, reporting and coordination with the client, project management and site supervision teams.
• Establish cost management procedures, change-control protocols, payment workflows, reporting templates and commercial registers.
• Review and recommend interim payment applications based on verified progress and contractual entitlement.
• Lead the assessment, negotiation and recommendation of variations, claims, provisional sums and commercial settlements.
• Prepare and maintain cost reports, commitments, accruals, cash-flow forecasts, anticipated final cost and risk/opportunity allowances.
• Provide contractual and commercial advice, including support on notices, delay events, extension-of-time matters and dispute avoidance.
• Review contractor quotations, rates, build-ups, quantities and supporting records; challenge unsupported or non-compliant submissions.
• Support procurement, tender evaluations, commercial clarifications, negotiations and award recommendations where required.
• Manage final measurement, close-out of changes and agreement of final accounts with complete supporting documentation.
• Lead and mentor cost managers, allocate workload and ensure consistent, auditable commercial records.
• Present concise commercial dashboards and recommendations to senior client stakeholders.

Skills, Knowledge And Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management, Civil Engineering or a related discipline.

• Typically 8+ years of relevant cost and commercial management experience, including major projects in KSA or the GCC.
• Chartered status with RICS, CIOB or an equivalent recognised professional body is strongly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of measurement, valuations, change control, claims, final accounts and procurement.
• Working knowledge of FIDIC-based contracts and KSA construction market practices.
• Advanced Excel and cost-reporting capability; experience with enterprise cost systems is advantageous.
• Excellent written and spoken English, strong reporting and stakeholder communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and relevant project systems.
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary, fast-paced consultancy environment in KSA.
• High standards of integrity, confidentiality, organisation and attention to detail.

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