Associate Director - Cost / Commercial Management

Turner & Townsend; Singapore; On-site; SGD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend is seeking an Associate Director—Cost/Commercial Management to lead cost management on large construction projects. You will oversee budgeting, governance, and delivery with a focus on strategic planning and stakeholder engagement.

Responsibilities include line-management of the cost team, client liaison, and driving commercial outcomes through value engineering and lifecycle costing. A strong leadership track record is essential for success in this role.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in cost management, quantity surveying, construction, or related field.
• Proven leadership and people-management experience.
• Strong communication and client advisory skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead multidisciplinary project teams including clients, consultants, contractors and suppliers.
• Act as the key day-to-day client interface to ensure objectives are met and value-added services delivered.
• Establish cost benchmarks, reporting structures and robust control mechanisms across programs.

Skills

Leadership

Cost management

Project management

Communication

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Cost Management, QS, Construction, Engineering

Master's degree is a plus

Job description

Associate Director - Cost / Commercial Management

• Full-time

Turner & Townsend is a global professional services company with over 22,000 people in more than 60 countries. Working with our clients across real estate, infrastructure, energy and natural resources, we transform together delivering outcomes that improve people’s lives. Working in partnership makes it possible to deliver the world’s most impactful projects and programmes as we turn challenge into opportunity and complexity into success. Our capabilities include programme, project, cost, asset and commercial management, controls and performance, procurement and supply chain, net zero and digital solutions. We are majority‑owned by CBRE Group, Inc., the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, with our partners holding a significant minority interest. Turner & Townsend and CBRE work together to provide clients with the premier programme, project and cost management offering in markets around the world.

As an Associate Director in Cost Management, you will lead the successful delivery of cost management services of construction projects from initiation to completion. You will be responsible for strategic planning, stakeholder management, governance, and execution, ensuring projects meet client expectations, quality standards, and budgetary targets. This role also includes cost oversight, team management and development, and contributing to business growth and innovation.

Key Responsibilities

• Line‑manage the cost management team and develop cost managers through structured guidance, feedback and performance reviews.
• Maintain the highest level of professional integrity and business ethics.
• Foster a collaborative high‑performing team culture that supports continuous learning and professional growth.
• Motivate team members and drive positive client outcomes and meet deadlines in a fast‑paced environment.
• Manage the team’s resources against the business pipeline and projects.
• Conduct interviews for vacant positions in line with the company’s recruitment process and resource requirements.
• Critically analyze, challenge and brainstorm project requirements and deliverables to find creative solutions and alternatives for clients.

Client & Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead multidisciplinary project teams, including clients, consultants, contractors and suppliers.
• Act as the key day‑to‑day client interface ensuring that client objectives are met through the delivery of a value‑added cost management service.
• Facilitate effective communication and collaboration across all stakeholders through structured meetings, reporting and documentation.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure alignment and successful project outcomes.
• Develop and lead cost benchmarks to support the overall project execution strategy, defining critical success factors and key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Establish robust cost reporting structures and control mechanisms.

Project Controls & Reporting

• Act as Commission Manager, taking responsibility for end‑to‑end service delivery for large or complex commissions or multiple commissions.
• Manage estimating and cost planning activities, including ownership of and presentation of final cost plans.
• Ensure the production of monthly post‑contract cost reports and presentation to clients.
• Lead value‑engineering and life‑cycle costing exercises.
• Implement and maintain cost controls mechanisms incorporated into projects’ schedule, cost, risk and change management.

Financial and Risk Management

• Monitor project budgets and financial performance in collaboration with the cost management team.
• Analyze cost drivers, manage variations and report financial progress against budget.
• Lead commercial negotiations and contract administration alongside the cost management team.
• Manage internal risk management procedures and systems, including client care processes and the contract database.
• Review and validate invoice data for accuracy and completeness, coordinating with finance teams to ensure timely submission and approval, and resolve discrepancies.
• Ensure compliance with client billing requirements and internal financial controls.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Cost Management, Quantity Surveying, Construction, Engineering or a related field; master’s degree is a plus.
• Minimum fifteen years of experience in cost management, preferably with a financial institutions background.
• Strong communication and leadership skills with experience in people management.
• Strong business acumen, with the ability to drive outcomes on behalf of clients.
• Experience in client management with proven advisory skills for value management, value engineering and life‑cycle costing.

Turner & Townsend is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.