Associate Director, Cost Management (MEP)

Turner & Townsend; Singapore; On-site; SGD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A global professional services firm in Singapore seeks an experienced Associate Director in Cost Management. This role involves leading cost management services for construction projects, ensuring strategic planning and stakeholder engagement while managing a high-performing team. The ideal candidate should possess a Bachelor's degree, a minimum of 10 years' experience in cost management, and strong leadership skills to drive business growth and client satisfaction. Expertise in D365 and proficiency in local language is also required.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years’ experience in cost management or construction projects.
• Strong communication and leadership skills with experience in people management.
• Native-level proficiency in local language; Business-level proficiency in English.

Responsibilities

• Lead the successful delivery of cost management services from initiation to completion.
• Develop and lead cost benchmarks and establish robust cost reporting structures.
• Monitor project budgets and financial performance in collaboration with the team.

Skills

Team Leadership

Client Management

Communication Skills

Business Acumen

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Cost Management or related field

Master’s degree (a plus)

Tools

D365

Job description

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.

Please visit our website: www.turnerandtownsend.com

Job Description

Role Overview

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

• Team Leadership & Development
  • To take line management responsibilities and develop cost managers and team members through structured guidance, feedback, and performance reviews.
  • Hold the highest level of professional integrity and business ethics.
  • Foster a collaborative and high‑performing team culture that supports continuous learning and professional growth.
  • Motivate team members, and drive towards positive client outcomes and meet deadlines in a fast‑paced environment.
  • Responsible to manage the team’s resource against the business pipeline and projects.
  • Conduct interviews for vacant positions in line with the company’s recruitment process and resource requirements.
  • Critically analyse, challenge and brainstorm project requirements and deliverables, in order to find creative solutions and alternatives on behalf of clients.
• Client & Stakeholder Engagement
  • Lead multidisciplinary project teams including clients, consultants, contractors, and suppliers.
  • To 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.
• Project Strategy & Planning
  • Develop and lead cost benchmarks to support the overall project execution strategy, defining critical success factors and key performance indicators.
  • Critically analyse, challenge and brainstorm project requirements and deliverables, in order to find creative solutions and alternatives on behalf of clients.
  • Establish robust cost reporting structures and control mechanisms.
• Project Controls & Reporting
  • Act as Commission Manager, taking responsibility for end‑to‑end service delivery, often with respect to large or complex commissions or multiple commissions.
  • Managing estimating and cost planning activities to include taking ownership of and presenting the final revisions of cost plans.
  • Ensuring the production of monthly post‑contract cost reports and presenting them to the client.
  • Leading value engineering and life cycle costing exercise.
  • 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 cost management team.
  • Analyze cost drivers, manage variations, and report financial progress against budget.
  • Lead commercial negotiations and contract administration on projects alongside the cost management team.
  • Responsible for managing internal risk management procedures and systems, including client care processes and the contract database.
• Invoicing & Payment Process
  • Manage invoicing processes using D365, including:
    • Reviewing and validating invoice data for accuracy and completeness.
    • Coordinating with finance teams to ensure timely submission and approval.
    • Tracking invoice status and resolving discrepancies.
    • Ensuring compliance with client billing requirements and internal financial controls.
• Business Development
  • Contribute to business development initiatives, including proposal writing, client presentations, and market engagement to support growth and positioning.
  • Collaborate with internal teams to identify new opportunities, develop tailored solutions, and respond to client needs with agility and insight.
  • Demonstrate strategic thinking and commercial awareness in identifying trends, client priorities, and competitive differentiators.
  • Capture and share lessons learned, benchmarking data, and best practices to drive continuous improvement across projects and teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Cost Management, Quantity Surveying, Construction, Engineering, or a related field; Master’s degree is a plus.
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in cost management or construction projects (e.g. cost manager, construction manager, procurement, project manager, vendor, consultant etc.).
• Strong communication and leadership skills with experience in people management.
• Strong business acumen, with the ability to drive outcomes on behalf of clients, develop new business, leverage current opportunities, and coordinate with construction and design teams to meet deadlines and deliverables.
• Experience in client management with solid experience in client facing environment that requires incumbent to utilise critical business development skills and advisory skills to enhance project delivery on value management, value engineering, and life cycle costing.
• Native‑level proficiency in (local language), Business‑level proficiency in English.

Additional Information

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