Associate Director - Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor - Data Center Construction

Turner & Townsend; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 165,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend in Seattle is seeking an experienced Associate Director – Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to lead cost management on a large-scale data center program. This client-facing role requires delivering strategic leadership, managing stakeholders, and ensuring robust commercial governance across the project lifecycle.

Hybrid work includes three days in Seattle and remote days. Ideal candidates bring 8–12+ years in cost management, expertise in budgeting, EVM, procurement, and strong

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, or Engineering; graduate degree preferred.
• 8–12+ years in cost management or project controls in construction.
• Proven experience in construction consultancy and client-facing delivery.
• Strong understanding of MEP systems and campus-scale infrastructure.
• Budgeting, financial reporting, cost control, EVM, and procurement.
• Proficiency with CostX, Oracle, Excel, Primavera.
• RICS accreditation or progress toward certification desirable.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management.
• Strong analytical, organized, able to manage multiple priorities under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end cost management across all project phases for hyperscale data centers.
• Develop and maintain detailed cost plans, estimates, and forecasts.
• Manage change control: review change orders, post-contract variances, governance.
• Oversee contractor pricing reviews and procurement strategy development.
• Coordinate with scheduling teams to integrate forecasts with timelines.
• Prepare monthly cost reports and executive summaries for stakeholders.
• Interface with clients, vendors, and project teams; build relationships.
• Conduct cost risk analysis, scenario planning, and market pricing insights.
• Drive cost optimization and value engineering to reduce lifecycle costs.
• Set KPIs and prepare presentations for senior leadership.
• Manage financial performance using internal systems; SOX controls may apply.

Skills

Cost management

Client-facing

Leadership

Communication

Stakeholder management

Budgeting

Earned Value Management

Procurement strategies

Negotiation

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, Engineering

Tools

CostX

Oracle

Excel

Primavera

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 programs as we turn challenge into opportunity and complexity into success.

Our capabilities include program, 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 program, project and cost management offering in markets around the world.

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 programs as we turn challenge into opportunity and complexity into success.

Our capabilities include program, 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 program, project and cost management offering in markets around the world.

Job Description

Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Associate Director – Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to join our team and provide expert cost management services on a large-scale, mission-critical data center program.

This is a client-facing leadership role requiring exceptional communication skills and the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.

In this significant position, you will provide strategic leadership and direction, ensuring successful delivery of cost management services while embedding and promoting Turner & Townsend’s purpose, values, and vision. You will manage both internal and external stakeholders, driving collaboration and accountability across the project lifecycle.

This position offers a hybrid work arrangement, with three days per week in our Seattle office and remote flexibility for the remaining days.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end cost management across all project phases, ensuring alignment with scope, budget, and schedule for hyperscale data center programs and other sectors.
• Develop and maintain detailed cost plans, estimates, and forecasts using industry benchmarks and technical documentation.
• Manage change control: review and negotiate change orders, track post-contract variances, and ensure robust commercial governance.
• Oversee contractor and subcontractor pricing reviews, scope validation, and procurement strategy development; advise on contracting and procurement approaches and support program-level capital planning.
• Coordinate closely with scheduling teams to integrate cost forecasts with project timelines and milestones.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for commercial status reporting; produce and present monthly cost reports, executive summaries, and financial updates to stakeholders.
• Take a lead role interfacing with clients, stakeholders, and consultants at all project stages; maintain excellent communication and build strong relationships with clients, vendors, and project teams.
• Drive cost risk analysis, scenario planning, and sensitivity testing; monitor market trends and provide insights on escalation, labor availability, and material pricing.
• Develop strategies for cost optimization and value engineering to enhance outcomes and reduce lifecycle costs.
• Set and track performance via KPIs and critical success factors; prepare and deliver presentations to senior leadership.
• Manage financial performance using internal systems to track margins, forecasts, and reporting; implement and maintain Business Management Systems (BMS) and company delivery methodologies to ensure best practice.
• Identify opportunities to improve cost management processes, templates, and tools; champion knowledge management by capturing lessons learned and key data.
• Provide strong leadership with a clear strategy and ambition for the team; mentor and develop junior staff, conduct performance reviews, and foster a high-performance, collaborative culture.
• Act as a brand ambassador; develop market understanding, build a pipeline of opportunities, and identify cross-selling and business generation opportunities.
• Participate in proposals/RFP responses and attend networking events to expand market presence and relationships.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, Engineering, or a related field; graduate degree preferred.
• 8–12+ years of experience in cost management or project controls within the construction industry, ideally on large-scale, mission-critical projects (e.g., data centers, high-tech, industrial).
• Proven experience in construction consultancy and client-facing delivery.
• Strong understanding of MEP systems, resilience requirements, and campus-scale infrastructure.
• Expertise in budgeting, financial reporting, cost control systems, Earned Value Management (EVM), and procurement strategies.
• Proficiency with industry-standard cost management tools and software (e.g., CostX, Oracle, Excel, Primavera).
• RICS accreditation or equivalent certification (or progress toward certification) highly desirable.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, highly organized, and able to manage multiple priorities under pressure.

Additional Information

*On-site presence and requirements may change depending on our client's needs.

The salary range for this role is $165K-$185 USD. This range reflects the company's good faith estimate of the base salary for this position at the time of the posting. Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, skills, qualifications, and internal equity. In addition to base salary, employees may be eligible for bonuses and a comprehensive benefits package.

Our inspired people share our vision and mission. We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change.

We want our people to succeed both in work and life. To support this we promote a healthy, productive and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance.

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.

Please find out more about us at www.turnerandtownsend.com/ and https://www.heery.com/

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

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It is strictly against Turner & Townsend policy for candidates to pay any fee in relation to our recruitment process. No recruitment agency working with Turner & Townsend will ask candidates to pay a fee at any time.

Any unsolicited resumes/CVs submitted through our website or to Turner & Townsend personal e-mail accounts, are considered property of Turner & Townsend and are not subject to payment of agency fees. In order to be an authorised Recruitment Agency/Search Firm for Turner & Townsend, there must be a formal written agreement in place and the agency must be invited, by the Recruitment Team, to submit candidates for review.