Cost Manager - Commercial Real Estate Construction

Sccsinternational; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend is seeking a Cost Manager to join its Commercial Real Estate team in California. You will provide cost management services across the project lifecycle, including cost planning, reporting, risk management, and financial control.

The role demands proactive, client-focused collaboration within multidisciplinary teams and adherence to SOX controls where applicable. The position supports a diverse portfolio of construction projects, with responsibilities spanning vendor management,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, cost management, quantity surveying, engineering, or a related field.
• 3–5 years of relevant cost management experience in construction.
• RICS accreditation is valuable or is in progress.
• Experience supporting cost management on medium to large construction projects.
• Construction consultancy experience is strongly preferred.
• Solid knowledge of procurement routes, value management, and value engineering.

Responsibilities

• Advise client on strategies, prequalify vendors, assess proposals, bid leveling, and chair bid interviews.
• Develop project estimates for construction, fees, direct costs, and review junior staff estimates.
• Present estimates to client, provide value engineering and risk assessments.
• Establish cost reporting, budgets, and forecasts, and manage commercial risk registers.
• Oversee cost control, change orders, and payment requisitions with stakeholders.
• Monitor invoicing processes and benchmark performance against others.
• Lead post-contract audits, lessons learned, and training material development.

Skills

Communication skills

Cost management

Risk management

Financial analysis

Education

Bachelors degree in construction management

Tools

Cost estimating software

Bid analysis sheets

Take-off software

Job description

• Full-time

Company 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.

Job Description

Turner & Townsend is seeking a Cost Manager to join our Commercial Real Estate team in California, supporting the successful delivery of a diverse portfolio of construction projects. In this role, you will provide cost management services throughout the project lifecycle, helping clients achieve successful project outcomes through effective cost planning, commercial oversight, risk management, and financial control.

The ideal candidate will be proactive, client-focused, and driven to deliver excellence while promoting Turner & Townsend's purpose, values, and collaborative culture. Strong communication, analytical, and stakeholder management skills are essential, along with the ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively within multidisciplinary project teams.

Responsibilities:

• Advising client on strategies, managing prequalification of vendors, assessing proposals, bids, and bidlevellingdocuments, making final recommendations tothe client, attending & chairing bid interviews, and managing appointment process.
• Manage estimating services for full project by developing project estimates (relating to construction, fees, direct work and other costs), reviewing estimations prepared by junior team members, presenting estimates to client, presenting value engineering recommendations and risk assessments to client, meeting with vendors to review, validate, and challenge costs, and reviewing estimates by utilizing benchmark data collected from other projects.
• Manage cost reporting byestablishingreporting schedule, reviewing & presenting costreportsand forecasts, reviewing project budget & spend forecast withthe client, developing &maintainingcommercial risk register, and hosting periodic meetings with project team & vendors.
• Manage cost control process by reviewing payment application assessments prepared by junior team members, liaising with project managers to recommend contractor entitlements, reviewing requests for change orders from vendors & making recommendations toclient, and using disputeprevention/management/resolution procedures to manage payment requisitions, change orders, and contractual disputes.
• Manage &monitorinvoicing process.
• Benchmark performance against other successful commissions.
• Manage allfacetsof the final accounting process and post contract audits and account close outs.
• Hold post-contract reviews with the client toestablisha lesson learned document and apply lessons to create training manual.
• Develop procedures governing handover ofproject.
• Perform all the duties above through the use/preparation of Bid Analysis Sheets, Change Control Forms, Cost Estimating Software, and Take-off Software.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.

Additional Program Requirements:

• Develop and maintain parametric and hybrid cost models to enable rapid estimating, benchmarking, and scenario analysis.
• Prepare detailed cost estimates and budgets across workplace construction projects, including new builds, remodels, and tenant improvements.
• Lead cost planning efforts, including bid review, procurement strategy, and cost analysis reporting.
• Monitor project costs, manage financial risks, and maintain budget adherence throughout the project lifecycle.
• Leverage historical data, market intelligence, and industry trends to enhance accuracy and scalability of cost outputs.
• Align cost plans with project schedules to manage cash flow, accruals, and forecasting.
• Ensure compliance with client financial policies, contract requirements, and SOX controls where applicable.
• Maintain financial documentation, manage change orders, and provide clear reporting on cost status and risks.
• Support the development of AI-enabled cost modeling tools, including automated estimating and scenario analysis.
• Contribute to scalable cost intelligence platforms integrating design, asset, and market data.
• Identify and implement process improvements that enhance efficiency, standardization, and data-driven delivery.
• Collaborate with technical teams to translate cost management workflows into digital solutions.
• Partner with clients and project teams to align scope, cost, and delivery strategy.
• Provide value engineering and data-driven recommendations to support decision-making.
• Communicate complex cost and risk insights to senior stakeholders with clarity and influence.
• Contribute to enterprise cost strategies, capital planning, and long-range forecasting.
• Mentor team members and drive continuous improvement

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degreein construction management, cost management, quantity surveying,engineeringor field related to construction.
• Minimum3-5years of relevant experience working in a cost management role in the construction industry.
• RICS accredited or working towards itis valuable
• Experiencesupportingcost management on medium orlarge sizedconstruction projects.
• Construction consultancy experience is strongly preferred.
• Goodknowledge of construction industry technical matters, such as different procurement routes, valuemanagement,and value engineering.
• Strongcommunicationskills.

Additional Information

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

The base salary range for this role is $120,000-$150,000 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.

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

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