Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor – Data Center Construction

Turner & Townsend; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 110,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site presence

Job summary

Turner & Townsend in Chicago seeks a Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to support construction cost services on a large-scale campus development near St. Louis, MO. This greenfield project involves site development and multiple industrial buildings.

The ideal candidate is client-focused, with 3–5 years in cost management, and experience on medium to large projects. Travel to the St. Louis area is required about monthly.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Cost Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in a cost management role within the construction industry.
• Experience supporting medium to large-scale construction projects, including site development and large building programs.
• Construction consultancy experience strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of procurement routes, value management, and value engineering principles.
• Experience supporting pre-contract estimating and post-contract cost control activities.
• Familiarity with cost reporting, budgeting, and change management processes on active construction projects.
• Ability to review contractor pricing, payment applications, and change orders with attention to detail.
• Strong organizational and stakeholder engagement skills.
• RICS accredited or working toward accreditation is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Advise the client on procurement strategies, manage vendor prequalification, assess bids, and lead bid leveling and recommendation processes.
• Manage estimating activities across the full project lifecycle, including developing and reviewing construction cost estimates, presenting to clients, and supporting value engineering and risk assessments.
• Engage with vendors and contractors to review, validate, and challenge pricing using benchmark data.
• Establish and manage cost reporting processes, including forecasts, budget tracking, and commercial risk registers.
• Lead cost control activities, including payment application reviews, change order evaluation, and contract entitlement recommendations.
• Support dispute avoidance and resolution through structured change and cost management processes.
• Manage and monitor invoicing and financial tracking.
• Oversee final accounts, post-contract audits, and project closeout activities.
• Conduct post-project reviews and support lessons learned documentation and process improvements.
• Develop and support project handover procedures.

Skills

Cost management

Procurement strategies

Bid evaluation

Estimating

Budgeting

Change management

Communication

Travel readiness

SOX controls

Education

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Cost Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or related field

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 are seeking a Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to support construction cost services on a large-scale, multi-phase campus development in the St. Louis, MO area. This is a major greenfield project involving extensive site development and the construction of multiple large industrial buildings

The ideal candidate will be driven, client-focused, and aligned with Turner & Townsend’s purpose and values, with experience supporting medium to large-scale construction projects.

Travel Requirement

Candidates must be based in the Chicago, IL area and able to travel to the project site near St. Louis, MO approximately once per month for 2–3 days per trip.

Responsibilities

• Advise the client on procurement strategies, manage vendor prequalification, assess bids, and lead bid leveling and recommendation processes.
• Manage estimating activities across the full project lifecycle, including developing and reviewing construction cost estimates, presenting to clients, and supporting value engineering and risk assessments.
• Engage with vendors and contractors to review, validate, and challenge pricing using benchmark data.
• Establish and manage cost reporting processes, including forecasts, budget tracking, and commercial risk registers.
• Lead cost control activities, including payment application reviews, change order evaluation, and contract entitlement recommendations.
• Support dispute avoidance and resolution through structured change and cost management processes.
• Manage and monitor invoicing and financial tracking.
• Oversee final accounts, post-contract audits, and project closeout activities.
• Conduct post-project reviews and support lessons learned documentation and process improvements.
• Develop and support project handover procedures.
• Utilize cost estimating, take-off, and reporting tools to support project delivery.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.

Qualifications

• Ability to travel to the St. Louis, MO area monthly for a 2–3 day trip.
• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Cost Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in a cost management role within the construction industry.
• Experience supporting medium to large-scale construction projects, including site development and large building programs.
• Construction consultancy experience strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of procurement routes, value management, and value engineering principles.
• Experience supporting pre-contract estimating and post-contract cost control activities.
• Familiarity with cost reporting, budgeting, and change management processes on active construction projects.
• Ability to review contractor pricing, payment applications, and change orders with attention to detail.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple workstreams in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• RICS accredited or working toward accreditation is preferred.

Additional Information

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

The base salary range for this role is $110K-$130K 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.