Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor - Data Center Construction

Turner & Townsend; Richmond (VA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend in Richmond, VA is seeking a Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to support cost planning, budgeting, and financial control on a hyperscale data center program. You will work with design teams, contractors, and vendors to validate cost estimates and manage cost throughout the project lifecycle.

The role requires strong communication, client-facing skills, and experience with cost management in large-scale environments; SOX controls may apply.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or a related field.
• 3–5+ years of experience in cost management or project controls in large-scale environments (e.g., data centers).
• Experience in construction consultancy is preferred.
• Solid understanding of estimating, budgeting, financial reporting, and cost control systems.
• Familiarity with procurement strategies and contract management.

Responsibilities

• Support cost management across all project phases, ensuring alignment with scope, budget, and schedule.
• Prepare and maintain detailed cost plans and estimates using industry benchmarks and documentation.
• Assist in producing monthly cost reports, executive summaries, and financial updates for stakeholders.
• Help manage change control processes, including review of change orders and cost variances.
• Collaborate with design teams, general contractors, and vendors to validate cost estimates and perform quantity surveying.
• Contribute to cost risk analysis and scenario planning for multi-phase programs.
• Monitor market trends and provide input on escalation and material pricing.
• Assist in developing strategies for cost optimization and value engineering.
• Coordinate with scheduling teams to align cost forecasts with project timelines.

Skills

Communication

Client-facing

Cost management

Budgeting

Estimating

Financial reporting

Cost control systems

Procurement strategies

Team collaboration

Education

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

Tools

Cost management software

Job description

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 seeking a Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to support cost management on a large-scale, mission-critical hyperscale data center construction program. In this role, you will assist with cost planning, budgeting, and financial control throughout the project lifecycle, helping ensure delivery on time and within budget.

To be successful in this role you must have great communication skills and be comfortable operating in a client-facing role.

Responsibilities

• Support cost management across all project phases, ensuring alignment with scope, budget, and schedule.
• Prepare and maintain detailed cost plans and estimates, leveraging industry benchmarks and technical documentation.
• Assist in producing monthly cost reports, executive summaries, and financial updates for stakeholders.
• Help manage change control processes, including review of change orders and cost variances.
• Participate in contractor and subcontractor pricing reviews, scope validation, and procurement strategy development.
• Collaborate with design teams, general contractors, and vendors to validate cost estimates and perform quantity surveying.
• Contribute to cost risk analysis and scenario planning for multi-phase programs.
• Monitor market trends and provide input on escalation, labor availability, and material pricing.
• Assist in developing strategies for cost optimization and value engineering.
• Coordinate with scheduling teams to align cost forecasts with project timelines.
• Support continuous improvement in cost management practices and standardization.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with clients, vendors, and project teams.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or a related field.
• 3–5+ years of experience in cost management or project controls, ideally within large-scale, mission-critical environments (e.g., data centers, high-tech, industrial).
• Experience in construction consultancy is preferred.
• Solid understanding of estimating, budgeting, financial reporting, and cost control systems.
• Familiarity with procurement strategies and commercial management of contractor/vendor contracts.
• Progress toward RICS accreditation is advantageous.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills.
• Analytical and problem-solving abilities with attention to detail.
• Proficiency in industry-standard cost management tools and software.

Additional Information

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

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.