Data Center Cost Lead - Associate Director & QS

Turnertownsend; Manassas (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend is seeking an Associate Director - Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to lead cost management services for a portfolio of large-scale data center construction projects across Northern Virginia. Based out of Tysons, VA, you will manage client relationships, lead internal teams, and ensure successful delivery across multiple active programs.

The ideal candidate has 8+ years of cost management experience in large-scale construction, with data center or mission-critical project

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or related field.
• Graduate degree preferred.
• 8+ years of experience in cost management within large-scale construction.
• Proven experience leading teams and managing complex, multi-project programs.
• Experience in data center or mission-critical construction strongly preferred.
• Consultancy experience highly preferred.
• SME in Quantity Surveying with RICS certification or equivalent strongly preferred.
• Strong commercial acumen, contract knowledge, and cost control expertise.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead cost management teams and ensure delivery across all accountabilities.
• Interface with clients, stakeholders, and consultants across all project stages.
• Maintain clear and professional communication with clients and project teams.
• Perform quantity surveying, cost control, and change management throughout the project lifecycle.
• Coordinate with contractors, owners, and stakeholders, ensuring alignment within the overall construction process.
• Support strategic and operational delivery of Cost Management and Project Controls services across large-scale programs.
• Act as the primary contact for reporting overall commercial and cost status of projects.
• Drive consistent application of best practices across all phases of delivery.
• Identify and implement improvements to cost management processes and tools.
• Conduct staff performance reviews and set clear team direction and strategy.
• Mentor and develop team members, fostering growth and high performance.
• Ensure excellence in service delivery aligned with commercial and contractual obligations.
• Track financial performance, including margins, forecasting, and resource planning.
• Develop risk mitigation strategies and monitor performance using KPIs and internal controls.
• Implement and maintain internal business systems and delivery methodologies.
• Lead internal and external audit processes related to quality and compliance.
• Develop market insight and contribute to business development and pipeline growth.
• Advise on procurement strategies, contracting approaches, and capital planning.
• Build strong relationships with clients and cross-functional teams.
• Provide leadership updates including project status, staffing, and risk mitigation plans.
• Identify and support business generation and cross-selling opportunities.
• Contribute to proposals and RFP responses for new work.
• Ensure knowledge capture and benchmarking across projects.
• Represent the business at industry and networking events.
• Promote a culture aligned with company values, delivering positive outcomes for clients and stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership

Client-facing

Communication skills

Project management

Cost management

Quantity surveying

Mentoring

Business development

Education

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

Graduate degree preferred

Tools

CostX

MS Project

Excel

Primavera P6

Job description

Turner & Townsend is seeking an Associate Director - Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to lead cost management services for a portfolio of large-scale data center construction projects across Northern Virginia. Based out of Tysons, VA, you will manage client relationships, lead internal teams, and ensure successful delivery across multiple active programs.

The ideal candidate has 8+ years of cost management experience in large-scale construction, with data center or mission-critical project