Data Center Cost & QS Leader — Associate Director

Turner & Townsend; Reston (VA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend is seeking an Associate Director – Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to lead cost management for major data center projects in Northern Virginia. This client-facing role is based in Tysons, VA, guiding internal teams and delivering high-value cost management across programs.

The candidate should bring a strong leadership background, 8+ years in cost management, and a SME-level CQ with RICS certification.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or related field.
• Graduate degree preferred.
• A minimum 8+ years of experience in cost management within large-scale construction.
• Experience in data center or mission-critical construction strongly preferred.
• SME in Quantity Surveying with RICS certification or equivalent strongly preferred.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Strong leadership experience managing cost management teams and ensuring delivery across all accountabilities.
• Lead 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

Cost management

Communication

Project management

Client relations

Education

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

Graduate degree preferred

RICS certification or equivalent

Job description

Turner & Townsend is seeking an Associate Director – Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to lead cost management for major data center projects in Northern Virginia. This client-facing role is based in Tysons, VA, guiding internal teams and delivering high-value cost management across programs.

The candidate should bring a strong leadership background, 8+ years in cost management, and a SME-level CQ with RICS certification.