Houston Senior Cost Manager – Heavy Civil & Infrastructure

Turner & Townsend; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend in Houston seeks a Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to lead cost management across a diverse heavy civil and infrastructure portfolio. You will oversee estimating, cost planning, procurement support, change management, forecasting and commercial administration for multiple clients and programs.

The role requires client focus, collaboration, and the ability to work in complex project environments while coordinating with engineers, contractors and stakeholders to deliver

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Civil Engineering, Cost Management, or a related field.
• 6-8+ years of experience in construction cost management, quantity surveying, estimating, or commercial management.
• Experience supporting medium to large-scale heavy civil and infrastructure projects, including transportation, roadway, bridge, utility, drainage, water/wastewater, site development, or related civil works.
• Strong experience preparing and reviewing estimates, cost plans, forecasts, change orders, and contractor pricing.
• Experience managing cost controls throughout design and construction phases.Ability to interpret drawings, specifications, schedules, and contract documents.
• Construction consulting, owner's representative, engineering consulting, or infrastructure program management experience is strongly preferred.
• RICS accreditation or progress toward accreditation is preferred.
• CCP, CEP, PMP, or other relevant professional certifications are advantageous.
• Strong understanding of procurement strategies, commercial management, value engineering, and industry best practices.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Advise clients on project cost and commercial strategies throughout planning, design, procurement, construction, and closeout phases.
• Manage estimating services, including developing project estimates, validating contractor pricing, reviewing estimates prepared by project teams, and presenting recommendations to clients.
• Support procurement activities, including vendor prequalification, bid analysis, bid leveling, commercial evaluations, and contract award recommendations.
• Develop and maintain project cost plans, budgets, forecasts, and cash flow projections.
• Manage cost reporting processes, including preparation and presentation of cost reports, budget updates, contingency analyses, and forecasts.
• Monitor project expenditures against approved budgets and identify potential cost risks and opportunities.
• Review and evaluate payment applications, change orders, claims, and contractor requests for additional compensation.
• Maintain commercial risk registers and support mitigation strategies to minimize project impacts.
• Coordinate with clients, engineers, contractors, and project stakeholders to gather project information and support informed decision making.
• Perform cost validation, benchmarking, quantity reviews, and estimate comparisons using industry data and project experience.
• Support value engineering initiatives and identify opportunities for cost savings and improved project outcomes.
• Manage post-contract cost control processes, including change management, cost audits, final account negotiations, and project closeout activities.
• Prepare executive summaries, presentations, and project cost analyses for client review.
• Mentor junior team members and contribute to the development of best practices across project teams.
• Utilize cost estimating, project controls, and reporting systems to support project delivery.

Job description

Turner & Townsend in Houston seeks a Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to lead cost management across a diverse heavy civil and infrastructure portfolio. You will oversee estimating, cost planning, procurement support, change management, forecasting and commercial administration for multiple clients and programs.

The role requires client focus, collaboration, and the ability to work in complex project environments while coordinating with engineers, contractors and stakeholders to deliver