Senior Cost Manager - Life Sciences

Turner & Townsend; Allentown (Lehigh County); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to support complex capital construction projects in a research, laboratory, and innovation environment. You will provide comprehensive cost management throughout planning, design, construction, and closeout, interfacing with clients and project teams.

The ideal candidate has strong communication and stakeholder management skills, is self-motivated, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple priorities

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related construction field with 5–7 years cost management experience.
• Experience across laboratory, research, healthcare, or high-complexity projects preferred.
• Ability to prepare cost plans, estimates, cash flows and reports independently.
• Experience reviewing pricing, change orders, and commercial negotiations.

Responsibilities

• Develop cost plans, estimates, and budgets across planning and design phases.
• Review design docs and provide cost advice for informed decisions.
• Prepare and maintain project cost reports, cash flow forecasts and tracking tools.
• Lead cost checking, valuation, and change management through the lifecycle.
• Review contractor pricing, change orders, and proposals for accuracy.
• Support procurement through bid evaluations and commercial reviews.
• Participate in value engineering and cost optimization initiatives.
• Monitor commitments, forecast final costs, and identify commercial risks.
• Coordinate with teams to align scope, schedule, and budget.
• Produce monthly cost reports and present findings to stakeholders.
• Mentor junior team members and support cost validation processes.

Skills

Cost management

Quantity surveying

Construction estimating

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Client liaison

Education

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

RICS accreditation or progress toward chartership

Tools

Cost estimating software

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 programmes as we turn challenge into opportunity and complexity into success.

Our capabilities include programme, 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 programme, project and cost management offering in markets around the world.

Job Description

Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to support the successful delivery of complex capital construction projects within a dynamic research, laboratory, and innovation environment. Acting as a key day-to-day client interface, you will provide comprehensive cost management services throughout the project lifecycle, helping to ensure successful project outcomes from planning and design through construction and closeout.

To be successful in this role, you will possess strong communication and stakeholder management skills and be comfortable operating in a client-facing environment. The ideal candidate will be self-motivated, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple priorities while collaborating effectively with project teams, consultants, contractors, and client stakeholders. In this position, you will provide leadership, technical expertise, and commercial guidance while promoting the values and delivery excellence of Turner & Townsend.

Responsibilities:

• Develop cost plans, estimates, and budgets throughout project planning and design phases.
• Review design documentation and provide cost advice to support informed decision-making.
• Prepare and maintain project cost reports, cash flow forecasts, and budget tracking tools.
• Lead cost checking, valuation, and change management processes throughout the project lifecycle.
• Review contractor and subcontractor pricing, proposals, and change order requests.
• Perform estimate reconciliation and benchmark analysis to validate project costs.
• Support procurement activities through bid evaluations, commercial reviews, and recommendations.
• Participate in value engineering and cost optimization initiatives.
• Monitor project commitments, forecast final costs, and identify potential commercial risks.
• Coordinate with project teams, consultants, and contractors to ensure alignment between scope, schedule, and budget.
• Produce monthly cost reports and present findings to client stakeholders.
• Support cost auditing activities and maintain robust cost validation processes.
• Manage contingency tracking and cost risk management activities.
• Ensure post-contract cost variances and change control processes are effectively managed.
• Negotiate and agree final accounts in a timely manner.
• Maintain cost databases and benchmarking information to support future projects.
• Mentor junior team members and contribute to a collaborative team environment.
• Support financial management of commissions, including resource planning and forecasting.
• Maintain compliance with internal procedures, controls, and delivery methodologies.
• Participate in client meetings and act as a trusted advisor on commercial and cost management matters.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, Engineering, or a related construction field.
• Minimum 5-7 years of cost management, quantity surveying, or construction estimating experience.
• Experience supporting commercial, laboratory, research, pharmaceutical, healthcare, life sciences, higher education, or other technically complex construction projects.
• Experience managing project costs from design through construction closeout.
• Ability to prepare cost plans, estimates, cash flows, and cost reports independently.
• Experience reviewing contractor pricing, change orders, and commercial negotiations.
• Consultancy experience strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of construction procurement strategies, value engineering, and cost control methodologies.
• RICS accreditation or progress toward chartership preferred.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.

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.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.