Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor - Commercial Construction

Turner & Townsend; Tampa (FL); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend is seeking a Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to lead cost services for commercial real estate projects including TI, interior fit-outs, and ground-up developments. The role requires strong commercial oversight, client-facing skills, and the ability to coordinate across multidisciplinary teams.

Ideal candidates will have 5–7 years of cost management experience, preferably with RICS accreditation, and a proven track record on medium to large-scale CRE projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, cost management, quantity surveying, engineering, or a related construction field.
• Minimum 5-7 years of experience in a cost management or quantity surveying role supporting commercial real estate construction projects (TI, interior fit-out, or ground-up).
• RICS accredited or actively working toward accreditation is preferred.
• Experience supporting cost management on medium to large-scale commercial construction projects.
• Prior QS consultancy experience is strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of construction methodologies, procurement strategies, value engineering, and cost planning within commercial interiors and base building construction.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead estimating and negotiating change orders throughout the construction lifecycle, ensuring alignment between scope, budget, and contract terms.
• Provide comprehensive cost planning and estimating services, including the development, review, and presentation of detailed cost plans at key project milestones.
• Partner with design teams and general contractors to develop, validate, and refine cost estimates, ensuring accuracy and alignment with project objectives.
• Reconcile project changes and proactively review contractor data to ensure completeness, consistency, and commercial accuracy.
• Act as a key liaison with project stakeholders to gather updates, track progress, and support the preparation of cost reports and forecasts.
• Prepare clear written commentary and executive summaries on contractor submissions, highlighting risks, variances, and key decision points.
• Coordinate and consolidate cost inputs from subcontractors, suppliers, and design teams to support informed commercial decision-making.
• Track and manage cost impacts, including contingency utilization, change control processes, and cost variance analysis across multiple workstreams.
• Perform detailed cost checks and valuations on complex projects, ensuring timely and accurate financial reporting.
• Support procurement activities by reviewing contractor and subcontractor pricing, evaluating bids, and leading commercial negotiations.
• Provide input into value engineering and design optimization initiatives to improve cost efficiency while maintaining project intent.
• Produce monthly cost reports, including budget updates, forecasts, and funding analyses for client presentation.
• Ensure cost auditing, validation, and final account closeout processes are executed effectively and in accordance with best practices.
• Maintain and contribute to benchmarking data and cost records to support future project planning and continuous improvement.
• Mentor and support junior team members, fostering development and ensuring consistency in service delivery.
• Manage financial performance across commissions, including fee forecasting, margin tracking, and adherence to internal systems and controls.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.

Skills

Cost management

Quantity surveying

Stakeholder management

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in construction management or related field

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 a Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to support construction cost services for commercial real estate projects, including tenant improvements (TI), interior fit-outs, and ground-up developments. The ideal candidate will be driven and aligned with our purpose and values.

These projects will involve complex, multi-phase developments, including, phased expansions, and renovation of existing facilities within active environments, requiring strong commercial oversight and coordination across diverse stakeholder groups.

To be successful in this role you must have strong communication skills and be comfortable in a client-facing environment. The ideal candidate will be self-motivated, driven, and able to work independently while contributing to a high-performing team.

Responsibilities

• Lead estimating and negotiating change orders throughout the construction lifecycle, ensuring alignment between scope, budget, and contract terms.
• Provide comprehensive cost planning and estimating services, including the development, review, and presentation of detailed cost plans at key project milestones.
• Partner with design teams and general contractors to develop, validate, and refine cost estimates, ensuring accuracy and alignment with project objectives.
• Reconcile project changes and proactively review contractor data to ensure completeness, consistency, and commercial accuracy.
• Act as a key liaison with project stakeholders to gather updates, track progress, and support the preparation of cost reports and forecasts.
• Prepare clear written commentary and executive summaries on contractor submissions, highlighting risks, variances, and key decision points.
• Coordinate and consolidate cost inputs from subcontractors, suppliers, and design teams to support informed commercial decision-making.
• Track and manage cost impacts, including contingency utilization, change control processes, and cost variance analysis across multiple workstreams.
• Perform detailed cost checks and valuations on complex projects, ensuring timely and accurate financial reporting.
• Support procurement activities by reviewing contractor and subcontractor pricing, evaluating bids, and leading commercial negotiations.
• Provide input into value engineering and design optimization initiatives to improve cost efficiency while maintaining project intent.
• Produce monthly cost reports, including budget updates, forecasts, and funding analyses for client presentation.
• Ensure cost auditing, validation, and final account closeout processes are executed effectively and in accordance with best practices.
• Maintain and contribute to benchmarking data and cost records to support future project planning and continuous improvement.
• Mentor and support junior team members, fostering development and ensuring consistency in service delivery.
• Manage financial performance across commissions, including fee forecasting, margin tracking, and adherence to internal systems and controls.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, cost management, quantity surveying, engineering, or a related construction field.
• Minimum 5-7 years of experience in a cost management or quantity surveying role supporting commercial real estate construction projects (TI, interior fit-out, or ground-up).
• RICS accredited or actively working toward accreditation is preferred.
• Experience supporting cost management on medium to large-scale commercial construction projects.
• Prior QS consultancy experience is strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of construction methodologies, procurement strategies, value engineering, and cost planning within commercial interiors and base building construction.
• Excellent communication 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.

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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