Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor - Data Center Construction

Turner & Townsend; Austin (TX); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend is guiding a massive, multi-phase data center project in the Greater Austin area, offering remote flexibility for local professionals with occasional site travel for alignment and milestones.

The Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor will drive cost management, commercial oversight, and financial controls across the project lifecycle, interacting with clients and stakeholders to achieve objectives and deliver value.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Cost Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or related field.
• 5–7 years of cost management experience in construction.
• RICS accreditation preferred.
• Experience leading cost management on medium to large-scale projects.
• Experience in fast-paced, multi-stakeholder environments.

Responsibilities

• Estimating and negotiating change orders throughout the construction lifecycle.
• Prepare cost plans and estimates through the design phase.
• Coordinate cost information with contractors, consultants, and stakeholders.
• Produce monthly cost reports for client presentation.
• Manage post-contract cost variances and change control processes.
• Lead negotiations on pricing with contractors to drive fair pricing.
• Mentor talent and uphold Turner & Townsend values.

Skills

Cost management

Quantity surveying

Stakeholder management

Communication

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Cost Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering

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

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

Job Description

Turner & Townsend is seeking a Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to drive a massive, multi-phase data center construction program in the Greater Austin area. This role offers remote flexibility for local professionals, with occasional travel to the project site for client alignment and key milestones.

The successful candidate will serve as a key day-to-day stakeholder interface, ensuring project objectives are achieved through effective cost management, commercial oversight, and financial controls throughout the project lifecycle.

To be successful in this role you must have excellent communication skills and be comfortable operating in a client-facing environment. The ideal candidate will be self‑motivated, driven, and able to work independently as well as part of a team. In this significant position, you will be responsible for providing leadership and direction while embedding and promoting the purpose, values, and vision of Turner & Townsend.

Responsibilities

• Estimating and negotiating change orders throughout the construction lifecycle.
• Provide estimate and cost planning to include producing and presenting the final cost plan.
• Review and participate with the design services team and contractors in the development of cost estimates for large-scale construction projects.
• Reconcile changes and assist contractors to ensure that their data is accurate.
• Communicate and collaborate with contractors, consultants, and project stakeholders to gather status information and prepare cost estimate updates.
• Prepare written comments to contractor submissions, including executive summaries.
• Coordinate all sources of cost information for cost discussions including contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, quantities from A/Es, and project stakeholders.
• Inform and drive engineering priorities based on cost impact.
• Work proactively with minimal supervision to resolve scheduling issues.
• Manage cost checks and carry out valuations on larger projects. Complete timely, accurate cost checking and valuation processes.
• Participate effectively with post-contract cost variances and change control processes.
• Manage cost impact assessments, contingency management, and commitment tracking logs.
• Prepare funding data presentations and coordinate value engineering sessions with stakeholders.
• Develop cost plans and estimates through the design phase, delivering updated cost plans at appropriate project milestones.
• Provide commercial input to design optioneering and value engineering exercises.
• Review contractor and subcontractor pricing and lead negotiations on behalf of the client to drive fair contract pricing.
• Perform quantity surveying, cost controls, and change management activities throughout the project lifecycle.
• Ensure post-contract cost variances and change control processes are managed effectively.
• Ensure that cost auditing and valuation work is managed effectively and that a robust process for cost validation is in place.
• Produce monthly cost reports for presentation to the client.
• Ensure final accounts are negotiated and agreed upon in a timely manner.
• Compile built cost estimate records and benchmark data for future estimating and planning purposes.
• Identify, coach, and mentor talent to realize their potential and celebrate the success of others.
• Display excellence in leadership and service delivery on commissions in line with conditions of appointment.
• Financial Management: Utilize internal software to track ongoing margin levels and monthly fee/resource forecasts for each commission and financial reports.
• Implement and maintain the use of internal Business Management Systems and company delivery methodologies and tools to ensure consistent delivery of best practices for clients and the company.
• Be a role model that drives a one-business culture that achieves great outcomes by striking the right balance for our people, clients, stakeholders, and society.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role and are to be adhered to where applicable.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Cost Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or a field related to construction.
• Minimum 5-7 years of relevant experience working in a cost management role within the construction industry.
• RICS accredited or working toward accreditation is preferred.
• Experience leading cost management activities on medium to large-scale construction projects of moderate to high complexity.
• Construction consultancy experience is strongly preferred.
• Experience supporting large-scale commercial, industrial, campus, mission critical, manufacturing, or similarly complex construction projects is preferred.
• Good knowledge of construction industry technical matters, including procurement routes, value management, and value engineering.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience working in fast-paced project environments with multiple stakeholders and concurrent construction activities is preferred.

*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.

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Please find out more about us at www.turnerandtownsend.com/ and www.heery.com/