Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor – Data Center Construction

Turner & Townsend; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend in Phoenix is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to support cost management on a large-scale mission-critical data center program. This client-facing role will lead estimating, procurement, cost control, change management, and commercial management from preconstruction through project completion.

The successful candidate will demonstrate strong communication and stakeholder management, mentor junior team members, and collaborate with cross-functional

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in construction management, cost management, quantity surveying, engineering, or related field.
• Minimum 5-7 years of cost management, quantity surveying, or commercial management experience in construction.
• Experience leading cost management on large, complex projects including procurement, change management, and client reporting.
• RICS accreditation is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Advise clients on procurement and commercial strategies; lead vendor prequalification and bid processes.
• Develop and present cost plans and estimates; review junior work and highlight value engineering opportunities.
• Lead cost reporting, including budgets, forecasts, and risk registers.
• Manage cost control and change management, including payment apps and change orders.
• Mentor junior cost management professionals and coordinate benchmarking data.

Skills

Estimating

Cost planning

Procurement

Change management

Project controls

Leadership

Client-facing communication

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 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.

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 cost management services on a large-scale mission-critical construction program. This client-facing role will serve as a key commercial advisor throughout the project lifecycle, providing leadership in estimating, procurement, cost control, change management, and commercial management from preconstruction through project completion in a fast-paced data center construction environment.

To be successful in this role, you must possess strong communication and stakeholder management skills and be comfortable operating as a trusted advisor to clients and project teams. The ideal candidate will be self-motivated, commercially astute, and capable of leading cost management activities independently while mentoring junior team members and contributing to the continued success of the wider team.

Responsibilities

• Advise clients on procurement and commercial strategies, manage prequalification of vendors, assess proposals, bids, and bid leveling documentation, make recommendations to clients, lead bid interviews, and manage the appointment process.
• Lead estimating services throughout the project lifecycle by developing and presenting cost plans and estimates, reviewing work prepared by junior team members, presenting value engineering opportunities and risk assessments, and validating vendor and contractor pricing against market benchmarks.
• Develop cost plans and estimates through the design phase, delivering updated cost plans at key design milestones.
• Review contractor and subcontractor pricing and lead commercial negotiations on behalf of the client to achieve fair and competitive contract pricing.
• Manage cost reporting by establishing reporting protocols, preparing and presenting cost reports and forecasts, reviewing project budgets and spend forecasts with clients, maintaining commercial risk registers, and facilitating regular cost review meetings.
• Lead cost control and change management processes, including assessment of payment applications, review of change orders, evaluation of contractor entitlements, and management of contractual and commercial issues.
• Participate in and oversee cost auditing, valuation processes, commitment tracking, contingency management, and cost validation activities.
• Coordinate all sources of cost information, including contractor pricing, subcontractor quotations, quantities, and benchmarking data.
• Prepare funding presentations, support value engineering workshops, and provide commercial input into design optioneering activities.
• Produce monthly cost reports and executive-level summaries for client stakeholders.
• Manage and monitor invoicing processes.
• Benchmark project performance against comparable commissions and industry data.
• Lead final account negotiations and ensure account closeout activities are completed in a timely manner.
• Compile and maintain benchmarking and historical cost databases.
• Develop lessons learned documentation, handover procedures, and best practices to support future projects.
• Mentor, coach, and support the development of junior cost management professionals.
• Display excellence in leadership, client service, and delivery performance consistent with Turner & Townsend's values and standards.
• 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 related construction field.
• Minimum 5-7 years of relevant cost management, quantity surveying, or commercial management experience within the construction industry.
• Experience leading cost management services on large, complex commercial, industrial, mission-critical, technology, or data center construction projects.
• Demonstrated experience with estimating, cost planning, procurement, change management, and project controls throughout the project lifecycle.
• Experience reviewing contractor pricing, leading commercial negotiations, and managing client-facing cost reporting processes.
• RICS accredited or working toward accreditation is preferred.
• Construction consultancy experience is strongly preferred.
• Good knowledge of construction industry technical matters, including procurement strategies, value management, value engineering, and commercial management principles.
• Strong leadership, stakeholder management, and client-facing communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while leading and mentoring junior team members.

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 www.heery.com

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

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It is strictly against Turner & Townsend policy for candidates to pay any fee in relation to our recruitment process. No recruitment agency working with Turner & Townsend will ask candidates to pay a fee at any time.

Any unsolicited resumes/CVs submitted through our website or to Turner & Townsend personal e-mail accounts, are considered property of Turner & Townsend and are not subject to payment of agency fees. In order to be an authorised Recruitment Agency/Search Firm for Turner & Townsend, there must be a formal written agreement in place and the agency must be invited, by the Recruitment Team, to submit candidates for review.