Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor - Data Center Construction

Turnertownsend; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend seeks an experienced Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to act as the key client interface on a large-scale data center program. You will deliver cost management services to ensure on-time delivery within budget, with governance and stakeholder engagement at the forefront.

The role requires 5–7+ years in cost management in mission-critical environments, strong procurement and EVM expertise, and excellent communication to lead and mentor teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or a related field.
• 5-7+ years in cost management/project controls within mission-critical environments (data centers, high-tech) and large complex projects.
• Experience in procurement strategies and the commercial management of contractor/vendor contracts.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain detailed cost plans and estimates through design and delivery phases, leveraging benchmarks and documentation.
• Produce monthly cost reports, executive summaries, and funding data for stakeholders.
• Coordinate all sources of cost information for validation and auditing.
• Lead procurement strategy development, contractor pricing reviews, scope validation, and commercial negotiations.
• Manage final accounts and ensure timely agreement; own change control throughout the lifecycle.
• Support cost risk analysis, scenario planning, contingency management, and commitment tracking.
• Monitor market trends and provide timely cost insights; integrate cost with schedule and scope.

Skills

Client facing

Budgeting

Cost reporting

EVM

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management

RICS accreditation (or progress toward)

Tools

CostX

Primavera

MS Excel

Job description

Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to serve as the key, day-to-day client interface and deliver a value-added cost management service on a large-scale, mission-critical data center program. This role is pivotal in ensuring the project is delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest standards, with strong emphasis on governance, commercial rigor, and stakeholder engagement.

The ideal candidate is comfortable operating in a client-facing environment, communicate clearly, and can work both independently and as part of a collaborative team. In this significant position, you will provide leadership and direction while embedding and promoting the purpose, values, and vision of Turner & Townsend.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain detailed cost plans and estimates through design and delivery phases, leveraging industry benchmarks and technical documentation.
• Produce and present monthly cost reports, executive summaries, and funding data to stakeholders.
• Coordinate all sources of cost information (design teams, GC, subs, vendor quotes) for robust cost validation and auditing.
• Compile built cost records for benchmarking and continuous improvement.
• Lead procurement strategy development, contractor/subcontractor pricing reviews, scope validation, and commercial negotiations to drive fair contract prices.
• Manage final accounts and ensure timely agreement.
• Own change control throughout the lifecycle: review, estimate, negotiate, and reconcile change orders; manage post-contract cost variances.
• Support cost risk analysis, scenario planning, contingency management, and commitment tracking.
• Ensure robust cost control systems, including Earned Value Management (EVM) where applicable.
• Integrate cost with schedule and scope, coordinating closely with project controls/scheduling teams.
• Inform and drive engineering priorities based on cost impact; lead value engineering (VE) initiatives and cost optimization strategies.
• Monitor market trends (escalation, labor availability, material pricing) and provide timely insights.
• Act as the primary client interface, ensuring objectives are met and service excellence is delivered.
• Prepare and present executive-level updates, written comments on GC submissions, and cost estimate updates.
• Ensure adherence to internal Business Management Systems and company delivery methodologies.
• Mentor and coach junior team members; foster a high-performance, one-business culture.
• Demonstrate excellence in financial management (margin tracking, monthly fee/resource forecasts) across commissions.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or a related field.
• 5-7+ years in cost management/project controls within mission-critical environments (data centers, high-tech, industrial) and medium to large projects of moderate to high complexity.
• Construction consultancy experience strongly preferred.
• Solid understanding of MEP systems, resilience requirements, and campus-scale infrastructure common to hyperscale data centers.
• Strong foundation in budgeting, financial reporting, cost control systems, and EVM.
• Expertise in procurement strategies and the commercial management of contractor/vendor contracts.
• RICS accreditation or progress toward certification is advantageous.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solv ing abilities with high attention to detail.
• Proficiency with industry-standard cost management tools and software.
• 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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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.