Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor – Data Center Construction

Turner & Townsend; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend is looking for an experienced Senior Cost Manager in St. Louis, MO, to lead the delivery of cost management services on major data center projects. This role requires strong communication and analytical skills as well as a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.

The successful candidate will oversee client relations, manage procurement strategies, and ensure robust cost validation throughout project delivery. Candidates should have at least 6-7 years of relevant experience, particularly in complex projects.

Qualifications

• 6-7 years of cost management or project controls experience.
• Data center or mission-critical project experience preferred.
• Strong knowledge of procurement and commercial management.

Responsibilities

• Act as the day-to-day client interface for cost management.
• Prepare and present executive summaries and recommendations.
• Manage change orders and track approvals.

Skills

Cost management

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Negotiation skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or related field

Tools

Cost control systems

Job description

Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor – Data Center Construction

Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to act as the day‑to‑day client interface and lead delivery of a value‑added cost management service on a large, multi‑phase data center development program. You will drive cost planning, change management, procurement support, and governance, ensuring commercial rigor across multiple phases and packages.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the key, day‑to‑day client interface; ensure client objectives are met through best‑in‑class cost management.
• Lead scope delivery for assigned phases/packages; coordinate with designers, GC/CM, and trade partners.
• Prepare and present clear written and verbal updates, executive summaries, and recommendations.
• Develop estimates and cost plans through design, presenting updates at each design milestone.
• Review and reconcile estimates with the GC/CM and design team; validate quantities and scope alignment.
• Provide commercial input to design optioneering and value engineering; inform engineering priorities based on cost and constructability.
• Support procurement strategy and contract administration; review contractor/subcontractor pricing.
• Lead or assist price negotiations to drive fair and competitive contract values.
• Provide independent cost/market inputs using internal benchmarks and supplier intelligence.
• Manage change orders end‑to‑end: evaluate, negotiate, and track through approval.
• Maintain commitment tracking, contingency management, trend analysis, and risk registers.
• Ensure robust cost validation, auditing, and change control processes throughout delivery.
• Produce timely monthly cost reports, forecasts, cash flows, and variance analyses.
• Coordinate funding data, develop executive‑level summaries, and facilitate VE/risk sessions.
• Implement and maintain Turner & Townsend Business Management Systems (BMS) and delivery tools; comply with SOX controls where applicable.
• Mentor and coach junior team members; model T&T purpose, values, and service excellence.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of internal tools, templates, benchmarks, and best practices.
• Support account growth and cross‑selling through strong stakeholder relationships.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.

Qualifications

• Ability to work onsite 3 times per week in the St. Louis, MO area.
• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or related field (advanced degree a plus).
• A minimum of 6-7 years of cost management or project controls experience, including leading cost deliverables on medium‑to‑large, complex projects.
• Data center or mission‑critical/industrial project experience strongly preferred.
• Consultancy experience preferred; strong knowledge of procurement, commercial management, contracts, change, and risk.
• Demonstrated expertise in estimating, cost planning, budgeting, reporting, and cost control systems.
• RICS accreditation (or working toward it) strongly preferred.
• Excellent client‑facing communication and negotiation skills; ability to influence stakeholders.
• Strong analytical skills with high attention to detail; proficiency with industry‑standard cost tools.
• Note: On‑site presence and requirements may change depending on our client's needs.

Equal Opportunity

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.