Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor – Data Center Construction

Turner & Townsend; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to support a large multi‑phase hyperscale data center near St. Louis, MO. You will lead cost planning, procurement strategy, and commercial governance across multiple workstreams, ensuring accuracy and rigor.

The ideal candidate has 6–7 years in cost management on complex projects, data center or mission‑critical experience, and strong client‑facing skills. On‑site presence required 3x per week in St. Louis, MO.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or related field.
• 6–7 years of cost management / project controls experience on medium to large projects.
• Data center or mission-critical/industrial project experience preferred.
• Consultancy experience and knowledge of procurement, contracts, change and risk preferred.
• RICS accreditation preferred or working toward it.

Responsibilities

• Lead cost management delivery for multi‑phase data center projects.
• Develop estimates and cost plans through design milestones.
• Manage change orders end‑to‑end and maintain risk registers.
• Provide commercial input to design optioneering and value engineering.
• Produce monthly cost reports, forecasts, cash flows and variance analyses.
• Mentor and coach junior team members; ensure client satisfaction.
• Coordinate with designers, GC/CM and trade partners; oversee procurement.
• Ensure SOX controls where applicable; support account growth and cross‑selling.

Skills

Client-facing communication

Negotiation

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Cost management

Education

Bachelors in Construction Management / Quantity Surveying / Engineering

RICS accreditation (preferred)

Tools

Cost estimation tools

Job description

Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor – Data Center Construction

• Full-time

Turner & Townsend is a global professional services company with over22,000 peoplein more than 60 countries.

Working with our clients across real estate, infrastructure,energyand 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 includeprogramme, 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 estateservicesand investment firm, with our partners holding a significant minority interest. Turner & Townsend and CBRE work together to provide clients with the premierprogramme, project and cost management offering in markets around the world.

Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to support a large-scale, multi-phase hyperscale data center program near St. Louis, MO.

In this role, you will serve as a key day‑to‑day client interface, leading the delivery of high-value cost management services across a complex, multi-phase data center development. You will be responsible for driving cost planning, procurement strategy, change management, and commercial governance, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and rigor across multiple workstreams and packages.

The ideal candidate is a confident, client-facing professional with strong communication skills, a proactive mindset, and the ability to operate both independently and collaboratively within a high-performing project team.

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 (VE); inform engineering priorities based on cost/constructability.
• Support procurement strategy and contract administration; review contractor/subcontractor pricing.
• Lead/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.

• Ability to work onsite 3x 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 6-7years of cost management / 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.
• RICSaccreditation (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.

*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.

Turner & Townsend does not accept any speculative or unsolicited CV’s that have been sent to our internal recruitment team or hiring managers from agencies outside of our preferred supplier list or that have not followed due process. Any speculative or unsolicited CV’s will be treated as a direct application.

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

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