Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor - Life Sciences Construction

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

Job summary

Turner & Townsend in Houston seeks an experienced Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor for Life Sciences construction. You will lead cost management across manufacturing, laboratory, and R&D projects, interfacing with clients to ensure objectives are met.

The role demands strong communication, stakeholder management, and ability to work independently within multidisciplinary teams. On-site presence is required with potential client-facing duties.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, cost management, quantity surveying, engineering or related field.
• 5-7 years of relevant experience in cost management in construction.
• RICS accreditation preferred or working toward it.

Responsibilities

• Estimate and negotiate changes throughout the construction lifecycle.
• Provide cost planning and final cost plan presentations.
• Coordinate cost information from design teams, general contractors, and suppliers.
• Lead cost checks, valuations, and post-contract cost variances.
• Prepare funding data and coordinate value engineering with stakeholders.
• Produce monthly cost reports and ensure final accounts are negotiated timely.

Skills

Cost management

Client liaison

Leadership

Communication

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in construction management, cost management, quantity surveying, engineering or related field

Job description

Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor - Life Sciences Construction

• Full-time

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 seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to support the successful delivery of complex Life Sciences construction. Acting as the key day-to-day client interface, you will ensure client objectives are achieved through the delivery of a value-added cost management service across manufacturing, laboratory, R&D, and related capital projects.

To be successful in this role, you will possess excellent communication and stakeholder management skills and be comfortable operating in a client-facing environment. The ideal candidate will be self-motivated, driven, and able to work independently while collaborating effectively within multidisciplinary project teams. In this significant position, you will provide 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 general contractor in the development of cost estimates.
• Reconcile changes and assist the general contractor to ensure that their data is accurate.
• Communicate or meet with the general contractor and owner of project manager to gather status information to prepare a cost estimate update.
• Prepare written comments to the general contractor’s submissions, including the executive summary.
• Coordinate all sources of cost information for cost discussions and suppliers direct from NPA, subs, quantities from A/Es.
• 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 the change of control processes.
• Manage Cost impact / contingency management and commitment tracking logs.
• Prepare funding data presentations and coordinate VE sessions with stakeholders.
• Developing cost plans and estimates through the design phase, delivering updated cost plans at appropriate design milestones.
• Providing commercial input to design optioneering and input into value engineering exercises.
• Reviewing contractor and subcontractor pricing and leading negotiations on behalf of the client to drive fair contract prices.
• Performing quantity surveying, cost controls, and change management activities throughout the project lifecycle.
• Ensuring that post-contract cost variances and change control processes are managed effectively.
• Ensuring that cost auditing and valuation work is managed effectively and that a robust process for cost validation is in place.
• Carrying out the production of monthly cost reports for presentation to the client.
• Ensuring that final accounts are negotiated and agreed upon in a timely manner.
• Compiling built cost estimate records for benchmarking 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 is in line with the 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 in the office to ensure consistent delivery of best practice for Clients and the company
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.
• 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.

• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, cost management, quantity surveying, engineering or field related to construction.
• Minimum 5-7 years of relevant experience working in a cost management role in the construction industry.
• RICS accredited or working towards it is preferred.
• Experience of leading cost management on medium or large sized construction projects of medium to high complexity.
• Construction consultancy experience is strongly preferred.
• Good knowledge of construction industry technical matters, such as different procurement routes, value management, and value engineering.

*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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