Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor - Life Sciences Construction

Turner & Townsend; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend in Portland, OR is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager and/or Quantity Surveyor to lead cost management for major capital projects, including manufacturing and life sciences facilities.

You will manage change control, cost planning, and value engineering while coordinating with owners, designers, and contractors in a client-facing role. This is a full-time on-site position with a strong focus on delivering accurate estimates and robust cost control.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Cost Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering or related field.
• Minimum 7 years of relevant cost management experience in construction.
• RICS accreditation preferred.

Responsibilities

• Estimate and negotiate change orders across the construction lifecycle.
• Develop cost plans and estimates through design and construction phases.
• Lead cost management on medium to large projects with cross‑functional teams.
• Support post‑contract cost control, variances and value engineering.

Skills

Cost management

Quantity surveying

Stakeholder management

Client facing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management

Related construction field

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 and/or Quantity Surveyor to serve as a key day-to-day client interface, ensuring client objectives are achieved through the delivery of high‑quality cost management services. This role will support the delivery of major capital construction projects, including large‑scale manufacturing and advanced technology facilities, from planning and design through construction and closeout.

To be successful in this role, you must possess strong communication and stakeholder management skills and be comfortable operating in a client-facing environment. The ideal candidate will be self‑motivated, driven, and capable of working independently while collaborating effectively within a project team. In this position, you will provide leadership and direction while 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 or 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 change control processes.
• Manage cost impact, contingency management, and commitment tracking logs.
• Prepare funding data presentations and coordinate value engineering sessions with stakeholders.
• Develop cost plans and estimates through the design phase, delivering updated cost plans at appropriate design milestones.
• Provide commercial input to design optioneering and value engineering exercises.
• Review contractor and subcontractor pricing and lead negotiations on behalf of the client to achieve fair and competitive contract pricing.
• Perform quantity surveying, cost controls, and change management activities throughout the project lifecycle.
• Ensure that post-contract cost variances and change control processes are managed effectively.
• Ensure that cost auditing and valuation work is managed effectively and that a robust process for cost validation is in place.
• Carry out the production of monthly cost reports for presentation to the client.
• Ensure that final accounts are negotiated and agreed upon in a timely manner.
• Compile 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 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 to ensure consistent delivery of best practices for clients and the company.
• Be a role model who drives a one-business culture that achieves great outcomes for people, clients, stakeholders, and society.
• 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.
• A minimum of 7 years of relevant experience within the construction industry.
• RICS accredited or working toward accreditation preferred.
• Experience leading cost management on medium to large construction projects of moderate to high complexity.
• Experience supporting large-scale manufacturing, life sciences, technology, industrial, or commercial construction projects is preferred.
• Construction consultancy experience is strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of construction industry technical matters, including procurement routes, value management, and value engineering.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to thrive in a client‑facing environment while managing multiple priorities and project stakeholders.

Additional Information

*On-site presence and requirements may change depending on our client's needs.*

The base salary range for this role is $120,000-$150,000 USD. This range reflects the company's good faith estimate of the base salary for this position at the time of the posting. Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, skills, qualifications, and internal equity. In addition to base salary, employees may be eligible for bonuses and a comprehensive benefits package.

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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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.