Associate Director - Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor - Data Center Construction

Turner & Townsend•Seattle, WA

1d•$165,000 - $185,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Turner & Townsend is a global professional services company with over 22,000 people in more than 60 countries, transforming projects across real estate, infrastructure, energy, and natural resources. They offer program, project, cost, asset, and commercial management, among other capabilities. Majority-owned by CBRE Group, Inc., they collaborate to provide premier program, project, and cost management services globally. Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Associate Director – Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to deliver expert cost management services for a large-scale, mission-critical data center program. This client-facing leadership role demands strong communication and influence, focusing on strategic leadership and successful delivery of cost management services while upholding the company's values. The role involves managing internal and external stakeholders to drive collaboration and accountability throughout the project lifecycle. This position offers a hybrid work arrangement, requiring three days per week in the Seattle office with remote flexibility for the remaining days.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, Engineering, or a related field.
8–12+ years of experience in cost management or project controls within the construction industry, ideally on large-scale, mission-critical projects (e.g., data centers, high-tech, industrial).
Proven experience in construction consultancy and client-facing delivery.
Strong understanding of MEP systems, resilience requirements, and campus-scale infrastructure.
Expertise in budgeting, financial reporting, cost control systems, Earned Value Management (EVM), and procurement strategies.
Proficiency with industry-standard cost management tools and software (e.g., CostX, Oracle, Excel, Primavera).
Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, highly organized, and able to manage multiple priorities under pressure.

Nice To Haves

Graduate degree preferred.
RICS accreditation or equivalent certification (or progress toward certification) highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end cost management across all project phases, ensuring alignment with scope, budget, and schedule for hyperscale data center programs and other sectors.
Develop and maintain detailed cost plans, estimates, and forecasts using industry benchmarks and technical documentation.
Manage change control: review and negotiate change orders, track post-contract variances, and ensure robust commercial governance.
Oversee contractor and subcontractor pricing reviews, scope validation, and procurement strategy development; advise on contracting and procurement approaches and support program-level capital planning.
Coordinate closely with scheduling teams to integrate cost forecasts with project timelines and milestones.
Serve as the primary point of contact for commercial status reporting; produce and present monthly cost reports, executive summaries, and financial updates to stakeholders.
Take a lead role interfacing with clients, stakeholders, and consultants at all project stages; maintain excellent communication and build strong relationships with clients, vendors, and project teams.
Drive cost risk analysis, scenario planning, and sensitivity testing; monitor market trends and provide insights on escalation, labor availability, and material pricing.
Develop strategies for cost optimization and value engineering to enhance outcomes and reduce lifecycle costs.
Set and track performance via KPIs and critical success factors; prepare and deliver presentations to senior leadership.
Manage financial performance using internal systems to track margins, forecasts, and reporting; implement and maintain Business Management Systems (BMS) and company delivery methodologies to ensure best practice.
Identify opportunities to improve cost management processes, templates, and tools; champion knowledge management by capturing lessons learned and key data.
Provide strong leadership with a clear strategy and ambition for the team; mentor and develop junior staff, conduct performance reviews, and foster a high-performance, collaborative culture.
Act as a brand ambassador; develop market understanding, build a pipeline of opportunities, and identify cross-selling and business generation opportunities.
Participate in proposals/RFP responses and attend networking events to expand market presence and relationships.
SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.