Director of Construction Cost Management

Turner & Townsend • San Jose, CA

13d • $180,000 - $220,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Director, Cost Management to lead and grow our Cost Management practice across the Silicon Valley and South Bay market. This leadership role is responsible for the strategic direction, operational performance, resource planning, and continued growth of the practice, while ensuring excellence in cost management service delivery across a portfolio of major construction projects. The successful candidate will play a key role in developing talent, strengthening client relationships, driving business development, and advancing Turner & Townsend's market presence. The ideal candidate is a collaborative and results-driven leader with strong technical expertise, commercial acumen, and exceptional interpersonal skills.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Cost Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or a related construction field.
• 12+ years of relevant cost management, quantity surveying, or construction consulting experience.
• Previous experience leading a cost management practice, business unit, service line, or high-performing cost management team within a consulting environment.
• Demonstrated success managing team performance, business operations, resource planning, and financial performance.
• Prior people management experience, including coaching, mentoring, and developing professionals at all levels.
• Proven track record of managing successful cost management service delivery for clients.
• Proven track record of developing client relationships, winning work, and growing cost management services.
• Exceptional business development acumen and ambition to drive business growth.
• Major construction sector experience working with high-caliber clients across commercial real estate, corporate occupier, life sciences, data centers, industrial/manufacturing, and large capital projects.
• Demonstrated experience supporting complex ground-up developments, renovations, and restoration projects.
• SME in Quantity Surveying, and RICS certified or equivalent accreditation.
• Excellent presentation, verbal, written, organizational, and communication skills.

Nice To Haves

• Graduate degree in Quantity Surveying, Cost Management, Construction Management, or Engineering preferred.

Responsibilities

• Strong leadership skills, experience leading a cost management team, ensuring they deliver on all accountabilities.
• Lead communications with clients and oversight of cost management team services.
• Lead research related to construction market conditions, including analysis of official published data.
• Produce thought leadership reports providing valuable insights to the construction market.
• Lead the strategic and operational management of the Cost Management practice, including service delivery, resource planning, business development, financial performance, and team growth.
• Set a clear vision, strategy, and annual business objectives for the Cost Management practice in alignment with regional and company goals.
• Oversee staffing, workload balancing, succession planning, and capability development to support current and future business needs.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with clients, industry partners, and internal stakeholders to support long-term growth and service excellence.
• Drive business development activities, including client engagement, market positioning, proposal development, and pursuit strategy.
• Monitor practice performance, including utilization, revenue, profitability, forecasting, and overall operational efficiency.
• Partner with regional leadership to identify market opportunities and execute growth strategies across targeted construction sectors.
• Grow and develop exceptional people, promoting a culture of learning, respect, and inclusivity.
• Knowledge management: Ensure that key information and learning generated from each commission is inputted into internal databases and shared.
• Process improvement: Identify and act upon ways to improve internal systems and processes.
• Quality Control: Ensure compliance with quality standards and participation in ISO audits.
• Develop priority plans including risk mitigation through internal tools, make performance measurements via Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and appraisal documents, management controls, and critical success factors based on company goals.
• Undertake internal BMS audits and coordinate and represent the office for external audits undertaken by the certification authority.
• Develop a detailed understanding of the regional construction market, acting as a brand ambassador and creating a pipeline of opportunities with existing and new clients.
• Identify and act upon cross-selling opportunities.
• Participate in meetings with senior leadership, directors, and staff, and prepare and deliver presentations.
• Financial Management: Using internal software, track ongoing revenue, margin levels, monthly fees, and resource requirements for each cost commission.
• Prepare proposals and RFP responses for new clients and projects.
• Attend relevant networking events and other promotional opportunities with directors.
• Support the training, mentorship, and professional development of staff while fostering a high-performance and inclusive culture.
• Proactively partner with the talent acquisition team to attract top talent, actively manage resource requirements, and plan for future staffing needs.
• 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.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role and are to be adhered to where applicable.

Benefits

• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director