Senior Construction Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor – Life Sciences

Turner & Townsend•Vacaville, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to act as the primary day‑to‑day client interface on a large-scale, multi-phase life sciences manufacturing upgrade and integration program in California. This complex capital project involves the modernization and expansion of an existing manufacturing campus. In this role, you will lead cost management activities across the full project lifecycle, including cost planning, estimating, change management, contractor negotiations, and reporting. You will work closely with design teams, contractors, and stakeholders to ensure accurate cost controls, drive value engineering initiatives, and support timely decision-making. The position requires strong client-facing communication skills, the ability to operate independently, and experience managing costs on large, technically complex construction projects in regulated or advanced manufacturing environments.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Cost Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or a related field.
Minimum 5–7 years of relevant experience in a cost management role within the construction industry.
Proven experience supporting medium to large-scale, complex construction projects (life sciences, manufacturing, or similar environments preferred).
Strong knowledge of construction industry technical practices, including procurement routes, value management, and value engineering.
Experience with cost planning, change management, and contract administration.
Construction consultancy experience strongly preferred.
Excellent communication and client-facing skills.
Ability to manage multiple stakeholders in a dynamic project environment.

Nice To Haves

RICS accredited or actively working toward accreditation preferred.

Responsibilities

Estimating and negotiating change orders throughout the construction lifecycle.
Provide estimate and cost planning, including producing and presenting final cost plans.
Review and participate with the design team and general contractor in the development of cost estimates.
Reconcile changes and assist the general contractor to ensure cost data accuracy.
Communicate with the general contractor and client project team to gather status information for cost updates.
Prepare written comments on contractor submissions, including executive summaries.
Coordinate all sources of cost information including suppliers, subcontractors, and design teams.
Inform and help drive engineering priorities based on cost impact.
Work proactively with minimal supervision to resolve cost and scheduling issues.
Manage cost checks and carry out valuations on large, complex projects.
Participate in post-contract cost variance and change control processes.
Manage cost impact, contingency tracking, and commitment logs.
Prepare funding data presentations and coordinate value engineering sessions with key stakeholders.
Develop cost plans and estimates through the design phase at appropriate milestones.
Provide commercial input into design optioneering and value engineering exercises.
Review contractor and subcontractor pricing and lead negotiations on behalf of the client.
Perform quantity surveying, cost controls, and change management activities throughout the project lifecycle.
Ensure cost auditing, validation, and reporting processes are robust and accurate.
Produce monthly cost reports for client presentation.
Ensure final accounts are negotiated and agreed upon in a timely manner.
Compile cost benchmarking data and maintain historical cost records.
Mentor and support team members while contributing to a high-performance team environment.
Support financial management activities, including fee forecasting and reporting.
Ensure consistent implementation of internal systems, methodologies, and best practices.
SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.