Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor – Data Center Construction

Turner & Townsend • Austin, TX

7h • Hybrid

About The Position

Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to support a major, multi‑phase hyperscale data center construction program from the Austin, TX area, with periodic travel to a large campus site in central Texas. You will serve as a key day‑to‑day client interface, ensuring disciplined cost controls, clear communication, and strong stakeholder coordination across both the Houston team and the active project site. The ideal candidate brings robust construction cost expertise, experience supporting large‑scale data center or industrial programs, and operates confidently in a client‑facing environment while contributing to a high‑performing project team.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, Engineering, or related field.
• 5–7+ years of cost management or project controls experience on medium‑ to large‑scale construction programs.
• Experience with mission‑critical, data center, industrial, or large campus‑scale developments preferred.
• Consultancy experience strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of civil, structural, and MEP construction, with exposure to complex infrastructure systems preferred.
• Advanced competency in budgeting, financial reporting, forecasting, and cost‑control systems; EVM experience beneficial.
• Proven ability to manage full change‑management processes on major projects.
• Strong project controls understanding, including cost‑schedule integration and variance analysis.
• Skilled in procurement support and commercial contract management.
• RICS accreditation (or progress toward certification) preferred.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder‑management skills.
• High analytical capability and attention to detail.
• Proficiency with standard cost management tools and Microsoft Office.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with mission‑critical, data center, industrial, or large campus‑scale developments
• Consultancy experience
• Exposure to complex infrastructure systems
• EVM experience beneficial
• RICS accreditation (or progress toward certification)

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain detailed cost plans, budgets, and estimates throughout design and construction phases across a large, multi‑building campus.
• Prepare and present monthly cost reports, forecasts, and executive‑level summaries to support program‑wide decision making.
• Coordinate cost data from designers, contractors, subcontractors, and vendors for accurate validation across multiple workstreams.
• Maintain benchmarking and built‑cost records to support continuous improvement across the broader program.
• Lead procurement support activities, including pricing reviews, scope validation, and commercial negotiations for major trade packages.
• Manage final accounts and drive timely agreement across multiple contractors and phases.
• Oversee full change‑management workflow, ensuring changes are reviewed, evaluated, negotiated, approved, and accurately tracked.
• Maintain rigorous cost‑control systems, monitoring commitments, variances, and trends across a high‑value capital program.
• Support contingency planning and cost‑risk analysis activities in a dynamic construction environment.
• Coordinate cost, schedule, and scope alignment with project controls and site delivery teams.
• Lead value‑engineering and cost‑optimization efforts across phases, systems, and trades, including mission‑critical MEP infrastructure.
• Monitor market conditions and provide commercial insights relevant to large‑scale construction and supply chain dynamics.
• Serve as a primary client interface, ensuring objectives and expectations are met across both office and site stakeholders.
• Prepare clear commentary on contractor submissions and support governance reviews.
• Ensure compliance with Turner & Townsend Business Management Systems.
• Mentor junior team members and contribute to a collaborative, high‑performance culture.
• Support financial management tasks including margin tracking and resource forecasting.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which must be adhered to where applicable.

Benefits

• A great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change.
• Support for a healthy, productive and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance.

What This Job Offers

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