Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor - Construction Management

Turner & Townsend•Chicago, IL

23h•$130,000 - $160,000

About The Position

Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to join its Chicago team. The role serves as a key day-to-day client interface, delivering value-added cost management services to help achieve client objectives. The team supports commercial real estate, corporate occupier, data center, mission-critical, and other public- and private-sector developments, including complex, high-profile programs. The successful candidate will provide leadership and direction, promote Turner & Townsend’s purpose, values, and vision, and work effectively both independently and collaboratively. The position involves cost planning and estimating throughout the project lifecycle, commercial and change management, client and contractor engagement, financial management of commissions, and mentoring colleagues. On-site presence and requirements may vary with client needs. The base salary range is $130,000–$160,000 USD. Employees may also be eligible for bonuses and a comprehensive benefits package. The company describes its work environment as flexible and supportive of work-life balance, and is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in construction management, cost management, quantity surveying, engineering, or a construction-related field.
5–7 years of relevant experience in a cost management role in the construction industry.
Experience leading cost management on medium- or large-sized construction projects of medium to high complexity.
Good knowledge of construction industry technical matters, including procurement routes, value management, and value engineering.
Excellent communication skills.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a client-facing environment.

Nice To Haves

RICS accreditation or working toward it.
Construction consultancy experience.

Responsibilities

Estimate and negotiate change orders throughout the construction lifecycle.
Provide estimates and cost planning, including producing and presenting final cost plans.
Review and participate with the design services team and general contractor in developing cost estimates.
Reconcile changes and assist the general contractor in ensuring cost data is accurate.
Gather project status information from the general contractor and project owner or manager to prepare cost estimate updates.
Prepare written comments on general contractor submissions, including executive summaries.
Coordinate cost information from relevant sources, including suppliers, subcontractors, and design teams.
Inform and drive engineering priorities based on cost impact.
Work proactively with minimal supervision to resolve scheduling issues.
Manage cost checks and valuations on larger projects, completing these accurately and on time.
Manage post-contract cost variances and change-control processes effectively.
Manage cost impacts, contingency, and commitment-tracking logs.
Prepare funding data presentations and coordinate value-engineering sessions with stakeholders.
Develop cost plans and estimates through the design phase and provide updates at appropriate design milestones.
Provide commercial input to design optioneering and value-engineering exercises.
Review contractor and subcontractor pricing and lead client-side negotiations to achieve fair contract prices.
Perform quantity surveying, cost controls, and change-management activities throughout the project lifecycle.
Ensure cost auditing and valuation work is managed effectively and that robust cost-validation processes are in place.
Produce monthly cost reports for presentation to the client.
Negotiate and agree final accounts in a timely manner.
Compile built-cost estimate records for benchmarking.
Identify, coach, and mentor talent, and recognize others’ successes.
Provide leadership and service delivery on commissions in accordance with appointment conditions.
Use internal software to track commission margins and monthly fee and resource forecasts, and prepare financial reports.
Implement and maintain internal Business Management Systems, delivery methodologies, and tools to support consistent best practice.
Model and promote a one-business culture that balances the needs of people, clients, stakeholders, and society.
Adhere to applicable SOX control responsibilities.