Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor - Data Center Construction

Turner & Townsend•Richmond, VA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager to serve as the key day-to-day client interface and deliver cost management services across a large-scale data center program. The role emphasizes change management, cost control, and commercial governance, ensuring changes are evaluated, managed, and communicated throughout the construction lifecycle in a fast-paced, high-volume program environment. The successful candidate will be self-motivated, detail-oriented, confident in a client-facing role, and experienced in managing complex change processes across multiple stakeholders. The role also includes providing leadership and direction while promoting Turner & Townsend’s purpose, values, and vision. The position requires regular onsite presence, which may change depending on client needs. Responsibilities include cost planning and estimating, managing change processes and commercial controls, reporting and forecasting, negotiating contractor pricing, and supporting project and client decision-making. The role may also include SOX control responsibilities, where applicable.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, Engineering, or a related field.
5–7+ years of cost management or project controls experience on medium- to large-scale construction programs.
Strong understanding of civil, structural, and MEP construction.
Advanced knowledge of budgeting, financial reporting, cost-control systems, and Earned Value Management (EVM).
Proven experience managing full change-management processes on major construction programs.
Strong cost-focused project controls background, including forecasting and variance analysis.
Ability to interpret schedules and assess cost impacts across phases and trades.
Expertise in procurement strategy and commercial contract management.
Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder-management skills.
Strong analytical abilities and attention to detail.
Proficiency with industry-standard cost management tools and Microsoft Office.

Nice To Haves

Experience in mission-critical, industrial, or large campus-scale projects.
Consultancy experience.
RICS accreditation or progress toward certification.

Responsibilities

Lead and manage program change processes, ensuring changes are identified, evaluated, documented, and approved.
Review, evaluate, and negotiate change orders throughout the construction lifecycle.
Maintain change logs, contingency tracking, and commitment registers, providing visibility into cost impacts.
Establish and enforce change-control procedures and governance frameworks across multiple campus projects.
Provide cost analysis and recommendations to support client decision-making on change events.
Support dispute avoidance and resolution through commercial oversight and change documentation.
Provide cost planning and estimating, including producing and presenting final cost plans.
Review and participate with the design team and general contractor in developing cost estimates.
Reconcile changes and validate contractor cost data for accuracy and completeness.
Communicate with the general contractor and project team to gather updates and support cost reporting.
Prepare written comments on contractor submissions, including executive summaries.
Coordinate cost inputs from subcontractors, suppliers, and design teams.
Inform and help drive construction priorities based on cost and change impacts.
Proactively resolve cost, scope, and scheduling conflicts.
Manage cost checks and valuations on complex projects.
Lead post-contract cost variance analysis and ensure adherence to change-control processes.
Prepare funding updates and support value engineering sessions, particularly in response to change drivers.
Develop cost plans through design and provide updates at key milestones.
Review contractor pricing and support negotiations to achieve fair, commercially sound outcomes.
Ensure cost auditing, validation, and reporting processes are consistently applied.
Produce monthly cost reports showing change activity, risks, and forecast impacts.
Support final account closeout, ensuring changes are agreed and reconciled.
Maintain cost benchmarking data and program records for forecasting and decision-making.
Mentor team members and promote best practices in change management and cost control.
Manage financial tracking, forecasting, and reporting for commissions.
Support internal systems, governance processes, and company delivery methodologies.
Adhere to SOX control responsibilities where applicable.