Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor – Advanced Manufacturing Projects

Turner & Townsend•San Diego, CA

3h•$165,000 - $190,000•Onsite

About The Position

Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager and/or Quantity Surveyor to serve as the primary client contact for delivering cost management services on complex, high-tech construction projects in the San Diego area. The role involves managing advanced manufacturing, cleanroom environments, and technically sophisticated facilities, often as part of phased programs. This requires strong commercial oversight and coordination across multidisciplinary teams. The ideal candidate will possess excellent communication skills, be comfortable in a client-facing role, and be self-motivated, driven, and capable of working both independently and collaboratively.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in construction management, cost management, quantity surveying, engineering or field related to construction.
Minimum 5-7 years of relevant experience working in a cost management role in the construction industry.
Experience of leading cost management on medium or large sized construction projects of medium to high complexity.
Strong commercial, client-facing, and communication skills.
Good knowledge of construction industry technical matters, such as different procurement routes, value management, and value engineering.

Nice To Haves

RICS accredited or working towards it is preferred.
Construction consultancy experience is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead estimating and negotiating change orders throughout the construction lifecycle, ensuring alignment between scope, budget, and contract terms in technically complex environments.
Provide comprehensive cost planning and estimating services, including developing, reviewing, and presenting detailed cost plans at key project milestones.
Collaborate with design teams, engineers, and general contractors to develop and validate cost estimates across mechanical, electrical, process, and cleanroom scopes.
Reconcile project changes and proactively review contractor data to ensure accuracy, completeness, and commercial alignment.
Act as a key client interface, gathering project updates, supporting decision-making, and maintaining alignment across multiple stakeholders.
Prepare detailed written commentary and executive summaries on contractor submissions, identifying risks, gaps, and cost impacts.
Coordinate and consolidate cost information from subcontractors, suppliers, vendors, and design teams to support accurate forecasting and reporting.
Manage cost control processes including contingency utilization, cost variance analysis, and change management across multiple project phases or workstreams.
Perform detailed cost checks and valuations, ensuring timely and accurate financial reporting on large-scale, high-value projects.
Support procurement activities including bid packaging, review of contractor and subcontractor pricing, bid leveling, and leading commercial negotiations.
Provide commercial input into value engineering and design optimization initiatives to improve project efficiency while maintaining technical requirements.
Produce monthly cost reports, forecasts, and funding updates, providing clear insights to senior stakeholders and client teams.
Ensure robust cost auditing, validation procedures, and final account closeout processes are consistently applied.
Maintain and contribute to benchmarking data and historical cost records to support future program planning.
Mentor and support junior team members, ensuring consistent delivery standards and professional development.
Manage financial performance across commissions, including fee forecasting, margin tracking, and utilization.
Adhere to SOX control responsibilities where applicable.