Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor – Construction Management

Turner & Townsend•San Francisco, CA

12d•Hybrid

About The Position

Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager or Quantity Surveyor to join our San Francisco Bay Area team. In this hybrid role, you’ll help lead the commercial delivery of high-impact construction projects for well-known clients, providing strategic cost guidance from early design through close-out. You’ll work closely with a collaborative team that values local insight, strong relationships, and a hands-on approach to solving complex project challenges.

Requirements

Must be available to work from our San Francisco office at least three days per week.
Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or a related technical field.
Proven experience in cost management across all phases of construction from pre-construction estimating through project close-out.
Strong background in cost planning, budgeting, and financial control on large-scale or complex projects.
Skilled in reviewing and validating contractor estimates, bids, and change orders.
Experience with various procurement strategies and contract types.
Familiarity with sectors such as commercial, data centers, high-tech manufacturing, or mission-critical environments.
Ability to build strong relationships with local stakeholders and navigate regional construction practices.
Proficient in cost management tools and Excel-based reporting.
Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.

Nice To Haves

RICS accreditation (or working toward it) is a plus.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary point of contact for the commercial status of projects, delivering accurate and timely cost reporting at both project and portfolio levels.
Lead the change management process, including negotiation of change orders throughout the project lifecycle.
Communicate professionally with general contractors, client representatives, and external stakeholders to ensure seamless coordination across all phases of construction.
Conduct forensic cost reviews and valuations on high-value, time-sensitive projects.
Extract and analyze data from multiple sources to support project and portfolio-level decision-making.
Manage contingency tracking, cost impact logs, and commitment tracking.
Prepare funding data and facilitate value engineering sessions with stakeholders.
Provide estimating support during design development, including quantity take-offs, cost benchmarking, and pricing validation.
Review contractor and subcontractor pricing, lead negotiations, and prepare bid comparisons and funding recommendations.
Oversee all commercial and change management activities, including forecasting and cash flow reporting.
Implement and continuously improve commercial processes and procedures.
Manage cost auditing, validation, and monthly reporting.
Negotiate and finalize accounts to ensure maximum client value.
Support project close-out and compile as-built cost data for benchmarking.
SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.