Senior Cost Manager - Life Sciences Construction

Turner & Townsend•Radnor, PA

About The Position

Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager and/or Quantity Surveyor to support complex capital projects in the Life Sciences sector. The role is a key day-to-day client interface, delivering cost management services across the full project lifecycle to achieve project objectives. The successful candidate will provide leadership and direction, working with clients, designers, contractors, and project teams to promote commercial excellence, cost certainty, risk management, and successful project outcomes. The position requires strong communication and stakeholder management skills in a client-facing environment, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced project setting. The role includes estimating, cost planning, quantity surveying, cost controls, change management, valuations, cost reporting, financial management, and supporting final account negotiations. It also involves mentoring talent and applying Turner & Townsend’s business systems, delivery methodologies, and tools. On-site presence and requirements may change depending on client needs.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in construction management, cost management, quantity surveying, engineering, or a construction-related field.
Minimum 5–7 years of relevant experience in a construction-industry cost management role.
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.

Nice To Haves

RICS accredited or working toward RICS accreditation.
Construction consultancy experience is strongly preferred.
Experience delivering cost management services on large-scale construction projects, ideally in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, or other regulated industries.

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 help ensure the general contractor’s data is accurate.
Gather 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 NPA, subcontractors, suppliers, and A/Es for cost discussions.
Inform and drive engineering priorities based on cost impact.
Resolve scheduling issues proactively with minimal supervision.
Manage cost checks and valuations on larger projects, completing them accurately and on time.
Manage post-contract cost variances and change control processes.
Manage cost impact, 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 deliver 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 throughout the project lifecycle.
Ensure cost auditing and valuation work is managed effectively and cost validation processes are robust.
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’ success.
Provide leadership and service delivery on commissions in line with the conditions of appointment.
Track commission margin levels and monthly fee and resource forecasts using internal software, and prepare financial reports.
Implement and maintain internal Business Management Systems, delivery methodologies, and tools to support consistent best-practice delivery.
Model and promote a one-business culture that balances the needs of people, clients, stakeholders, and society.
Adhere to applicable SOX control responsibilities.