Senior Cost Manager - Life Sciences Construction

Turner & Townsend • Radnor, PA

1d

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 position is a key day-to-day client interface, delivering high-quality cost management services across the full project lifecycle and helping achieve project objectives. The successful candidate will collaborate with clients, designers, contractors, and project teams to advance commercial excellence, cost certainty, risk management, and project outcomes. The role calls for strong communication and stakeholder management skills, a client-facing approach, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

The Senior Cost Manager will provide leadership and direction while promoting Turner & Townsend’s purpose, values, and vision. They will lead cost planning, estimating, quantity surveying, cost control, change management, valuations, reporting, and commercial processes on construction projects. The role also includes developing talent, managing commission financial performance, and applying the company’s business management systems and delivery methodologies. Project site presence may vary according to client needs.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, cost management, quantity surveying, engineering, or a construction-related field.
• At least 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.
• Strong stakeholder management skills and comfort working in a client-facing environment.
• Self-motivated, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced project environment.

Nice To Haves

• RICS accredited or working toward RICS accreditation.
• Construction consultancy experience.
• Experience delivering cost management services on large-scale projects 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 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.
• Proactively resolve scheduling issues with minimal supervision.
• Manage cost checks and valuations on larger projects, ensuring processes are timely and accurate.
• Manage post-contract cost variances and change control processes.
• Manage cost impacts, contingencies, 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 updated plans 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 effectively managed and 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 celebrate others’ success.
• Demonstrate leadership and service delivery in accordance with commission appointment terms.
• Use internal software to track commission margin levels, monthly fee and resource forecasts, and financial reports.
• Implement and maintain internal Business Management Systems, delivery methodologies, and tools to support consistent best-practice delivery.
• Promote a one-business culture that balances the needs of employees, clients, stakeholders, and society.
• Adhere to applicable SOX control responsibilities.

Benefits

• A flexible working environment that supports work-life balance.
• An inclusive workplace where employees have the opportunity and voice to affect change.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior