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 the delivery of 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 help achieve project objectives. The successful candidate will bring strong communication and stakeholder-management skills and be comfortable in a client-facing environment. They will be self-motivated, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced project environment. Experience delivering cost management services on large-scale construction projects is required; experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, or other regulated industries is desirable. The role provides leadership and direction while promoting Turner & Townsend’s purpose, values, and vision. The Senior Cost Manager collaborates with clients, designers, contractors, and project teams to support commercial excellence, cost certainty, risk management, and successful project outcomes. The position also involves leadership and mentoring, financial management of commissions, and using internal business management systems and delivery methodologies to support consistent best practice. On-site presence and requirements may change depending on client needs. Turner & Townsend promotes a healthy, productive, and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance.

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 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.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced project environment.
Strong stakeholder-management skills and comfort working in a client-facing environment.

Nice To Haves

RICS accreditation or working toward it.
Construction consultancy experience.
Experience on large-scale construction projects in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, or other regulated industries.

Responsibilities

Estimate and negotiate change orders throughout the construction lifecycle.
Provide estimating and cost planning services, 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 general contractor 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 sources including NPA, subcontractors, and quantities from architects and engineers.
Inform and drive engineering priorities based on cost impact.
Proactively resolve scheduling issues with minimal supervision.
Manage cost checks and valuations on larger projects, completing cost checking and valuations 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 and update cost plans and estimates at appropriate design milestones.
Provide commercial input to design option studies and value-engineering exercises.
Review contractor and subcontractor pricing and lead client-side negotiations to achieve fair contract prices.
Perform quantity surveying, cost control, and change-management activities throughout the project lifecycle.
Ensure effective cost auditing and valuation, with robust cost-validation processes.
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, helping others realize their potential and celebrating their 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 and company delivery methodologies and tools.
Model a one-business culture that balances the needs of people, clients, stakeholders, and society.
Adhere to applicable SOX control responsibilities.