Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor – Advanced Manufacturing Projects

Company Description

Turner & Townsend is a global professional services company with over 22,000 people in more than 60 countries. 

Working with our clients across real estate, infrastructure, energy and natural resources, we transform together delivering outcomes that improve people’s lives. Working in partnership makes it possible to deliver the world’s most impactful projects and programmes as we turn challenge into opportunity and complexity into success. 

Our capabilities include programme, project, cost, asset and commercial management, controls and performance, procurement and supply chain, net zero and digital solutions. 

We are majority-owned by CBRE Group, Inc., the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, with our partners holding a significant minority interest. Turner & Townsend and CBRE work together to provide clients with the premier programme, project and cost management offering in markets around the world. 

Job Description

Turner & Townsend are looking for an experienced Senior Cost Manager and/or Quantity Surveyor to act as the key day-to-day client interface, delivering value-added cost management services across complex, high-tech construction projects in the San Diego area.

These projects include advanced manufacturing, cleanroom environments, and technically sophisticated facilities, often delivered through phased programs requiring strong commercial oversight and coordination across multidisciplinary teams.

To be successful in this role you must have strong communication skills and be comfortable operating in a client-facing environment. The ideal candidate will be self-motivated, driven, and able to work both independently and collaboratively.


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.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable. 

Qualifications

• 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. 
• RICS accredited or working towards it is preferred. 
• Experience of leading cost management on medium or large sized construction projects of medium to high complexity.  
• Construction consultancy experience is strongly preferred. 
• Good knowledge of construction industry technical matters, such as different procurement rou