Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor – Construction Management

Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor

Turner & Townsend, a global leader in professional services with over 22,000 employees across 60+ countries, is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager or Quantity Surveyor to join our San Francisco Bay Area team. We partner with clients across real estate, infrastructure, and energy sectors, transforming challenges into opportunities and delivering world-impacting projects. Majority-owned by CBRE, we offer a premier program, project, and cost management offering.

About the Role

In this hybrid role, you will be instrumental in leading the commercial delivery of high-impact construction projects for prominent clients. You will provide strategic cost guidance from the early design stages through project close-out, working collaboratively within a team that values local insight, strong relationships, and a hands-on approach to complex project challenges.

Responsibilities

• Estimating and negotiating change orders throughout the construction lifecycle.
• Providing cost planning and estimating, including producing and presenting the final cost plan.
• Reviewing and participating with the design services team and general contractor in the development of cost estimates.
• Reconciling changes and assisting the general contractor to ensure data accuracy.
• Communicating and meeting with the general contractor and client project team to gather status information and prepare cost estimate updates.
• Preparing written comments on contractor submissions, including executive summaries.
• Coordinating all sources of cost information, including subcontractors, suppliers, and design teams.
• Informing and helping drive engineering and construction priorities based on cost impact.
• Working proactively with minimal supervision to resolve cost and scheduling challenges in phased and fast-track environments.
• Managing cost checks and carrying out valuations on large, complex projects delivered within active facilities.
• Completing timely and accurate cost checking and valuation processes.
• Participating effectively in post-contract cost variance and change control processes.
• Managing cost impacts, including contingency tracking and commitment tracking logs across multiple project phases.
• Preparing funding data presentations and coordinating value engineering sessions with stakeholders.
• Developing cost plans and estimates through the design phase, delivering updates at key project milestones.
• Providing commercial input into design optioneering and value engineering exercises.
• Reviewing contractor and subcontractor pricing and leading negotiations to ensure commercially sound outcomes.
• Performing quantity surveying, cost control, and change management activities throughout the project lifecycle.
• Ensuring cost auditing, validation, and reporting processes are robust and consistently applied.
• Producing monthly cost reports for client presentation.
• Ensuring final accounts are negotiated and agreed upon in a timely manner.
• Compiling built cost data and maintaining benchmarking records for future project use.
• Identifying, coaching, and mentoring team members to support development and performance.
• Demonstrating excellence in leadership and service delivery aligned with project and client expectations.
• Managing financial performance using internal systems for margin tracking, fee forecasts, and reporting.
• Implementing and maintaining Business Management Systems and delivery methodologies to ensure consistent best practices.
• Acting as a role model fostering a collaborative, high-performing team environment.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.

Qualifications

• 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.
• RICS accreditation (or working toward it) is a plus.
• Proficient in cost management tools and Excel-based reporting.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.

Additional Information

• On-site presence and requirements may change depending on our client’s needs
• The salary range for this full-time role is $130K-$160K per year. Ranges are determined by role and level and represent a good faith effort to provide a fair and equitable salary. This range is a reflection of base salary only, not of a total compensation package. Please note Turner & Townsend reserves the right to pay more or less than the posted range, depending on candidate’s experience and qualifications.
• We provide a great place to work, promoting a healthy, productive, and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance.
• Turner & Townsend is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
• All information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
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