Senior Cost Manager (Preconstruction) - Data Center Construction

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 programs as we turn challenge into opportunity and complexity into success. 

Our capabilities include program, 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 program, project and cost management offering in markets around the world. 

Job Description

Turner & Townsend are seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager to serve as a trusted advisor and key client interface, leading preconstruction cost management activities on a major mission critical campus development.

This role will be heavily focused on cost planning, benchmarking, design-phase cost management, procurement support, conceptual estimating, and value engineering across multiple concurrent projects. The successful candidate will work closely with clients, designers, contractors, and project stakeholders to provide strategic commercial guidance throughout the planning and design phases, ensuring informed decision-making and successful project outcomes.

The ideal candidate will possess strong commercial acumen, experience influencing design through cost advice, and the ability to communicate complex cost information to both technical and executive stakeholders. This individual will play a key role in driving cost certainty, managing project budgets, and supporting the successful delivery of large-scale mission critical construction programs.

Responsibilities:

• Lead preconstruction and cost planning activities from concept through design development and procurement.
• Develop, maintain, and present detailed cost plans, estimates, and budgets at key design milestones.
• Review designs and provide cost feedback, identifying cost drivers, risks, opportunities, and optimization strategies.
• Support design teams with cost-informed decision making throughout the preconstruction process.
• Prepare conceptual, schematic, design development, and construction document estimates.
• Perform cost analyses using historical benchmarking data and market intelligence.
• Coordinate and consolidate cost information from architects, engineers, contractors, suppliers, and specialty consultants.
• Lead value engineering and design optioneering exercises to maximize project value while maintaining scope and quality objectives.
• Prepare funding requests, business case support documentation, and executive-level cost presentations.
• Review contractor budgets, GMPs, and procurement packages for accuracy and commercial alignment.
• Analyze market conditions, escalation trends, labor availability, and material pricing impacts.
• Establish and maintain cost benchmarks and cost databases for future project planning.
• Manage contingency planning and cost risk assessments throughout project development.
• Support procurement strategy development and contractor selection processes.
• Review contractor and subcontractor pricing proposals and support commercial negotiations on behalf of the client.
• Prepare and deliver cost reports, estimate reconciliations, and executive summaries for client leadership.
• Partner with project stakeholders to ensure project scope, schedule, and budget remain aligned throughout preconstruction.
• Mentor junior cost management staff and contribute to team development and knowledge sharing.
• Support implementation of Turner & Townsend's delivery methodologies, tools, and best practices.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role and are to be adhered to where applicable.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or a related field.
• 6+ years of experience in estimating, preconstruction, cost management, quantity surveying, or commercial management.
• Demonstrated experience developing conceptual through detailed construction estimates for large-scale construction projects.
• Experience supporting projects through planning, design, procurement, and preconstruction phases.
• Mission critical, data center, advanced technology, semiconductor, life sciences, or similarly complex construction experience preferred.
• Strong understanding of cost planning, benchmarking, escalation analysis, estimate, and contingency management.
• Experience leading value engineering and design-phase cost optimization initiatives.
• Experience evaluating contractor budgets, GMPs, bids, and procurement strategies.
• Strong analytical and financial modeling skills, with advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, including experience presenting cost information to executive stakeholders and clients.
• Experience working in a client-facing consulting environment preferred.
• Professional certifications such as MRICS, PQS, CCP, CEP, or similar are preferred but not required.

Additional Information

*On-site presence and requirements may change depending on our client's needs.

The base salary range for this role is $130,000-$160,000 USD. This range reflects the company's good faith estimate of the base salary for this position at the time of the posting. Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, skills, qualifications, and internal equity. In addition to base salary, employees may be eligible for bonuses and a comprehensive benefits package.

Our inspired people share our vision and mission. We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change.

We want our people to succeed both in work and life. To support this we promote 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 and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

Please find out more about us at www.turnerandtownsend.com/ and www.heery.com/

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

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It is strictly against Turner & Townsend policy for candidates to pay any fee in relation to our recruitment process. No recruitment agency working with Turner & Townsend will ask candidates to pay a fee at any time. 

Any unsolicited resumes/CVs submitted through our website or to Turner & Townsend personal e-mail accounts, are considered property of Turner & Townsend and are not subject to payment of agency fees. In order to be an authorised Recruitment Agency/Search Firm for Turner & Townsend, there must be a formal written agreement in place and the agency must be invited, by the Recruitment Team, to submit candidates for review.