Senior Construction Cost Manager - Benchmarking Lead

Turner & Townsend are seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager to act as the key day-to-day client interface, ensuring client objectives are met through the delivery of a value-added cost management service. In this role, you will serve as a senior commercial authority across large-scale infrastructure or real estate portfolios, combining hands-on project delivery with leadership of internal benchmarking and cost intelligence initiatives.

You will orchestrate remote delivery teams, leveraging global program data to establish cost baselines, mitigate risk, and inform strategic decision-making. 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 capable of working independently while contributing to a high-performing team.

You will play a key role in embedding and promoting the purpose, values, and vision of Turner & Townsend.

Responsibilities:

• Act as the primary client interface, delivering clear, executive-level cost reporting, variance
• analysis, and strategic commercial guidance.
• Lead cost planning, estimating, and financial governance across the full project lifecycle,
• including preparing and presenting detailed cost plans, forecasts, and cash flow projections.
• Oversee project cost control processes, including managing change orders, valuations,
• contractor applications, and final account negotiations with a defensible, auditable approach.
• Review contractor and subcontractor pricing, lead commercial negotiations, and ensure
• accuracy and alignment of project cost data.
• Participate in design development, providing commercial input into design optioneering, value
• engineering, and engineering prioritization based on cost impact.
• Coordinate and consolidate cost information from multiple sources, including contractors,
• consultants, and suppliers, to support informed decision-making.
• Manage post-contract cost variances, change control processes, and contingency tracking to
• ensure effective project delivery.
• Prepare monthly cost reports, funding updates, and executive summaries for client
• presentation.
• Lead and contribute to the development of Turner & Townsend’s internal benchmarking
• strategy, including compiling built cost data and establishing consistent cost baselines across
• programs.
• Track market trends (labor, materials, and economic conditions) and apply insights to
• forecasting and risk mitigation.
• Drive the use of digital cost management and benchmarking tools to standardize data, improve
• reporting, and enhance delivery efficiency.
• Oversee remote delivery teams, ensuring consistent execution of best practices, governance
• standards, and company methodologies.
• Mentor and support junior team members, fostering a collaborative, high-performance culture.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of internal business management systems
• and delivery frameworks.
• Support financial management activities, including fee tracking, resource forecasting, and
• margin reporting.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where
• applicable.

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Cost Engineering, or a
• related field.
• Minimum 5–7 years of experience in cost management or quantity surveying, ideally within a
• consultancy or large capital program environment.
• Proven experience delivering cost management services on medium to large, complex
• construction projects.
• Demonstrated ability to develop cost models, analyze project data, and contribute to
• benchmarking or cost intelligence initiatives.
• Experience leading or coordinating remote or distributed project teams is preferred.
• Strong knowledge of construction industry practices, including procurement routes, value
• engineering, and commercial management.
• Proficiency with digital cost management tools (e.g., CostX or similar platforms).
• RICS accreditation (or working toward it) or equivalent professional certification is preferred.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and leadership skills.

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.