Senior Cost Manager

Our client is a highly respected, independent owner's representative firm that has built something rare: a reputation for technical precision that clients in the most demanding markets trust without question. Well established yet rapidly growing, they are the firm ownership calls when the stakes are highest — particularly in New York City, where capital projects are among the most complex and scrutinized in the world. Today, the firm is expanding its national footprint, growing a high-value project portfolio, and delivering true client advisory alongside their proprietary platform that sets a new standard for how owners experience cost oversight — providing real-time reporting, governance transparency, and audit-ready project visibility. The Director of Cost Management is a newly created seat at the table — not a backfill, not a restructure, but a direct reflection of sustained momentum: consistent organic growth, expansion into new markets, and sustained revenue increases. Reporting to the C‑Suite, you will serve as a trusted advisor to ownership clients across complex capital projects, leading financial oversight from early planning through completion and shaping how the firm delivers cost intelligence at scale. This is an opportunity for someone who has spent years mastering the craft and is ready to lead it — who brings equal command of the numbers and the room, who finds as much satisfaction in a defensible estimate as in a well‑run client relationship, and who wants to build something, not just manage it. The ideal candidate is a highly analytical, detail‑oriented cost management leader who thrives in sophisticated project environments, bringing deep technical expertise alongside strong client‑facing and team leadership capabilities. Given the firm's reputation for technical rigor and unwavering client advocacy, proven experience across a range of complex project typologies — ground‑up development, adaptive reuse, and interior construction — is essential. Scope of Responsibility Oversee cost management team that is developing project budgets, cost plans, and financial reporting across multiple complex, concurrent engagements Lead cost forecasting and variance analysis throughout the full project lifecycle Establish and maintain cost control processes and procedures to ensure consistency and quality across all deliverables Drive value engineering and cost optimization efforts in collaboration with project and client teams Review and validate contractor pricing, change orders, and pay applications with rigor and independence Serve as a senior advisor to clients on all cost‑related matters, providing strategic guidance on budget, risk, and financial decisions Deliver structured, audit‑ready reporting aligned with the firm’s proprietary methodologies and platform Translate complex cost data into actionable insights for senior stakeholders and support clients in evaluating trade‑offs and financial implications Monitor project financial health and proactively identify cost exposures and potential risks early Evaluate scope changes and assess their impact on budget, schedule, and overall project delivery Maintain defensible documentation and reporting standards consistent with the firm’s commitment to independence and transparency Ensure ongoing alignment between project scope, approved budget, and execution strategy Lead, mentor, and develop junior staff and project team members across engagements Establish best practices and reinforce quality standards to ensure consistency across all cost management deliverables Collaborate with project management counterparts to ensure integrated, coordinated project delivery Support internal knowledge sharing and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives firm‑wide Our Firm KM Partners is a leading National Executive Search, Professional Recruitment, and Advisory Firm with deep expertise in Housing & Commercial Real Estate, complemented by relevant specializations across Impact Investment platforms and Infrastructure. We partner with clients to place industry-specific professionals across all levels — from C‑suite executives to middle management and experienced associates — throughout the United States. We are not generalists. We operate with true sector expertise, understanding the distinction between capital allocation and operational execution and recruiting leadership accordingly. KM Partners has built an unrivaled track record for connecting high‑performing professionals with some of the most reputable, top‑ranked organizations in the real estate industry. For more information about this opportunity, please contact: #J-18808-Ljbffr