Senior Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor - Data Center Construction

Job Description

Job Description

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 is seeking an experienced Senior Cost Manager / Senior Quantity Surveyor to lead cost management services on a major, mission‑critical hyperscale data center development in the greater Chicago area.

As the senior member of the cost team, you will serve as a key day‑to‑day client interface, driving cost governance, commercial rigor, and strategic decision‑making. You will lead the development of baseline budgets, oversee financial controls across the project lifecycle, and guide value, risk, and procurement strategies as the program enters an active development phase.

Success in this role requires strong leadership, polished communication skills, and confidence operating in a highly client‑facing environment.

The project site is located approximately 40 miles southwest of Chicago, in Grundy County. This position follows a hybrid model with on‑site presence 2–3 days per week, depending on project phase and client requirements.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary client‑facing cost lead, ensuring objectives are met and service excellence is delivered.
• Present cost updates, commercial positions, and recommendations at senior and executive levels.
• Mentor and support junior team members, fostering a collaborative, high‑performance culture.
• Develop and maintain detailed cost plans and estimates during planning, design, and delivery phases.
• Produce and present monthly cost reports, executive summaries, and budget updates.
• Integrate cost, schedule, and scope to ensure holistic program control and predictability.
• Lead procurement strategy development, contractor/subcontractor pricing reviews, scope validation, and commercial negotiations.
• Manage and reconcile change orders, claims, post‑contract variations, and final accounts.
• Ensure compliance with commercial governance, internal controls, and cost assurance processes.
• Drive value engineering and cost optimization strategies across multiple stages of design.
• Support cost risk analysis, scenario planning, contingency management, and commitment tracking.
• Monitor and communicate market trends, escalation, labor availability, and material pricing impacts.
• Ensure adherence to Turner & Townsend delivery methodologies and Business Management Systems.
• Support benchmarking efforts by compiling cost data and maintaining built‑cost records.
• Support implementation of Earned Value Management (EVM) where applicable.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role and must be adhered to where applicable.

Qualifications

 

• Able to work onsite in Grundy County 2–3 times per week, depending on project phase and client requirements (site ~40 miles southwest of Chicago).
• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or a related field.
• Data center construction experience is required.
• 5–7+ years of cost management or project controls experience within mission‑critical, high‑tech, industrial, or large‑scale capital projects.
• Strong preference for experience within a construction consultancy environment.
• Demonstrated expertise in estimating, budgeting, financial reporting, and cost control systems.
• Strong understanding of MEP systems and campus‑scale infrastructure typical of hyperscale data centers.
• Expertise in procurement strategies and commercial management of contractor/vendor contracts.
• RICS accreditation (or progress toward accreditation) is advantageous.
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving abilities with meticulous attention to detail.
• Proficiency in industry‑standard cost management and project controls software.

Additional Information

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

The base salary range for this role is $140K-$165K 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 

Turner & Townsend does not accept any speculative or unsolicited CV’s that have been sent to our internal recruitment team or hiring managers from agencies outside of our preferred supplier list or that have not followed due process. Any speculative or unsolicited CV’s will be treated as a direct application.

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.