Senior Cost Manager - 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   /   Quantity Surveyor  to join our team and provide expert cost management services on a large-scale, mission-critical data center program. This role will be key in ensuring the project is delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest standards.

As Senior Cost Manager, you will lead cost planning and budgeting, manage procurement and commercial negotiations, and oversee change control throughout the project lifecycle. You will drive value engineering initiatives, perform risk analysis, and prepare executive-level cost reports and forecasts. Working closely with design teams, contractors, and vendors, you will integrate cost with schedule and scope while ensuring compliance with financial systems and governance requirements.

To be successful in this role you must have great communication skills and be comfortable operating in a client-facing role.

This is a hybrid role with regular on-site visits required approximately 35 miles west of North Chicago.

Responsibilities :

• Oversee cost management across all project phases, ensuring alignment with scope, budget, and schedule for hyperscale and AI-driven data center programs.
• Develop and maintain detailed cost plans and estimates, leveraging industry benchmarks and technical documentation.
• Produce and present monthly cost reports, executive summaries, and financial updates to stakeholders.
• Manage change control processes, including review and negotiation of change orders and post-contract cost variances.
• Oversee contractor and subcontractor pricing reviews, scope validation, and procurement strategy development.
• Collaborate with design teams, general contractors, and vendors to validate cost estimates and perform quantity surveying.
• Support cost risk analysis and scenario planning for multi-phase programs.
• Monitor market trends and provide insights on escalation, labor availability, and material pricing.
• Assist in developing strategies for cost optimization and value engineering.
• Coordinate with scheduling teams to align cost forecasts with project timelines.
• Drive continuous improvement in cost management practices, supporting standardization and best-in-class delivery.
• Mentor junior team members and contribute to a high-performance, collaborative team culture.
• Ensure compliance with internal financial systems, regulatory requirements, and SOX controls where applicable.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, vendors, and project teams to support successful project delivery.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.

Qualifications

Additional Information

The salary range for this full-time role is  $130K-$150K  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.

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 /

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.

#LI-MB1

Join our social media conversations for more information about Turner & Townsend and our exciting future projects :

Twitter

Instagram

LinkedIn

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.