Associate Director Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor – Data Center Construction

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. 

Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Associate Director – Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to provide strategic leadership and deliver expert cost management services on a major, mission‑critical hyperscale data center development. This multi‑hundred‑acre greenfield campus is progressing through early planning and pre‑construction, with multiple phases expected over several years and representing a significant long‑term capital investment in new‑build data center capacity.

In this senior, client‑facing leadership role, you will serve as the primary commercial interface, ensuring robust cost governance, commercial rigor, and strategic decision‑making across the project lifecycle. You will lead the development of baseline budgets, direct financial controls, shape procurement and contracting strategies, and drive value, risk, and performance outcomes as the program moves into active development.

Success in this role requires exceptional communication skills, strong commercial acumen, and the ability to influence and collaborate with senior stakeholders while providing leadership to internal teams.

The project site is located approximately 25 miles south of Naperville, in Grundy County. This role offers a hybrid schedule with an expected presence on‑site 2–3 days per week, depending on project phase and client requirements.


Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary client‑facing cost leader, providing strategic guidance and ensuring delivery excellence.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with senior client stakeholders, consultants, and delivery partners.
• Prepare and present executive‑level commercial updates, recommendations, and strategic insights.
• Lead, mentor, and develop junior and mid‑level team members, fostering a high‑performance, collaborative culture.
• Lead the development and maintenance of detailed cost plans, estimates, and forecasts across design and delivery phases.
• Produce and present monthly cost reports, executive summaries, and financial updates.
• Ensure strong integration of cost, schedule, and scope to support holistic project control and predictability.
• Lead the establishment and implementation of cost governance frameworks and assurance processes.
• Lead procurement strategy development, advising on contracting approaches and commercial positioning.
• Oversee contractor and subcontractor pricing reviews, scope validation, and commercial negotiations.
• Manage and reconcile change orders, claims, post‑contract variations, and final accounts.
• Provide commercial stewardship throughout the lifecycle, ensuring compliance with internal controls and best practices.
• Lead value engineering initiatives and cost optimization strategies across design and delivery.
• Drive cost risk analysis, scenario planning, contingency management, and sensitivity testing.
• Monitor market trends—including escalation, labor availability, and material pricing—and communicate impacts to stakeholders.
• Ensure adherence to Turner & Townsend Business Management Systems and delivery methodologies.
• Champion benchmarking, data integrity, and continuous improvement of cost management tools and processes.
• Track and manage financial performance across commissions, including margin, forecasting, and resource planning.
• Support business development by identifying cross‑selling opportunities, contributing to proposals, and expanding market relationships.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role and must be adhered to where applicable.

• Able to work onsite in Grundy County 2–3 times per week, depending on project phase and client requirements (site ~25 miles south of Naperville).
• Bachelor’s degree in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, Engineering, or a related field; master’s degree preferred.
• Data Center construction experience is required.
• 8–10+ years of experience in cost management or project controls on large‑scale capital projects, ideally within mission‑critical, industrial, or high‑tech sectors.
• Proven experience delivering within a construction consultancy environment.
• Strong understanding of MEP systems, data center infrastructure, and large‑scale campus‑style developments.
• Advanced expertise in estimating, budgeting, financial reporting, cost control systems, and Earned Value Management (EVM).
• Deep experience with procurement strategies and the commercial management of contractor/vendor contracts.
• RICS accreditation (or progress toward it) highly desirable.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities while working under pressure.
• Proficiency with industry‑standard cost management and project controls software.

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

The salary range for this role is $165K-$185K 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/

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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