Senior Quantity Surveyor / Cost Manager at Turner & Townsend

Job Description

To perform the role of the Commission Manager, taking responsibility for end-to-end service delivery, often with respect to large or complex commissions.

To act as the key, day-to-day client interface, ensuring that client objectives are met through the delivery of a value-added cost management service.

SCOPE

Senior Cost Managers handle commissions of varying sizes, depending upon the complexity of the project, etc. For example, a Senior Cost Manager might be the Commission Manager for a USD10M-USD100M construction project or have responsibilities for packages on a much larger overall contract.

Key Accountabilities:

Commission Management, to include:

This will include taking responsibility for all cost management aspects of a project from inception through to close-out and use.

• Assisting in establishing a client’s requirements and undertaking feasibility studies
• Applying Value Management techniques at the outset of a project where appropriate or applicable, and where necessary involving Senior Management
• Managing and taking ownership of estimating and cost planning activities to include presenting the Cost Estimates
• Managing and taking ownership of the procurement process, ensuring that all stages including pre-qualification, enquiry, Bills of Quantities, analysis, selection, and contract preparation are performed effectively
• Maintaining awareness of the different building contracts in current use
• Ensuring that post-contract cost variances and change control processes are managed effectively
• Providing advice on contractual claims
• Ensuring that cost checking and valuation work is managed effectively
• Ensuring the production of monthly post-contract cost reports and presenting them to the client
• Value engineering, risk management, and life cycle costing where applicable
• Ensuring that final accounts are negotiated and agreed
• Taking a lead role in interfacing with the client and other consultants, at all project stages
• Where appropriate, leading a cost management team, ensuring that they deliver on all of the above accountabilities
• Ensuring that QA/QC procedures are adhered to at all times

 Marketing and business development, to include:

• Taking responsibility for developing new business opportunities with existing and new Turner & Townsend clients
• Identifying and acting upon cross-selling opportunities
• Working with Associate Directors and Directors to construct bids for new work
• Attending networking functions as required
• Identifying and acting upon opportunities to improve cost management procedures, templates, and products and hence improve the service provided to clients
• Understanding the Turner & Townsend Target Improve Control cost management philosophy and identifying and acting upon cross-divisional opportunities

Internal management accountabilities, to include:

• Knowledge management – Ensuring that key information and learning generated from each commission is input into the Turner & Townsend internal database and Best Practice library
• Financial management – Utilising the Turner & Townsend financial management systems in order to keep track of the ongoing margin levels and monthly fee/resource forecasts for each commission
• Process improvement – Identifying and acting upon ways to improve internal systems and processes
• Training and Mentoring – Identifying and proposing training requirements for Cost Managers, Assistant Cost Managers, and mentoring staff as required

Reporting:

Depending upon context, a Senior Cost Manager is likely to report to a Sector Leader, Associate Director, or Director.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

A Senior Cost Manager will in part be assessed by the extent to which:

• Commissions are managed to the correct quality standards and are completed efficiently and on time
• Service delivery on commissions is in line with the conditions of the appointment
• Strong relationships are developed with clients and cross-functional team members
• The cost management team is effectively led (where appropriate) within the context of delivering a specific commission
• General line management responsibilities (where appropriate) are effectively discharged
• Ability to encourage and support junior members of the Cost Management Team
• Business development opportunities with existing and new clients, including cross-selling opportunities, are identified and acted upon
• Margin levels and monthly fee/resource forecasts are kept track of on all commissions
• Key information and data is effectively cascaded and appropriately retained

Specific Accountabilities and Key Performance Indicators will be developed separately for individuals where applicable. Thses will be developed together with Senior Management.

 Qualifications

For appointment to this grade a candidate must have:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Building Economics/Quantity Surveying, or its equivalent from a recognized institution
• Must be BORAQS registered and a corporate member of either Architectural Association of Kenya or the Institute of Quantity Surveyors of Kenya.
• Minimum 7 years’ experience in the relevant sector and good knowledge of the East African construction industry
• Strong analytical ability with good communication skills
• Excellent time management skills, with ability to work to tight deadlines
• Excellent team player whilst also holding the ability to work independently on own initiative
• Strong business development skills
• Strong IT skills
• Experience in using CostX® estimating software an added advantage