Associate Director | Cost Management (Relocation from UK & Australia)

Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Salary: $150,000-$175,000 + bonus

We are representing a rapidly expanding Global Building Consultancy with a growing footprint across the Midwest, including Madison, Wisconsin. The firm has seen sustained growth over recent years, driven largely by its leadership in the data center and mission-critical sector. A recent strategic partnership with a leading global consultancy has further strengthened its technical depth, market reach, and long-term growth trajectory across the US.

The business provides independent cost management and project delivery services to a portfolio of Fortune 500 and hyperscale clients, with a heavy emphasis on data centers, critical infrastructure, and technology-led real estate. Their culture mirrors that of their tech clients; collaborative, fast-moving, and pragmatic, offering real responsibility, clear progression, and exposure to complex, high-value projects from day one.

The Role – Associate Director, Cost Management

Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this role sits at the heart of the firm’s most significant US program. You will take a senior leadership position on a multi-campus, hyperscale data center development, one of the largest in the country, acting as a trusted commercial advisor to developers, operators, and internal leadership.

You’ll have end-to-end responsibility across multiple concurrent projects, influencing strategy, setting commercial standards, and ensuring consistency of cost control across campuses. This is a role for someone comfortable operating at program level, not just individual projects.

This position is ideal for an existing Associate Director who wants true scale, visibility, and influence, not just a bigger job title.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead the cost management delivery of a multi-campus hyperscale data center program, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and commercial rigor across all sites.
• Take overall responsibility for Order of Cost Estimates, Cost Plans, Tender and Contract Documentation across multiple facilities.
• Chair senior-level cost and commercial meetings for one of the largest data center programs in the USA
• Act as the primary commercial interface with clients, contractors, and consultants on:
• Program-level cost reporting and forecasting
• Planned vs. actual spend across campuses
• Variations, change control, and risk management
• Commercial strategy and dispute avoidance
• Oversee internal reporting platforms to ensure clear, real-time visibility of cost data at program level.
• Work closely with Project Directors and Project Managers during construction to manage:
• Provisional sum strategy across multiple sites
• Contractor Design Portion (CDP) allowances and risk
• Lead monthly cost reviews, final account strategy, and commercial close-out across concurrent builds.
• Build, mentor, and lead a growing cost management team, setting technical standards and developing future leaders.
• Produce and present executive-level reports for senior client stakeholders, including developers and hyperscale operators.
• Support regional leadership with business development, client expansion, and long-term program planning as the Midwest platform continues to scale.

What They’re Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction, Quantity Surveying, or related discipline.
• 8+ years’ experience in cost management on complex, large-scale construction or infrastructure programs.
• Experience operating across multiple concurrent projects or program-level commissions.
• Strong technical understanding of construction, engineering, and architectural principles.
• Proven ability to lead teams and manage senior client relationships.
• Robust pre- and post-contract experience.
• Commercially confident and credible at executive level.
• US citizenship, transferable right to work, or eligibility for an E-2 or E-3 visa.
• Strong Microsoft Office skills (Excel still pays the bills).

Why This Role?

• One of the largest multi-campus data center programs in the United States.
• Long-term hyperscale pipeline, not a one-off project.
• Opportunity to shape cost strategy at program level, not just deliver packages.
• A growing Madison office where senior hires have real influence.
• A consultancy scaling quickly; progression is based on impact, not tenure.