SENIOR COST MANAGER

Owner’s Representation | New York City

About the Company

Our client is a newly established Owner’s Representative firm with ambitious plans to grow across North America.

Founded by a highly regarded construction leader with an excellent track record across major national programmes, the business has already secured significant work with a global technology client. It also has a growing pipeline across luxury retail, hospitality, entertainment and complex programme delivery.

This is an early-stage business with significant momentum. The successful candidate will join at an exciting stage of its growth, delivering high-profile work and helping establish the company’s presence in New York and across the wider region.

About the Role

The business is looking to appoint a Senior Cost Manager based in New York City. The successful candidate will lead the commercial delivery of individual projects or major workstreams, providing confident advice to clients from initial business case through final account.

Working closely with senior leadership, they will take ownership of budgets, reporting, procurement and change control while coordinating the wider consultant and contractor team. The role offers meaningful responsibility, direct client exposure and the opportunity to help shape a developing cost management service.

Key Responsibilities

• Leading cost management services across preconstruction, procurement, construction and closeout.
• Developing robust estimates, cost plans, budgets and cash-flow forecasts aligned with the client’s objectives.
• Advising on procurement and contracting strategy and managing tender processes through recommendation.
• Reviewing and challenging contractor pricing, payment applications, change orders, claims and forecasts.
• Chairing commercial meetings and presenting clear cost, risk and decision information to client stakeholders.
• Establishing effective cost-control, change-control and reporting procedures at project outset.
• Leading value management and scenario analysis with the design team and client.
• Managing commercial risks, contingencies and cost pressures and recommending timely mitigation actions.
• Coordinating and quality-checking the work of Cost Managers and external cost consultants.
• Supporting final account negotiations and ensuring accurate, well-documented project closeout.
• Building strong relationships with clients, contractors and project partners and identifying opportunities to expand the firm’s support.
• Contributing to internal standards, market intelligence and the development of the New York team.

About the Person

The successful candidate will be an experienced, commercially astute cost professional who can lead assignments with limited supervision. They will be credible with senior clients, comfortable challenging contractors and design teams, and able to turn complex commercial information into clear recommendations.

The Ideal Candidate Will Have

• Strong cost management or quantity surveying experience gained within a consultancy, Owner’s Representative, developer or contractor environment.
• A proven record of leading projects or substantial cost workstreams from preconstruction through completion.
• Detailed knowledge of estimating, procurement, contract administration, change management and cost reporting.
• Experience reviewing contractor proposals and negotiating commercial outcomes on behalf of a client.
• Strong client-facing, presentation and stakeholder-management skills.
• The ability to manage competing priorities, maintain quality and support junior colleagues.
• A degree in quantity surveying, construction management, engineering or a related discipline; professional accreditation is preferred.
• Knowledge of the New York construction market and local cost drivers is strongly advantageous.
• An entrepreneurial mindset and enthusiasm for helping build a high-quality cost management offering.