Project Director – Cost Management – Data Center Construction

About the Role

The Project Director will oversee cost planning, procurement, and risk management at the program level, driving collaboration across stakeholders and contractors for seamless execution. They will manage multiple phases concurrently, resolve complex delivery challenges, and maintain alignment with program objectives while leading senior cost management teams and ensuring governance and compliance throughout the lifecycle. • Provide executive‑level leadership for cost management across all data centre program phases, ensuring governance, compliance, and alignment with standards. • Define and implement commercial strategy, cost frameworks, and reporting structures for multi‑billion‑dollar budgets, covering early‑stage budgeting, detailed cost planning, procurement strategy, and risk mitigation. • Act as senior point of contact for stakeholders, maintaining strong communication and transparency throughout all project stages. • Oversee full lifecycle cost management activities, including quantity surveying, cost controls, change management, and contingency tracking across multiple packages and phases. • Lead executive‑level reporting, presenting cost performance, forecasts, and risk assessments to leadership teams and influencing strategic decisions. • Drive value engineering and design optimisation initiatives to identify cost‑saving opportunities without compromising performance or quality. • Mentor and develop senior cost management leaders, ensuring capability growth, succession planning, and staff performance reviews. • Enhance internal cost management tools, templates, and processes for continuous improvement and best‑practice implementation. • Manage financial performance, including margin tracking, fee/resource forecasts, and compliance with internal Business Management Systems (BMS). • Support pre‑construction activities, feasibility studies, and early‑stage cost modelling for future phases. • Build strategic relationships with clients, stakeholders, contractors, and vendors, acting as a trusted advisor and identifying opportunities for business growth and cross‑selling. • Adhere to SOX control responsibilities where applicable.

Key Responsibilities

• ▸cost management
• ▸budgeting
• ▸procurement
• ▸risk management
• ▸value engineering
• ▸reporting

What You Bring

• Hold a Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or related field; advanced degree preferred. • Possess 12+ years of experience in cost management or project controls, with significant program‑level leadership experience. • Demonstrated track record managing large‑scale, mission‑critical construction programs such as hyperscale data centres, energy infrastructure, or industrial projects. • Expertise in cost planning, budgeting, financial reporting, and cost‑control systems at the program level. • Strong knowledge of procurement strategies, commercial management, and construction contracts, including change management and risk allocation. • RICS accreditation or equivalent professional certification strongly preferred. • Exceptional leadership, communication, and negotiation skills with the ability to influence at executive level. • Advanced analytical and problem‑solving abilities with meticulous attention to detail. • Proficiency in industry‑standard cost‑management tools and software. • Familiarity with MEP systems and complex building services is beneficial. • Ability to manage multiple phases and packages concurrently in a fast‑paced environment. • Experience with value engineering and design optimisation techniques. • Knowledge of energy infrastructure, carbon capture technologies, and sustainability considerations is a plus.

Requirements

• ▸rics
• ▸cost management
• ▸procurement
• ▸mep
• ▸leadership
• ▸12+ years

Benefits

Turner & Townsend promotes a healthy, productive and flexible working environment that respects work‑life balance, and provides a great place to work where each person can influence change. The company is an equal opportunity employer, celebrates diversity, and encourages applications from all sectors of the community.

Work Environment

Onsite