Cost Trend Manager – Data Center Construction

About the Role

Key responsibilities include developing and maintaining cost‑trend models, tracking historical cost data, and identifying emerging risks and opportunities. The manager will create dashboards and reports for executive leadership, partner with estimating teams during design phases, validate budgets at each milestone, and provide cost insights to shape procurement and bid strategies. Ongoing market research, maintenance of commodity indexes, and ownership of monthly and quarterly cost‑trend reporting are also essential, as is ensuring methodological consistency across projects and regions. • Develop and maintain cost trend models for data center construction (labor, materials, equipment, commodities, subcontractors). • Track historical cost data and forecast cost escalations. • Identify emerging cost risks and opportunities through market analysis and vendor input. • Create and maintain dashboards/reports communicating cost trends to leadership. • Partner with estimating teams to establish cost benchmarks and predictive models during design phases. • Validate project budgets at design milestones using trend data and historical performance. • Provide cost insights to inform procurement strategies and bid negotiations. • Conduct ongoing research on labor rates, material indices, supply chain constraints, and regional cost factors. • Maintain up‑to‑date commodity indexes and regional cost databases for data center builds. • Own monthly/quarterly cost trend reporting and present findings to Finance, Development, and Program Management. • Ensure consistency and accuracy of cost‑trend methodology across projects and regions. • Support program‑level risk and contingency evaluations and value‑engineering efforts.

Key Responsibilities

• ▸cost modeling
• ▸data tracking
• ▸dashboard reporting
• ▸commodity indexes
• ▸trend reporting
• ▸methodology consistency

What You Bring

The firm is hiring an experienced Cost Trend Manager to oversee cost analysis, forecasting and reporting for large‑scale data‑center construction programs. The role sits at the intersection of pre‑construction, estimating, market intelligence and program controls, providing early visibility into cost drivers and supporting strategic budgeting decisions. The ideal candidate brings deep pre‑construction experience and strong expertise in cost modeling, benchmarking, escalation forecasting and market conditions for mission‑critical facilities. Candidates must have at least seven years of experience in pre‑construction, cost management, estimating or project controls on large commercial or mission‑critical projects, preferably within data‑center or heavy MEP‑intensive environments. A strong background in construction economics, cost indices and commodity trends is required, along with proficiency in tools such as CostX, WinEst, RSMeans, Power BI and Excel. Excellent analytical and communication skills, experience with major data‑center developers or top general contractors, and a degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Economics or a related field are also required. • 7+ years in preconstruction, cost management, estimating or project controls on large commercial or mission‑critical projects. • Proven experience with data center or heavy MEP‑intensive construction. • Strong expertise in cost modeling, benchmarking, and construction economics. • Proficient in CostX, WinEst, RSMeans, Power BI, Excel or similar analysis tools. • Ability to synthesize complex data and present insights to senior executives. • Degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Economics or related field.

Requirements

• ▸7+ years
• ▸data center
• ▸cost modeling
• ▸costx
• ▸power bi
• ▸construction management

Benefits

• Flexible on‑site presence based on client needs. • Commitment to work‑life balance and a healthy, productive environment. • Inclusive, diversity‑focused workplace; equal‑opportunity employer. • No recruitment fees charged to candidates.

Work Environment

Onsite