Senior Cost Manager/Commercial Manager - Data Centre📣 Job Ad

About the Role

Turner & Townsend is seeking a Senior Cost Manager/Commercial Manager to join its team in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This role will focus on large-scale data centre projects, overseeing the cost management lifecycle and ensuring commercial control and cost certainty for hyperscale data centre developments.

Turner & Townsend is committed to delivering positive outcomes for clients, enabling employee potential, and contributing to society. The company engages in technical projects across over 130 countries, fostering a client-focused culture. Clients value the company's proactive approach, expertise, integrity, and delivery quality.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and management of project budgets, cost plans, and forecasting for data centre developments.
• Provide strategic cost advice on value engineering, procurement strategies, and cost optimization.
• Establish comprehensive cost control frameworks aligned with programme, risk, and delivery strategies.
• Oversee the preparation of detailed cost estimates, benchmarking, and feasibility studies.
• Lead cost planning activities through concept, design, and pre-construction stages.
• Challenge design solutions and propose alternative approaches to optimize cost, performance, and constructability in mission-critical environments.
• Develop and implement procurement strategies for Civil, Structural, Architectural (CSA), Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP), and specialist systems.
• Lead tender processes, including preparation of documentation, evaluations, negotiations, and recommendations.
• Ensure commercial alignment across multiple contract packages and vendor agreements.
• Manage post-contract activities, including variations, change control, claims assessment, and cost reporting.
• Oversee contractor valuations and certify payments in accordance with contractual terms.
• Lead final account negotiations and project close-out procedures.
• Act as the primary commercial interface with clients, project teams, and key stakeholders.
• Present cost reports, forecasts, and commercial insights to senior stakeholders.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships, ensuring high service delivery.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to understand power, cooling, redundancy (Tier standards), and infrastructure requirements.
• Provide commercial oversight on critical systems including UPS, generators, chillers, CRAH/CRAC units, and structured cabling.
• Support the alignment between design intent and cost efficiency in technical environments.
• Lead and mentor Cost Managers and Assistant Cost Managers.
• Review deliverables to ensure accuracy, consistency, and compliance with project standards.
• Support team development and capability building initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with internal governance, financial controls, and client reporting requirements.
• Identify cost risks early and develop proactive mitigation strategies.
• Drive continuous improvement and knowledge sharing across data centre projects.

Qualifications and Requirements

• A Degree in Quantity Surveying, Cost Management, Construction Management, or a related discipline.
• Professional accreditation such as MRICS or equivalent is preferred.
• 10 to 15 years of experience in cost management within construction projects.
• Proven experience delivering data centre, mission-critical, or high-tech industrial projects.
• Strong exposure to CSA and MEP trade packages, including complex and high-value procurement.
• Experience working in fast-track, high-pressure delivery environments with multiple stakeholders.

Required Skills

• Strong commercial acumen and strategic thinking.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Deep understanding of cost management principles, procurement, and contract administration.
• Ability to manage complexity across multi-package, multi-vendor environments.
• Proactive, detail-oriented, and results-driven approach.
• Proficiency in Commercial Leadership, Cost Strategy, Cost Control, Cost Planning, Pre-Contract Services, Procurement Management, Tender Management, Post-Contract Cost Control, Stakeholder Management, Client Management, Data Centre / Technical Coordination, Team Leadership, Mentorship, Governance & Risk Management.

Work Location and Details

This is a full-time position based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, specifically in the Middle Oraija District. The role requires over 10 years of experience.