Lead Cost Manager - Contract

Role Overview The successful candidate will lead the cost management function for major projects, programs, or a portfolio of projects and will be accountable for the overall quality, governance, and effectiveness of cost management delivery. The Lead Cost Manager will lead the cost management team, act as the senior commercial interface with the client and project leadership, and provide strategic advice on cost, commercial risk, procurement, change, and financial performance throughout the project lifecycle. The role is expected to set direction, establish governance, manage escalations, and ensure consistent delivery across the wider cost management team. Key Responsibilities • Lead and take overall accountability for project or program cost management, including budgets, cost plans, forecasts, cash flow, and commercial reporting. • Establish the cost management strategy, governance, processes, and reporting requirements for major projects or programs. • Lead and approve cost estimates, cost plans, budgets, forecasts, and commercial recommendations. • Lead major value engineering, lifecycle costing, and cost optimization exercises, advising clients and project leadership on key trade-offs. • Own overall project change governance, ensuring changes are assessed, challenged, approved, tracked, and reflected accurately in forecasts. • Provide senior review and approval of material change orders, invoices, claims, commercial submissions, and cost assessments. • Own the identification and management of major commercial and cost risks, including mitigation planning and senior-level escalation. • Lead commercial discussions and negotiations with clients, contractors, consultants, and other key stakeholders. • Act as the senior cost management representative in project steering committees, governance forums, and executive client meetings. • Advise senior stakeholders on the commercial impact of design strategy, procurement approach, scope changes, schedule changes, and project risks. • Oversee benchmarking, market testing, development appraisals, cost assurance, and commercial analysis. • Lead contract administration, commercial negotiations, final account strategy, and project close-out. • Lead, allocate work to, coach, and develop Junior and Senior Cost Managers. • Review and approve key cost management deliverables before submission to the client or project leadership. • Define and enforce consistent cost management standards, templates, controls, reporting processes, and governance across the project or program. • Manage complex commercial escalations and provide recommendations on significant cost, contractual, and commercial decisions. Education Bachelor's degree in one of the following fields: • Quantity Surveying • Construction Management • Cost Management • Engineering • Data Analytics with a construction or cost focus Qualifications & Experience • Minimum of 10 years of relevant cost management experience. • Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office 365, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, and Word. • Extensive experience leading cost management delivery on large, complex projects or programs. • Demonstrated experience leading teams and providing commercial direction to senior project and client stakeholders. • Strong experience in cost planning, forecasting, change management, commercial governance, risk management, contract administration, and project close-out. • Strong commercial judgement and ability to make or recommend decisions on complex and material commercial matters. • Strong senior stakeholder management, negotiation, presentation, and communication skills. • Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, and manage multidisciplinary cost management teams. • Ability to establish governance, set standards, manage escalations, and take accountability for the overall cost management function.