Senior Quantity Surveyor

Role overview

Cost planning and tendering

• Oversee quantity surveying, cost management, and commercial administration throughout project lifecycles.
• Prepare cost estimates, bills of quantities, cost plans, and tender documentation.
• Review drawings, specifications, and construction documents to determine quantities, labor requirements, and project costs.
• Manage tendering, evaluate contractor quotations, recommend contractors and suppliers, compare pricing, and negotiate commercial terms.

Cost control and commercial administration

• Monitor budgets, cash-flow forecasts, expenditure, and cost performance; prepare cost reports, forecasts, valuations, and commercial updates.
• Administer construction contracts and ensure compliance with contractual obligations, specifications, and agreed commercial terms.
• Evaluate interim payment applications, progress claims, variations, and final accounts.
• Assess scope changes, design modifications, and additional works for financial and contractual implications.
• Manage subcontractor procurement, negotiations, payment certifications, and contractual documentation.

Risk, advice, and project coordination

• Identify potential cost overruns, financial risks, and contractual disputes and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Conduct cost reviews and value engineering to identify savings without compromising quality or performance.
• Liaise with project stakeholders to resolve cost-related and contractual issues and monitor construction market prices.
• Manage contractual correspondence, claims documentation, extension-of-time cost implications, and dispute-related records.
• Provide commercial advice to senior management and support project financial targets and value.

Records and team support

• Prepare, negotiate, and finalize project final accounts in line with contractual requirements and procedures.
• Maintain accurate records of estimates, tender evaluations, agreements, payment certifications, and project financial documents.
• Mentor junior quantity surveyors and guide them in estimation, contract administration, and commercial practices.
• Ensure compliance with construction regulations, procurement policies, contractual standards, and company procedures.

Experience and qualifications

• Proven experience as a Senior Quantity Surveyor, Quantity Surveyor, or in a similar commercial construction role.
• A relevant bachelor's degree is preferred; fields include Quantity Surveying, Construction Economics, or Construction Management.
• Professional qualifications or membership such as RICS or BQSM are advantageous and may be required depending on the position.
• Strong knowledge of cost management, bills of quantities, tendering, commercial contract administration, and local-market contract conditions.

Technical and professional skills

• Experience with estimates, budget forecasts, valuations, variation assessments, final accounts, procurement, and commercial negotiations.
• Ability to interpret drawings, technical specifications, schedules, and bills of quantities; knowledge of materials, labor costs, and construction methodologies.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and quantity-surveying or cost-estimation software; CostX, Cubicost, Buildsoft, or similar tools are advantageous.
• Strong analytical, numerical, problem-solving, financial management, negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Claims management, dispute resolution, contract negotiations, and final-account settlements are preferred experience.

Additional expectations

• High attention to detail, accuracy, transparency, and contractual compliance; able to manage multiple projects and deadlines under pressure.
• Able to work independently and collaboratively, supervise and mentor junior colleagues, and travel to project sites or stakeholder meetings when required.
• Experience across commercial, residential, infrastructure, industrial, or large-scale construction projects is advantageous.

What the employer offers

• Opportunity to oversee major construction projects and contribute to cost management and commercial performance.
• Exposure to budgeting, contract administration, procurement strategy, tender evaluation, and financial risk management.
• Collaborative professional environment, development and training opportunities, and potential progression into commercial, contracts, cost-management, associate-director, or department-head roles.
• Competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package.