Associate Cost Manager

Overview

As an Associate Cost Manager, you will lead complex cost management across major development and infrastructure programmes, acting as a trusted advisor on commercial matters. You’ll provide strategic leadership, manage client relationships, and mentor cost professionals to grow the Places business. You’ll shape cost planning, risk, and procurement strategies to support client decisions and project outcomes. This role offers influence across high-profile projects within Arcadis’ Places team, contributing to sustainable communities and smart asset delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery of complex cost management commissions across major development and infrastructure programmes
• Provide strategic cost, commercial and procurement advice from business case through project completion
• Oversee cost planning, benchmarking, estimating, risk management, value engineering, change control and final account resolution
• Deliver commercial leadership on large-scale projects with senior stakeholder engagement
• Ensure consistent, high-quality commercially focused advice to support client decision-making
• Act as senior point of contact for key clients and strategic accounts
• Build trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders and delivery partners
• Identify opportunities to expand client relationships and generate new business
• Lead the preparation of fee proposals, commercial bids and strategic pursuits
• Oversee commission performance including revenue, profitability and utilisation
• Provide leadership and mentorship to Cost Consultants and Quantity Surveyors
• Foster an inclusive, collaborative and high-performing team culture
• Support recruitment, succession planning and capability growth within Places
• Drive continuous improvement of cost management processes and governance
• Ensure compliance with governance procedures and professional standards
• Lead commercial risk identification and mitigation strategies
• Review and approve project outputs before client submission
• Contribute to business planning and growth across Places market sectors
• Support innovation and service development to enhance client value

Key requirements

• Degree in Quantity Surveying, Cost Management or related built environment discipline
• MRICS or equivalent accreditation
• Significant consultancy experience delivering cost management services in the built environment
• Proven experience leading large and complex programmes or portfolios
• Strong understanding of construction procurement, contracts, risk management and commercial strategy
• Experience managing senior client relationships and strategic accounts
• Experience leading, mentoring and developing multidisciplinary teams
• Excellent communication, presentation and stakeholder management skills

• leadership
• stakeholder management
• communication
• cost management
• procurement
• risk management

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