Associate Director, Cost Management (MEP QS)

Role Overview

As an Associate Director in Cost Management, you will lead the successful delivery of cost management services of construction projects from initiation to completion. You will be responsible for strategic planning, stakeholder management, governance, and execution, ensuring projects meet client expectations, quality standards, and budgetary targets. This role also includes cost oversight, team management and development, and contributing to business growth and innovation.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Development

• To take line management responsibilities and develop cost managers and team members through structured guidance, feedback, and performance reviews.
• Hold the highest level of professional integrity and business ethics.
• Foster a collaborative and high-performing team culture that supports continuous learning and professional growth.
• Motivate team members, and drive towards positive client outcomes and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Responsible to manage the team’s resource against the business pipeline and projects
• Conduct interviews for vacant positions in line with the company’s recruitment process and resource requirements
• Critically analyze, challenge and brainstorm project requirements and deliverables, in order to find creative solutions and alternatives on behalf of clients.

Client & Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead multidisciplinary project teams including clients, consultants, contractors, and suppliers.
• To act as the key, day to day client interface, ensuring that client objectives are met through the delivery of a value-added cost management service.
• Facilitate effective communication and collaboration across all stakeholders through structured meetings, reporting, and documentation.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure alignment and successful project outcomes.

Project Strategy & Planning

• Develop and lead cost benchmarks to support the overall project execution strategy, defining critical success factors and key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Critically analyze, challenge and brainstorm project requirements and deliverables, in order to find creative solutions and alternatives on behalf of clients.
• Establish robust cost reporting structures and control mechanisms.

Project Controls & Reporting

• Act as Commission Manager, taking responsibility for end to end service delivery, often with respect to large or complex commissions or multiple commissions.
• Managing estimating and cost planning activities to include taking ownership of and presenting the final revisions of cost plans.
• Ensuring the production of monthly post-contract cost reports and presenting them to the client.
• Leading value engineering and life cycle costing exercise.
• Implement and maintain cost controls mechanisms incorporated into projects’ schedule, cost, risk, and change management.

Financial and Risk Management

• Monitor project budgets and financial performance in collaboration with cost management team.
• Analyze cost drivers, manage variations, and report financial progress against budget.
• Lead commercial negotiations and contract administration on projects alongside the cost management team
• Responsible for managing internal risk management procedures and systems, including client care processes and the contract database.
• Manage invoicing processes using D-365, including:
  • Reviewing and validating invoice data for accuracy and completeness.
  • Coordinating with finance teams to ensure timely submission and approval.
  • Tracking invoice status and resolving discrepancies.
  • Ensuring compliance with client billing requirements and internal financial controls.

Business Development

• Contribute to business development initiatives, including proposal writing, client presentations, and market engagement to support growth and positioning.
• Collaborate with internal teams to identify new opportunities, develop tailored solutions, and respond to client needs with agility and insight.
• Demonstrate strategic thinking and commercial awareness in identifying trends, client priorities, and competitive differentiators.
• Capture and share lessons learned, benchmarking data, and best practices to drive continuous improvement across projects and teams.

• Degree qualifications in Cost Management or Quantity Surveying or similar discipline.
• Minimum 8-10 years of post-qualification experience working on a range of projects in public or private sector
• RICS or HKIS membership being a minimum requirement.
• Confidence to lead project teams with strong communication and presentation skills in English and Cantonese (Mandarin a bonus)
• Experience from MEP QS background, well versed with mechanical and electrical (M&E) work experience is preferred.
• A passion for work, and a strong commitment to producing high quality work, and in motivating others to strive for excellence, and to go the extra mile to meet client requirements
• Track record working in a fast-paced environment, meeting deadlines, working proactively and collaboratively as part of a team
• Excellent communication skills, and strong business acumen, with the ability to drive outcomes, develop new business, leverage current opportunities, and coordinate with construction and design teams to meet deadlines and deliverables

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It is strictly against Turner & Townsend policy for candidates to pay any fee in relation to our recruitment process. No recruitment agency working with Turner & Townsend will ask candidates to pay a fee at any time.

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