Associate Cost Management Director

Due to continued growth, our client is looking for an Associate Cost Management Director with strong and proven Infrastructure experience, notably for Rail, Highway and Water sectors, to take a lead position in either South, Midlands, North or South West Transportation team. The individual must be ambitious, wanting to progress and will play a key role in supporting the growth of the Transportation Business Unit. The role will involve delivering and winning work with both existing and new clients and working with the Head of Cost Management to ensure the technical standard is kept to the highest standard.  

Job Description:  

The role will be reporting to the Head of Cost Management. You will play an integral part in supporting with the development and delivering the business plan for this rapidly expanding team. You will manage and plan resources, innovate and foster a collaborative, professional and positive working environment along with delivering an appropriate cost management role.  

This role will involve delivery, team management and business growth and working with external key strategic partners, new clients and internal partners across the entire business.  

You will be specifically responsible for the delivery of multiple commissions and support the Head of Cost Management and Head of Discipline in recruiting high calibre individuals that will deliver excellence to the clients and represent the brand in a positive way.  

You will stimulate profitable growth for the team, act as a mentor to others and drive the performance of the business forward.  

Your purpose :  

- Further enhance the Cost Management capability including leading on the development and use of Power-BI, PRISM, Oracle and other Cost Management related software.  

- Lead the community of practice and drive technical excellence, service innovation and supporting with the development of the benchmarking capabilities.  

- Unlock talent and develop next generation of leaders.  

- Deliver excellent client service on the commissions through quality assurance and regular client care.  

- Develop, mentor and support your teams on project / technical delivery.  

Strategic:  

- Deliver the strategy for the Cost Management Service including identifying continuous development.  

- Deliver an exceptional cost management service for multiple stakeholders.  

- Identify opportunities for strategic recruitment and associated investments by the business, linked to the Transportation business strategy.  

- Develop a positive team ethos and continue to create opportunities for the team’s development.  

- Continually monitor progress against targets, identify risks and provide solutions to achieve successful business outcomes.  

Business Development:  

- Support with the Cost Management business development activity.  

- Review of the Key Account Management Plans for all key clients.  

- Monitor and manage Cost Management activity and associated expenditure within your remit.  

- Generate high quality leadership material for use on the website & in the market.  

- Secure year-on-year margin improvement on project delivery.  

- Further develop the Off-shore capability including managing their use on project delivery.  

Monitor and control compliance with all key metrics, including (but not limited to):  

-Project Health Checks.  

-Risk register review and updates.  

-Utilisation.  

-PSR Completion.  

-Timesheets.  

Account management:  

- Support the account management team to maximise the impact.  

- Enhance the reputation of the business.  

- Increase he share of the client’s spend.  

- Exploit opportunities for cross selling the full spectrum of services & locations.  

- Leading interfaces with design and engineering elements of the business.  

- Upskilling others and providing career growth opportunity.  

- Drive high levels of client satisfaction.  

Project leadership:  

- Having leadership skills necessary to direct and manage the project team having responsibility, under minimum supervision, delivering portfolios and projects relating to highways, Rail and other infrastructure sectors.  

- Providing guidance and technical advice to different stakeholders, including effectively chairing meetings.  

- Clear understanding of and competence in project commercial accountability.  

Technical leadership:  

- Actively broaden your experience and expertise in line with the core competencies.  

- Have an up-to-date and developing knowledge of legal and technical matters relevant to the work you do, and the law of the region or country in which you practise.  

- Participating in relevant internal/external training initiatives.  

- Applying the principles of quality assurance and environmental management.  

- Managing the client relationship and service delivery.  

Team building and management:  

- Managing and helping grow the service and sector-focussed teams.  

- Lead a team of Cost Managers at various levels within a project delivery environment.  

- Mentoring and developing your team.

- Recognised expertise in Cost Management services across infrastructure (either Rail, Highways, Water, Aviation).  

- Ability to inspire and motivate teams and unlock future talent for the business.  

- An excellent understanding of industry benchmarks / best practices, Work Breakdown Structures and methods of measurements (e.g. RMM, MMHW etc).  

- Strong network within the transport infrastructure sector.  

- Proven track record of service innovation, technical excellence and exceptional service delivery.  

- Technical ability to challenge engineering teams and identify/cost efficient design solutions.  

- Comprehensive understanding of the challenges facing transport sector and the opportunities available.  

- Commercial and quantity surveying skills or Finance skills, with full working knowledge of the construction industry, - NEC Form of Contracts, and their commercial basis.  

- Expert level and ability to develop and understand performance measurement of projects using Earned Value Management (EVM) and similar techniques.  

- Major project/programmes of work experience.  

Attributes:  

- Proven track record to lead projects for or on behalf of local or national transportation clients.  

- Proven track record of working in a consultancy environment, delivering exceptional projects, and managing teams.  

- Degree qualified in a construction or finance related field.  

- Preferably with RICS, ICE, AACE, ACostE or similar.