About the Company
Job Description
This client facing consultancy have an Associate Director position available in Milton Keynes. The Associate Director (Cost Management) will assist the Director (Cost Management) in the operational management of a Cost Management team. This role will deliver cost management commissions and establish and manage effective client relationships, ensuring client expectations are always being met.
Key Responsibilities:
To support the Director (Cost Management) in developing and implementing the function’s short and long-term strategies, ensuring alignment with the company’s business objectives.
To oversee the commercial management of multiple projects and accounts ensuring they are adequately and appropriately resourced, delivered on time, within scope, and to budget. This includes overseeing every stage of a project lifecycle from inception to end of defects and final certificate.
To manage multiple, broad ranging instructions at any one time.
To act as the client’s day to day contact.
To identify and manage new business opportunities and promote the business through networking and strategic partnerships.
To receive and develop allocated bids as lead officer.
To feed into the allocated fee tracker monthly, ensuring all instructions have a fee agreement in place.
To ensure all fees are tracked accurately in line with the finance/invoicing process.
To ensure the allocated fee tracker is kept up to date in readiness for the Operations Team report, and to manage any actions.
To peer review all submissions within relevant projects/accounts before they are sent to the client.
To ensure all relevant commercial submissions are complete the day before client submission (factoring in peer review time).
To provide feedback to all team members on tenders submitted and lessons learnt across the commission.
To attend business conferences and networking events as and when required.
To receive and act on constructive feedback to improve performance and skills.
To attend regular meetings with the Director (Cost Management) and the wider senior management team.
To set-up and manage job folders to ensure International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) compliance.
To participate in and suggest any Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
To lead, motivate and manage a Cost Management team to deliver high-quality results.
To act as a mentor to staff and offer guidance and support for professional development.
To develop and deliver Continuing Professional Development (CPD) initiatives/training sessions as and when required.
To engage in training sessions, development activities, and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) initiatives.
To maintain up to date knowledge of industry trends, regulations, and best practices within the field.
To carry out team performance review meetings and 1 to 1’s.
To ensure the team have clear performance objectives set each year.
To provide regular feedback, coaching and support to all team members including managing any underperformance issues with individuals.
To attend/facilitate regular team meetings.
To review team workload and highlight any resource issues to the Director (Cost Management).
To provide recruitment support as and when required (including conducting interviews and liaising with recruitment consultants etc.).
To carry out new staff inductions.
To review team expenses prior to submission, ensuring that they comply with both company and HMRC requirements.
To regularly communicate the company’s vision, values and goals to all staff, fostering a work environment that drives success.
To comply with and ensure all team members comply with internal policies and procedures.
The above provides the general nature of work performed in this role and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties.
Key Results / Objectives:
To provide both pre-contract and post-contract advice to clients with limited assistance and support from senior members of the team.
To ensure clients always receive excellent service and projects are completed to a high standard and within budget.
Requirements
Experience and qualifications
Essential Criteria
Educated to degree level in a relevant discipline or equivalent level of knowledge gained by practical work experience.
PQS experience.
Experience of working as a Senior Cost Manager or in a similar senior client facing role.
Experience of working in the construction and property industry.
Proven experience of delivering projects from feasibility to completion.
Line management experience.
Full UK driving license.
Desirable Criteria
MRICS/MCIOB/NECReg qualified.
MRICS assessor.
Experience of leading a team.
Main contractor or subcontractor background.
Experience of working with Matterport, Smartsheets, CostX, Autodesk Design Review and AutoCAD viewer.
Skills & Abilities
Essential Criteria
Excellent technical competence across the full range of building consultancy service lines.
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively across all levels of the organisation and with external stakeholders, ensuring alignment and understanding.
Strong ability to analyse complex situations, identify issues, and develop effective solutions that drive business success.
Exceptional ability to build relationships, work collaboratively with diverse teams, and foster a positive, cooperative work environment.
Strong leadership capabilities.
Ability to identify, assess, and mitigate risks, ensuring the business remains resilient and adaptable to changes.
Strong commercial project management abilities, with experience in overseeing multiple projects, ensuring they are delivered on time, within scope, and to budget.
Expertise in influencing key stakeholders and negotiating effectively.
Ability to identify opportunities for business improvement, lead change initiatives, and implement processes that drive organisational efficiency and innovation.
Strong presentation skills.
Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
Excellent technical attention to detail.
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills (formula writing).
Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office, specifically Word.
Desirable Criteria
Able to mediate and resolve conflict effectively by promoting collaboration and finding mutually beneficial solutions.
Proven track record of securing new business, expanding client relationships, and driving revenue growth through the development of new opportunities and markets.
Knowledge & Understanding
Essential Criteria
Strong understanding of the construction and property industry, including health and safety (H&S) regulations, estate management, and the specific challenges of schools and education sectors.
Strong understanding of how a business functions including key processes, financial management and organisational structure.
Strong knowledge and understanding of building contracts and cost plans.
Sound understanding of the Building Safety Act and the amendments to the Building Regulations.
Sound understanding of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015.
Familiarity with public policy, funding mechanisms, and their impact on construction and property development.
Desirable Criteria
Strong understanding of multi-disciplinary commercial practice.
Knowledge of architectural design principles, enabling effective collaboration with design teams and ensuring alignment with project goals, aesthetic standards, and regulatory requirements.
Knowledge of the MRICS QS pathway.
Knowledge of fire safety standards and fire risk assessments.