Cost Trend Manager – Data Center Construction

Turner & Townend is seeking an experienced Cost Trend Manager responsible for analyzing, managing, and forecasting cost trends throughout the lifecycle of large‑scale data center construction programs. This role sits at the intersection of preconstruction, estimating, market intelligence, and program controls, ensuring early visibility into cost drivers and enabling strategic budgeting decisions. The ideal candidate has deep preconstruction experience and a strong understanding of cost modeling, benchmarking, escalation forecasting, and market conditions specific to mission‑critical facilities.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain cost trend models for data center construction, including labor, materials, equipment, commodities, and subcontractor markets.
• Track historical cost data and analyze patterns to provide accurate cost escalation forecasts.
• Identify emerging cost risks and opportunities based on market analysis, vendor input, and construction economics.
• Maintain dashboards and reporting tools that communicate cost trends to executive leadership.
• Partner closely with estimating teams during conceptual and schematic design to develop cost benchmarks and predictive cost modeling.
• Lead cost trending during early design iterations, capturing and communicating cost deltas.
• Validate project budgets at each design milestone using trend data, market conditions, and historical performance.
• Provide input into procurement strategies based on cost trend insights.
• Conduct ongoing research into construction market conditions (labor rates, material indices, supply chain constraints, regional cost factors).
• Build relationships with contractors, vendors, and industry partners to gather cost intelligence.
• Maintain up‑to‑date commodity indexes and regional cost databases relevant to data center builds (steel, concrete, electrical gear, generators, HVAC equipment, etc.).
• Own the monthly/quarterly cost trend reports and present findings to internal stakeholders, including Finance, Development, and Program Management.
• Ensure consistency and accuracy in cost trend methodologies across all projects and regions.
• Support risk and contingency evaluations at the program level.
• Work with Design, Engineering, Sourcing, and Construction teams to identify cost‑impacting changes early.
• Provide guidance during value engineering exercises to help optimize design without compromising performance.
• Partner with Procurement to inform bid strategies and supplier negotiations.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.

 

• 7+ years of experience in preconstruction, cost management, estimating, or project controls within large‑scale commercial or mission‑critical construction.
• Strong background in preconstruction processes including conceptual estimating, benchmarking, and cost modeling.
• Experience with data center construction or heavy MEP‑intensive projects.
• Deep understanding of construction economics, cost indices, and commodity trends.
• Proficiency with estimating software and data analysis tools (e.g., CostX, WinEst, RSMeans, Power BI, Excel).
• Ability to synthesize complex data and communicate insights clearly to executives.
• Experience working for a major data center developer, hyperscaler, or top GC.
• Familiarity with procurement of large‑scale electrical and mechanical systems.
• Degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Economics, or related field.

*On-site presence and requirements may change depending on our clients' needs.*

Our inspired people share our vision and mission. We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change.

We want our people to succeed both in work and life. To support this we promote a healthy, productive and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance. 

Turner & Townsend is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

Please find out more about us at www.turnerandtownsend.com/

Turner & Townsend does not accept any speculative or unsolicited CV’s that have been sent to our internal recruitment team or hiring managers from agencies outside of our preferred supplier list or that have not followed due process. Any speculative or unsolicited CV’s will be treated as a direct application.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
 

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