Site Cost Manager – Building Projects

Job Purpose:The Site Cost Manager will be responsible for managing and controlling the commercial and cost aspects of building construction projects from project commencement through completion. The role will monitor project costs, budgets, commitments, variations, subcontractor costs, procurement, forecasting, and financial performance to ensure projects are delivered within approved budgets and commercial targets.The ideal candidate should have strong hands-on experience in building projects, with solid knowledge of construction cost control, quantity surveying, subcontractor management, variations, and project commercial management.Key Responsibilities:1. Cost Control & Budget ManagementMonitor and control project costs against the approved budget.Establish and maintain project cost plans, budgets, and cost-control systems.Track actual costs, commitments, accruals, forecasts, and remaining costs.Identify cost overruns, cost risks, and potential savings opportunities.Prepare regular cost reports and highlight variances to project management.Monitor project cash flow and expenditure against planned budgets. 2. Project Cost Reporting & ForecastingPrepare weekly and monthly project cost reports.Develop accurate Cost-to-Complete (CTC) and Estimate-at-Completion (EAC) forecasts.Analyse budget versus actual expenditure and investigate significant variances.Provide management with clear commercial and financial analysis.Maintain accurate project cost databases and supporting documentation.3. Variations & Change ManagementReview, evaluate, and monitor project variations and change orders.Assess the cost impact of design changes, scope changes, and additional works.Maintain variation logs and ensure all changes are properly documented and approved.Support the preparation and submission of variation claims.Monitor approved and pending variations and their impact on project profitability.4. Subcontractor & Supplier Cost ManagementReview subcontractor and supplier commercial submissions.Monitor subcontractor commitments, payments, variations, and final accounts.Review subcontractor interim payment applications against actual progress.Support commercial negotiations with subcontractors and suppliers.Ensure subcontractor costs remain within approved budgets.5. Procurement & Commercial CoordinationCoordinate with Procurement, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, and Project teams to monitor procurement costs.Review purchase orders and commitments against project budgets.Identify potential procurement savings and cost optimisation opportunities.Monitor material and equipment costs and their impact on the project budget.6. Quantity Surveying & MeasurementReview quantities, BOQs, specifications, and contract documents.Verify site measurements and work progress where required.Ensure valuations and payment applications are supported by accurate measurements.Monitor changes in quantities and scope throughout project execution.7. Risk ManagementIdentify commercial and cost risks throughout the project lifecycle.Maintain project cost risk registers and mitigation plans.Highlight potential claims, variations, delays, and financial exposures.Work closely with the Project Manager to mitigate commercial risks.8. Project Close-OutSupport preparation and agreement of subcontractor final accounts.Ensure all project costs, commitments, variations, and accruals are properly closed.Support final project cost reconciliation.Prepare final cost reports and lessons learned.Required Experience & Qualifications:Bachelor's Degree in Quantity Surveying, Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Commercial Management, or a related discipline.Minimum 7–10 years of relevant experience in construction cost management, quantity surveying, or commercial management.Strong experience working on building construction projects is mandatory.Experience with commercial/cost management for projects such as:Residential buildingsCommercial buildingsHotelsHigh-rise buildingsMixed-use developmentsVillas and compoundsRetail or office developmentsStrong understanding of construction contracts, BOQs, variations, valuations, and subcontractor accounts.UAE/GCC construction experience is highly preferred.Key Skills:Construction Cost ManagementCost Planning & Budget ControlCost ForecastingCost-to-Complete (CTC)Estimate-at-Completion (EAC)Quantity SurveyingBOQ & Quantity MeasurementVariations & Change ManagementSubcontractor Cost ManagementProcurement Cost ControlInterim Payments & ValuationsFinal AccountsCommercial Risk ManagementClaims & Contract AdministrationBudget vs. Actual AnalysisCash Flow ForecastingCost Reporting & Financial AnalysisNegotiation & Commercial AcumenAdvanced Microsoft ExcelERP / Cost Management SystemsPreferred Certifications:RICS / MRICS – Quantity Surveying or Commercial ManagementPMP or equivalent project management certificationFIDIC Contract Management certificationProfessional Quantity Surveying certificationKey Competencies:Strong commercial and business acumenExcellent analytical and numerical skillsStrong attention to detailAbility to identify cost risks before they impact the projectStrong negotiation and stakeholder-management skillsAbility to work independently on-siteStrong communication and reporting skillsAbility to work under pressure and meet project deadlinesHands-on approach to project cost controlIdeal Candidate Profile:The ideal candidate will be a hands-on Site Cost Manager / Senior Quantity Surveyor / Cost Manager with strong experience in building construction projects, rather than infrastructure-only projects. They should be commercially driven, confident in dealing with subcontractors and project teams, and capable of independently managing project budgets, cost forecasting, variations, commitments, and final accounts from site.