Location
Manchester

Hours
Full Time

Salary
Negotiable

About the Role
Arcadis is the world's leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets. With over 34,000 people in more than 30 countries, we are dedicated to improving quality of life by solving the world’s most complex challenges together.

We are seeking an experienced and commercially focused Associate Cost Manager to join our Places Cost Management team. The Places business delivers sustainable, resilient, and people-focused environments across commercial, residential, mixed-use, education, healthcare, science and technology, regeneration, defence, local government, and public sector estates projects.

As an Associate Cost Manager, you will lead the delivery of major commissions and client accounts, acting as a trusted advisor on complex cost and commercial matters. You will provide strategic leadership across projects and programmes, develop long-term client relationships, mentor high-performing teams, and contribute to the growth and success of the Places business.

This role requires a combination of technical excellence, commercial acumen, leadership capability, and a passion for delivering better outcomes for clients and communities.

Role Accountabilities
- Lead the delivery of complex cost management commissions across major development and infrastructure programmes.
- Provide strategic cost, commercial and procurement advice from business case through to project completion.
- Oversee cost planning, benchmarking, estimating, risk management, value engineering, change control and final account resolution.
- Provide commercial leadership on large-scale and high-profile projects requiring senior stakeholder engagement.
- Ensure consistent delivery of high-quality, commercially focused advice supporting client decision-making.
- Act as senior point of contact for key clients and strategic accounts, building trusted relationships with senior stakeholders.
- Identify opportunities to expand client relationships and generate new business.
- Represent Arcadis at industry events, client forums and networking activities.
- Provide leadership, direction and mentorship to Cost Consultants and Quantity Surveyors.
- Take line management responsibility supporting career development and performance management.
- Foster an inclusive, collaborative and high-performing team culture.
- Lead preparation of fee proposals, commercial bids and strategic pursuits.
- Take responsibility for commission performance including revenue, profitability and utilisation.
- Ensure compliance with Arcadis governance procedures and professional standards.
- Lead commercial risk identification and mitigation strategies.
- Drive continuous improvement of cost management processes and best practice methodologies.

Experience
- Significant consultancy experience delivering cost management services within the built environment sector.
- Proven experience leading large and complex programmes, developments or portfolios.
- Strong understanding of construction procurement, contracts, risk management and commercial strategy.
- Demonstrable experience managing senior client relationships and strategic accounts.
- Experience leading, mentoring and developing multidisciplinary teams.
- Desirable: Experience across multiple Places sectors including commercial development, residential, education, healthcare, public sector estates, regeneration and mixed-use developments.
- Existing market profile and professional network within the UK property and construction sector.
- Experience leading framework commissions and key account programmes.
- Involvement in business development, client account leadership and strategic growth planning.

About you
Commercially astute with excellent communication, presentation and stakeholder management skills.
Leadership focused, able to inspire and develop teams.
Passionate about delivering sustainable and impactful outcomes for clients and communities.
Committed to fostering an inclusive and collaborative working environment.

Qualifications
- Degree in Quantity Surveying, Cost Management or a related built environment discipline.
- MRICS or equivalent professional accreditation.