Cost Manager in Manchester

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Assume day‑to‑day delivery responsibility for larger projects/programmes of work and demonstrate the ability to take on tasks without supervision.
• Strengthen service delivery capability and promote knowledge capture, sharing and innovation.
• Prepare budget estimates, cost plans and client reports.
• Provide risk and value management.
• Contract administration including preparation of valuations, forecasts, cost reports and attendance at project meetings.
• Prepare bills of quantities, schedules of rates or other methods of work evaluation.
• Deliver all work outputs accurately and in a timely manner to a high standard of quality.
• Manage delivery of work through proactive involvement where appropriate and performance‑manage personnel to ensure timely, high‑quality completion.
• Ensure service delivery complies with practice policies and procedures, especially Health and Safety and Quality Assurance.
• Ensure compliance with client corporate governance procedures where applicable.
• Achieve all objectives as required by the annual performance review process.
• Work to deadlines set by the Project Team Leader.
• Ensure filing of project correspondence in accordance with requirements.
• Contribute to bid and tender preparation and business development.
• Develop business through networking and client relationship building.
• Demonstrate a commitment to continuing professional development and continuous improvement.
• Ensure that change control processes for services are effectively managed.
• Provide advice on procurement and contracts.
• Prepare and evaluate tenders, select contractors and produce contract documentation.
• Support the implementation of strategic initiatives at service and sector levels.
• Provide leadership to staff where required.
• Resolve conflicts of priorities and personalities relating to work with the appropriate Director or Associate.
• Mentor and coach team members to develop staff and new starters, supporting the practice’s growth and career development.
• Monitor project fees and ensure resources and time inputs align with approved budgets.

Knowledge & Skills Required

• Confidently respond to a client request and know when to elevate issues to senior team members.
• Provide innovative solutions to improve project delivery.
• Show resilience and resourcefulness in highly complex challenges.
• Commit to outperforming client expectations.
• Support stakeholder management.
• Deal diplomatically with a wide range of stakeholders in a flexible, ever‑changing environment.
• Demonstrate flexibility in response to changing requirements and routines.
• Show a high degree of integrity.
• Show strong leadership skills and the ability to lead, creating a close‑knit team.
• Motivate and mentor the team to work effectively in a dynamic environment, including the supply chain.
• Manage conflicting priorities and organize workloads in conjunction with the appropriate Director.
• Prioritize and self‑manage in a high‑pressure environment.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Degree qualified: construction, cost management, engineering, quantity surveying or other RICS accredited degree.
• MRICS or equivalent qualification or experience.
• Leadership development training.
• 3+ years’ experience.
• Proven experience in the Real Estate sector.
• Strong knowledge of recladding.
• Extensive experience with industry standard contracts, typically JCT.
• Excellent pre‑ and post‑contract technical cost management skills.
• Strong core technical skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Strong IT skills for the role including MS Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Strong interpersonal skills with clients and staff.
• Energetic, motivated and innovative, resourceful and adaptable.
• Ability to think clearly and make reasoned decisions, explaining the logic employed.

Cumming Group is committed to creating a diverse workplace and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All job applicants will receive equal treatment without regard to age, sex, disability, sexual orientation, race (including nationality, national/ethnic origins, colour), marriage & civil partnership, pregnancy & maternity, gender reassignment, religion and belief. All such decisions are based on individual merit, qualifications, and competence as they relate to the particular position, and on the promotion of the principle of equal employment opportunity.