Quantity Surveyor (Exclusive Role) in Belfast

Location: Lisburn, with travel to project sites as required

Salary: £55,000-£65,000, depending on experience

Contract: Permanent, full-time

Closing date: Ongoing recruitment

An Exclusive Opportunity Through Happy Jobs NI

Happy Jobs NI is delighted to be exclusively representing an established and growing contractor in the appointment of an experienced Quantity Surveyor. The client is a dynamic and forward-thinking organisation currently experiencing rapid growth, with ambitious plans for continued expansion. As part of this growth, the business is strengthening its commercial capability and investing in the people, systems and processes required to support its future development.

The organisation delivers a diverse portfolio of construction, civil engineering and infrastructure projects where effective commercial control, strong contract management and accurate forecasting are essential. This is a commercially influential opportunity for a Quantity Surveyor who is comfortable taking ownership of projects from tender handover through delivery, change management, final account and cash recovery.

About the Role

Reporting to the Contracts Manager and working closely with Project Managers, Finance and operational teams, the Quantity Surveyor will take responsibility for the day-to-day commercial management of assigned projects. The successful candidate will establish robust commercial controls, produce accurate forecasts, manage contractual change and ensure that work completed is properly valued, applied for, certified, invoiced and collected.

Alongside project delivery, the Quantity Surveyor will have the opportunity to influence commercial processes, reporting systems and working practices across a growing contractor. This is an opportunity to join at a pivotal stage in the organisation's development, influence how projects are commercially managed and play a visible role in supporting its continued success and expansion.

Key Responsibilities

• Review tender estimates, pricing information, qualifications, exclusions, programmes and contract terms before project mobilisation.
• Lead the commercial handover of assigned projects and establish budgets, cost codes, procurement schedules and cash-flow forecasts.
• Maintain accurate records of commitments, actual costs, liabilities, accruals, earned value and forecast final costs.
• Prepare monthly cost-value reconciliations and forecasts covering revenue, margin, cost and cash.
• Work with Project Managers to validate progress, productivity, resource use and remaining project scope.
• Prepare and submit accurate interim applications, valuations and supporting documentation.
• Challenge under-certification and support the recovery of outstanding value, retentions and overdue payments.
• Identify contractual changes and ensure notices, early warnings and compensation events are issued within the required timescales.
• Prepare and negotiate quotations and assessments for variations and compensation events.
• Protect contractual entitlement through accurate records, correspondence and audit trails.
• Support procurement and ensure subcontract orders clearly define scope, price, programme and commercial obligations.
• Assess subcontractor applications, variations and final accounts.
• Provide practical commercial advice to project and operational teams.
• Build effective relationships with client commercial teams, consultants, suppliers and subcontractors.
• Prepare, substantiate and negotiate client and subcontractor final accounts.
• Identify commercial risks and adverse trends early, recommending corrective action to protect margin and cash.
• Contribute to the continued improvement of commercial systems, templates, reporting and project controls.

About You

Applicants will ideally be able to demonstrate:

• Strong quantity surveying or commercial management experience within construction, civil engineering, utilities, infrastructure or another relevant project environment.
• The ability to commercially manage assigned projects with a high degree of independence.
• Experience of valuations, applications, cost reporting, forecasting and cost-value reconciliation.
• Experience of contractual change control, variations, claims or compensation events.
• Knowledge of subcontractor procurement, payment assessment and final accounts.
• The ability to identify commercial risks and protect contractual entitlement.
• Strong negotiation, numerical, analytical and communication skills.
• The confidence to challenge constructively and provide practical commercial advice.
• The ability to work collaboratively with project and operational teams while maintaining commercial discipline.
• A degree, HND or equivalent qualification in Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management, Construction, Civil Engineering or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.

Applicants may typically have five or more years' relevant experience. However, the organisation will assess candidates according to their capability, project exposure and level of commercial responsibility rather than applying a rigid service requirement.

Desirable Experience

The following would be advantageous:

• Practical knowledge of NEC or other recognised construction contracts.
• Experience of early warnings, compensation events and contractual notices.
• Experience of managing projects through to final account and commercial close-out.
• Experience of commercial claims, negotiations or dispute resolution.
• Professional membership of RICS, ICES or an equivalent body. Chartered status is not essential, and candidates who meet most but not every criterion are encouraged to apply.

What We Offer

• A salary of £55,000-£65,000, reflecting experience and commercial capability.
• A permanent and commercially influential position.
• The opportunity to join a dynamic and forward-thinking organisation during a significant period of growth.
• A visible role supporting the organisation's ambitious expansion plans.
• Significant autonomy across the full project lifecycle.
• Direct access to operational and senior decision-makers.
• The scope to influence commercial systems, processes and project controls.
• Exposure to varied construction, engineering and infrastructure projects.
• A key role in protecting project value, margin and cash performance.
• Long-term opportunities as the organisation's project portfolio and commercial function continue to develop.

The organisation is taking a flexible approach to this appointment and is advertising the opportunity across two salary bands. One appointment will be made, with the final salary and scope of responsibility reflecting the successful candidate's experience and capabilities.

Application Process

Apply now by submitting an up-to-date CV through Happy Jobs NI. A member of the Happy Jobs NI team will contact suitable applicants to discuss the opportunity, their experience and the next steps. Confidential initial conversations are welcomed from experienced professionals who may not be actively applying for roles but would be interested in learning more. Happy Jobs NI is proud to be the exclusive recruitment partner for this vacancy.