Senior Cost Manager-Edinburgh

Arcadis is the world's leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets.

We are more than 34,000 people, in over 30 countries, dedicated to improving quality of life. Everyone has an important role to play. With the power of many curious minds, together we can solve the world’s most complex challenges and deliver more impact together.

Role Description

We’re growing our Health, Life Science & Research Cost Management team and are seeking a talented Senior Cost Manager to join us in Edinburgh. This is your opportunity to make a real impact—delivering high-profile projects that range from complex international programmes to innovative national commissions for leading clients.

Your expertise in cost management, strategic planning, estimating, and budgeting will be key as you develop detailed cost plans, undertake feasibility assessments, benchmark costs, and provide robust procurement support. You’ll evaluate contractor proposals, oversee contract management, and ensure all variations are managed efficiently through construction to successful project handover.

This position offers the chance to provide advanced commercial and quantity surveying guidance across the UK and Europe, with a current focus on London, Oxford, and Cambridge, and opportunities across our wider network. From early-stage design (RIBA Stage 1) through to project delivery, you’ll collaborate closely with interdisciplinary teams, mentor junior colleagues, and help ensure timely, on-budget completions.

Role Accountabilities

• Lead quantity surveying and commercial cost management services for clients in health, life science, research, and related sectors.
• Prepare detailed cost estimates, feasibility analyses, and benchmark studies; develop and manage comprehensive cost plans.
• Contribute to procurement activities, evaluate tenders, negotiate contractor proposals, and manage contract changes and variations.
• Oversee cost control throughout construction and project handover; advise on value engineering and whole-life costing solutions.
• Foster close collaboration amongst design, engineering, and project delivery teams; support and mentor junior staff.

Qualifications & Experience

• MRICS Quantity Surveyor or equivalent professional qualification; we also welcome applicants with substantial commercial experience from diverse backgrounds.
• Demonstrated experience managing medium to large-scale construction projects; sector experience in research, life sciences, or healthcare is an advantage.
• Strong cost estimating abilities and familiarity with industry rates, benchmarking, and cost databases.
• Proven track record of managing projects from initial concept to completion, with a focus on building strong client relationships.
• Proficient in digital cost management systems (such as CostX and 5D BIM); willingness to adopt new technologies is highly valued.

Ready to take the next step in your cost management career? Join us and help shape the future of science and healthcare infrastructure

Why Arcadis?

We can only achieve our goals when everyone is empowered to be their best. We believe everyone's contribution matters. It’s why we are pioneering a skills-based approach, where you can harness your unique experience and expertise to carve your career path and maximize the impact we can make together.

You’ll do meaningful work, and no matter what role, you’ll be helping to deliver sustainable solutions for a more prosperous planet. Make your mark, on your career, your colleagues, your clients, your life and the world around you.

Together, we can create a lasting legacy.

Join Arcadis. Create a Legacy.

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We want you to be able to bring your best self to work every day which is why we take equality and inclusion seriously and hold ourselves to account for our actions. Our ambition is to be an employer of choice and provide a great place to work for all our people. We believe that by working together diverse people with different experiences develop the most innovative ideas. Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the heart of how we improve quality of life and we work closely with our people across six ED&I Workstreams: Age, Disability, Faith, Gender, LGBT+ and Race. A diverse and skilled workforce is essential to our success.

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