Associate Director Employers Agent and Cost Management

Shape the places that matter. Lead clients contracts and teams that define the future.

At AtkinsRéalis we are redefining how projects are delivered across the built environment by bringing together technical excellence digital innovation and a collaborative mindset. Our London & South-East Cost Management team within Buildings & Places delivers some of the UKs most high-profile and impactful developments.

We are looking for an experienced Associate Director with strong Employers Agent and cost management capability. You will lead complex development commissions administer building contracts with confidence provide strategic commercial advice and build trusted relationships with clients consultants and contractors. You will also contribute to team leadership technical quality and sustainable business growth. We work hybrid and flexibly across our offices in London (Nova North) Tunbridge Wells Epsom Oxford and Cambridge prioritising where our clients and teams need us to be.

You will take a leading role within a high-performing team delivering a diverse portfolio across residential mixed-use commercial real estate healthcare education public sector heritage and life sciences. You will predominantly be a Quantity Surveyor but with the flexibility to deliver a strong Employers Agent role under design and build arrangements where needed applying your wider cost management expertise to support projects from feasibility and procurement through construction handover and close-out.

This role is suited to an established consultancy professional who can direct major or complex commissions protect client interests through effective contract administration lead and develop teams and convert strong client relationships into repeat and new work. You will operate with significant autonomy while working closely with Directors sector leads and multidisciplinary colleagues.

• Act as Associate Director level Quantity Surveyor and/or Employers Agent on major complex or strategically important development commissions administering the building contract impartially diligently and in accordance with its terms.

• Lead commissions from feasibility and pre-contract planning through procurement construction handover defects management and final close-out taking accountability for service quality programme commercial performance and client outcomes.

• Advise clients on development strategy procurement risk allocation contract selection and the preparation of robust Employers Requirements tender and contract documentation. Issue and manage instructions notices certificates and other contractual communications maintaining complete and auditable records.

• Lead progress design commercial and risk meetings coordinating actions across the client consultant contractor and stakeholder teams. Monitor contractor performance against programme quality statutory planning and contractual requirements escalating risks and agreeing recovery actions where required.

• Oversee change control payment assessment extensions of time loss and expense practical completion defects rectification and final account processes drawing on specialist advice where appropriate.

• Provide strategic cost management advice including feasibility cost planning benchmarking value management procurement tender analysis forecasting and commercial reporting. Build deepen and sustain strategic client relationships identify opportunities to increase our share of spend and connect clients with the wider AtkinsRéalis offer.

• Lead and assure multidisciplinary project teams setting clear expectations and maintaining effective governance risk management reporting and decision-making. Own the commercial management of commissions including fee management forecasting resource planning change control cash collection and delivery against agreed margins.

• Lead and contribute to bids proposals presentations account plans thought leadership and market engagement helping to secure new and repeat work. Take ownership alongside the Head of Cost Management and leadership team for pipeline growth sector leadership work winning and account development. Represent AtkinsRéalis and the profession with credibility integrity and a strong external profile.

• Lead coach and mentor colleagues developing Employers Agent contract administration and cost management capability across the team. Champion quality safety sustainability digital delivery data-led insight and continuous improvement in the way our services are delivered.

• Significant experience acting as Employers Agent and delivering quantity surveying/cost management services within the UK property or built environment sector preferably within a consultancy. A proven track record of leading major or complex development projects and commissions including responsibility for client outcomes contract administration team performance and project commercial results.

• Strong working knowledge of JCT Design and Build contracts and associated amendments with wider knowledge of relevant JCT and NEC forms advantageous. Experience preparing and reviewing Employers Requirements tender and contract documentation and managing the transition from pre-contract strategy into effective post-contract administration.

• Confident experience managing contractual instructions payment processes change delay completion defects and close-out with the judgement to identify when specialist legal or technical advice is required. Strong strategic cost planning procurement and commercial management capability supported by a sound understanding of current construction markets and key cost drivers.

• Excellent client and stakeholder leadership skills with the confidence to influence senior decision-makers chair complex meetings and resolve sensitive contractual or commercial issues. Evidence of developing client accounts supporting work-winning and converting opportunities into sustainable revenue.

• Experience leading managing and developing teams including delegation technical review coaching and performance support. Commercial acumen including commission financial management forecasting resource planning risk management and recovery of fees. The ability to work autonomously exercise sound judgement and provide clear direction in a fast-moving deadline-driven environment.

• A degree in Quantity Surveying Construction Management or a related discipline together with MRICS or an equivalent recognised professional qualification. Competence in Microsoft Office Excel and relevant industry tools with an active interest in digital contract administration cost management data and emerging technology.

• Clients regard you as a trusted development and commercial adviser and provide strong feedback repeat commissions and referrals. Contracts are administered consistently transparently and in accordance with their terms with clear records and timely decisions.

• Commissions are well governed commercially successful and delivered to the agreed programme cost quality and scope. Risks change and emerging issues are identified early communicated clearly and managed to support informed client decisions.

• Your teams have clear direction produce consistently high-quality work and develop stronger Employers Agent and cost management capability.

• You make a measurable contribution to pipeline work-winning cross-selling and growth in priority clients and sectors. You actively support an inclusive collaborative and accountable culture across London & South-East.

We will support your continued development through professional technical and leadership learning mentoring and opportunities to broaden your career across our clients sectors and global business. AtkinsRéalis offers a flexible range of benefits that can be tailored to support health wellbeing financial and lifestyle choices.

AtkinsRéalis is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive and realise their potential. We value different perspectives and believe diverse teams make better decisions and deliver better outcomes for our clients and communities.

Explore the rewards and benefits that help you thrive at every stage of your life and your career. Enjoy competitive salaries employee rewards and a brilliant range of benefits you can tailor to suit your own health wellbeing financial and lifestyle choices. Make the most of a myriad of opportunities for training and professional development to grow your skills and expertise. And combine our hybrid working culture and flexible holiday allowances to balance a great job and fulfilling personal life.

Be rewarded. Find out more.

Were AtkinsRéalis a world-class engineering services and nuclear organization. We connect people data and technology to transform the worlds infrastructure and energy systems. Together with our industry partners and clients and our global team of consultants designers engineers and project managers we can change the world. Were committed to leading our clients across our various end markets to engineer a better future for our planet and its people.

Find out more.

Security clearance

This role may require security clearance and offers of employment will be dependent on obtaining the relevant level of clearance. If this is necessary it will be discussed with you at interview. The vetting process is delivered by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) and may require candidates to provide proof of residency in the UK of 5 years or longer. If applying to this role please do not make reference to (in conversation) or include in your application or CV details of any current or previously held security clearance.

We are committed to creating a culture where everyone feels that they belong - a place where we can all be ourselves thrive and develop to be the best we can be. So we offer a range of family friendly inclusive employment policies flexible working arrangements and employee resource groups to support all employees. As an Equal Opportunities Employer we value applications from all backgrounds cultures and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader we are committed to offering an interview to all applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria. If you would like to be considered under this commitment please let us know at the application stage.

#LI-UK#LI-ATKINS #PPSProContr

At AtkinsRéalis we seek to hire individuals with diverse characteristics backgrounds and perspectives. We strongly believe that world-class talent makes no distinctions based on gender ethnic or national origin sexual identity and orientation age religion or disability but enriches itself through these differences.