Senior Director; Cost Management

Job Title: Senior Director (Cost Management)

Location: United States (aligned to closest office)

Salary: $230,000 to $250,000 (plus associated company benefits)

Fortiva is partnering with a global construction and consultancy firm to appoint a Senior Director of Cost Management to lead cost strategy and delivery across its U.S. Data Center portfolio.

This role will oversee the cost management delivery of multi–billion-dollar, ground-up data center developments, manage and grow a team of cost professionals, and partner with senior stakeholders (including C-suite) to leverage networks and relationships to build pipeline, expand client accounts, and win new work.

• Lead cost management delivery across multiple large-scale, ground-up data center projects/programs, ensuring performance against budget, schedule, and quality outcomes.
• Own and drive the full cost lifecycle: feasibility, estimating, benchmarking, cost planning, procurement support, cost control, forecasting, reporting, change management, and final account.
• Establish and maintain robust governance, controls, and reporting across the portfolio (cost, risk, change control, and commercial performance).
• Lead, mentor, and scale a high-performing team of cost professionals, setting standards, coaching capability, and building a consistent delivery culture.
• Act as a trusted advisor to executive-level stakeholders, shaping commercial strategy, delivery approaches, and client engagement across key accounts.
• Leverage existing market relationships and develop new ones to create and convert a pipeline of opportunities, including supporting proposals, fee strategies, and client presentations.
• Partner with internal and external stakeholders: owners, developers, architects, engineers, consultants, general contractors, and authorities having jurisdiction.
• Identify, manage, and mitigate risks related to cost, schedule, procurement, supply chain, utilities coordination, and site constraints, typical of data center delivery.
• Support commercial outcomes including procurement strategy, contract administration, claims avoidance, and dispute resolution where required.
• Champion best practices, compliance, and consistency of approach across reporting, documentation, and close-out.

• Significant experience leading cost management/commercial delivery on large-scale, ground-up construction projects; data center experience strongly preferred (or similarly complex mission-critical/industrial projects).
• Strong understanding of the full project lifecycle, from early cost planning and procurement through construction delivery and close-out.
• Demonstrable senior leadership experience managing and developing teams of cost professionals across multiple projects.
• Proven ability to operate credibly with C-suite and senior client stakeholders, influencing decisions and driving outcomes.
• Strong commercial and contractual acumen including change management, cost controls, forecasting, and risk.
• Track record of leveraging relationships to build and convert pipeline and support business growth.
• Professional certifications (e.g., MRICS, CCP, PMP, or equivalent) beneficial but not essential with strong experience.

Due to current visa constraints, we can only consider applicants who are U.S. Citizens or U.S. Permanent Residents (Green Card holders).

For a confidential conversation, please apply or reach out to me at jon.