Senior Cost Manager - Highways/Infrastructure

Title: Senior Cost ManagerSector: Highways & InfrastructureSeniority: Senior Cost ManagerDiscipline: Cost Management
Location: The project site is in Bedford; there will be at least three days per week required on-site, with hybrid working.Project: Confidential Major Project subject to signed NDA
Why RLB?

At RLB, we live by four simple ideas: Truth, Trust, Together, Tomorrow. Four values that live at the heart of RLB. A place where People Make Progress.

We value your skills, talents and unique perspectives – we think they are priceless.

Bring them to RLB and you’ll be empowered to shape our future and your career in new and meaningful ways.

We’ll give you opportunities to work on some of the most ambitious and exciting projects currently being designed and developed in the built environment sector.

You’ll continue to learn and advance as everyone who works for us is provided with a tailored training programme. Our mentoring and reverse mentoring schemes will enable you to share your expertise while gaining fresh insights.

What makes RLB unique is our inclusive culture. As an independent, employee-owned business, teamwork and collaboration lies at the heart of everything we do. Hybrid and flexible working arrangements and family-friendly policies are just some of the ways we invest in employee wellbeing.

Join us and you will thrive personally as well as professionally.

Role Overview

RLB is acting as a strategic delivery partner for a major UK development programme. The commission includes programme-wide PMO, governance, reporting, project controls, risk and change management, digital tools, and the integrated delivery of individual packages including project management, cost management, procurement, design management, health and safety advisory and contract administration.

We are seeking and experienced client-side roads, highways and infrastructure cost management professional, at Senior Cost Manager / Senior Quantity Surveyor level, to support cost planning, estimating, procurement, commercial management, NEC contract administration and handover of a critical Roads & Bridges package.
The Roads & Bridges package is a core enabling package for the wider programme and will set important early commercial benchmarks for cost certainty, procurement discipline, risk management, collaboration, stakeholder engagement and delivery culture.
Role Responsibilities
1. Client-Side Commercial Leadership & Cost Management

• Lead, or support the leadership of, client-side commercial management for the Roads & Bridges package from design, estimating and procurement through construction, handover and close-out.
• Maintain ownership of defined cost, procurement, contract, change, risk, forecasting and reporting outcomes, proportionate to role level.
• Coordinate commercial inputs across client, consultant, contractor, statutory authority and internal RLB teams.
• Establish clear commercial priorities, decision routes and governance rhythms to support timely client decisions and effective cost control.

2. Highways, Bridges & Infrastructure Cost Assurance

• Provide commercial and cost management input for highways, roads, bridges, earthworks, drainage, utilities interfaces and associated infrastructure works.
• Apply knowledge of relevant UK infrastructure standards, including DMRB and local authority highway requirements.
• Support cost assurance, design reviews, constructability reviews, estimating, procurement readiness and commercial delivery readiness assessments.
• Ensure design, procurement and delivery solutions are commercially robust, buildable, cost-effective and aligned to programme objectives.

3. Operational Railway Interfaces

• Assess and manage the commercial implications of interfaces where works are in proximity to operational railways, including possessions, access constraints, asset protection requirements, approvals, safety protocols and interface risk management.

4. Live Highways Environment & Logistics

• Assess and manage the commercial implications of works affecting or adjacent to live highways environments, including traffic management, temporary works, site access, public interface, road safety, abnormal loads and construction logistics.

5. Best Practice Delivery & Productivity

• Embed RLB’s model for major programme delivery, using UK private-sector best practice as the starting point for excellence.
• Champion early supply chain engagement, outcome-based delivery, fair risk allocation, value-based procurement and disciplined change control.
• Promote digital information management, BIM-aligned working, productivity measurement, modern methods of construction and whole-life carbon awareness where appropriate.

6. Stakeholder, Approvals & Interface Management

• Work with the Project Manager to ensure the management of interfaces with National Highways, Network Rail, local authorities, utility providers, adjacent packages and internal programme functions, and ensure these are captured within the budget and cost forecasts.

7. Procurement, NEC Contract Administration & Change Control

• Support procurement strategy, lead tender documentation, commercial evaluation and appointment processes for design and construction contracts.
• Administer or support the commercial administration of NEC contracts, including early warnings, compensation events, payment assessments, change control, forecasting and commercial issue resolution.
• Work closely with cost management, project management, risk and delivery colleagues to protect client outcomes and maintain clear commercial records.

8. Risk, Reporting, Governance & Assurance

• Identify, manage and escalate commercial, cost, contract, change, and programme risks.
• Manage the commercial aspects of reporting including cost plans, cost forecasts, Value Engineering, cash flow drawdown, change, risk, procurement status.
• Support robust governance, cost assurance, change control, audit-ready records, lessons learned and continuous improvement across the programme.

Candidate Profile

Essential Experience

• Proven cost management / quantity surveying experience on roads, highways, bridges or major civil infrastructure projects in a client-side, consultancy, contractor or public-sector infrastructure environment.
• Experience working on complex multi-stakeholder programmes with statutory authority, utility, rail and highways interfaces.
• Robust financial management skills and commercial acumen, including Work Breakdown Structures, cost planning, estimating, cash flow forecasting, change control, cost-to-complete exercises and monthly client reporting.
• Experience of NEC forms of contract, including early warnings, compensation events, payment assessment and change management, is highly desirable.
• For Senior Cost Manager / Senior QS level: ability to lead defined commercial workstreams and manage cost planning, procurement and post-contract responsibilities with limited supervision.

Technical Skills & Competencies

• Understanding of UK highways and infrastructure delivery requirements, including DMRB, local authority highways and bridge-related design / delivery processes.
• Practical understanding of working near operational railways, live highway environments, traffic management and construction logistics.
• Strong estimating, cost planning, procurement, NEC contract administration, change management, cost reporting, forec