Principal Quantity Surveyor / Estimating Lead

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Your impact

Working in partnership with our delivery partners, you will manage the estimating function of one of the Uks most complex and high-profile Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) programmes, directly contributing its successful delivery

Managing the estimating function across all phases, you role will include ensuring the development of accurate, competitive, and compliant cost estimates that support procurement, delivery, and client reporting. Your remit will include

• Prepare detailed cost estimates from early feasibility through to final business case submission.
• Analyse drawings, specifications, and scope documents to ensure comprehensive coverage.
• Ensure alignment with National Highways and LTC cost estimating protocols and governance.
• Benchmark costs against similar major projects (e.g. HS2, Tideway, Crossrail 2).
• Present and defend estimates to senior stakeholders.
• Support commercial negotiations and value engineering exercises.
• Support the development of Basis of Estimate (BoE) documentation and estimating plans for PCF stage gates and investment reviews.
• Maintain audit trails and documentation for all estimating activities.
• Support risk and contingency planning through cost modelling and scenario analysis.
• Use industry-standard tools (e.g. CostX, Candy, Excel, BIM-integrated platforms).
• Maintain and update historical cost databases and benchmarking tools.
• Promote innovation in digital estimating and automation.

As an experienced Quantity Surveyor, you will bring demonstrable industry expertise, strong commercial acumen and established stakeholder management capabilities. Combining your sound commercial judgement, cost and estimating management skills, you will build trusted, collaborative relationships with clients, contractors and project teams, helping to drive successful project outcomes from inception through to completion.

Here's what you'll need

As a dynamic, diverse consultancy team with a clear, supported career path, where your professional growth truly matters, we would be delighted to hear from and speak to commercially focused Quantity Surveyors with experience supporting the successful delivery of complex infrastructure projects who have a real blend of the following skills, experience and attributes

• MRICS Chartered status or actively working towards it
• Demonstrable experience of managing end-to-end procurement aligned to NEC principles
• Robust understanding of commercial management, procurement and contract administration.
• Comfortable engaging and collaborating with stakeholders at all levels.
• Sound cost, risk, change and project performance management experience.
• A passion for continuous learning and supporting the development of others.
• Proficient with CostX or equivalent measurement/estimating tools

This is an excellent opportunity to join a growing team, work on nationally significant programmes and play an important role in delivering infrastructure that create lasting social, economic and environmental impact.

What we offer

💷 Competitive salary aligned to your experience and professional accreditations

⌚ Flexible working arrangements — hybrid, part time, flexible hours and locations

♿ Income protection for long-term security

🏦 Up to 10% employer pension contributions

⚕️ Comprehensive health cover including single medical cover & Digital GP (with options to add dependants)

👶 Family planning support including fertility healthcare

😍 Employee Networks to support colleagues from all backgrounds

📅 Enhanced parental leave and free access to support programmes

🛡️ Life assurance at 4x salary

🌱 Wellbeing Hub with free access to Calm, Daily Burn and more

🎓 Professional Development — we pay your professional membership fees and offer extensive CPD opportunities

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Community Engagement — matched charity funding, paid volunteering days, and corporate giving schemes

Hashtags for LinkedIn

#ConsultingCareers #JacobsCareers #UKJobs #HybridWorking

Joining Jacobs not only connects you locally but globally. Our values stand on a foundation of safety, integrity, inclusion and belonging. We put people at the heart of our business, and we truly believe that by supporting one another through our culture of caring, we all succeed. We value positive mental health and a sense of belonging for all employees.

With safety and flexibility always top of mind, we’ve gone beyond traditional ways of working so you have the support, means and space to maximize your potential. You’ll uncover flexible working arrangements, benefits, and opportunities, from well-being benefits to our global giving and volunteering program, to exploring new and inventive ways to help our clients make the world a better place. No matter what drives you, you’ll discover how you can cultivate, nurture, and achieve your goals – all at a single global company. Find out more about life at Jacobs.

We aim to embed inclusion and belonging in everything we do. We know that if we are inclusive, we’re more connected and creative. We accept people for who they are, and we champion the richness of different perspectives, lived experiences and backgrounds in the workplace, as a source of learning and innovation. We are committed to building vibrant communities within Jacobs, including through our Jacobs Employee Networks, Communities of Practice and our Find Your Community initiatives, allowing every employee to find connection, purpose, and belonging. Find out more about our Jacobs Employee Networks here.

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As a disability confident employer, we will interview disabled candidates who best meet the criteria. We welcome applications from candidates who are seeking flexible working and from those who may not meet all the listed requirements for a role.

We value collaboration and believe that in-person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.

Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.