Senior Cost Estimator - Electrical

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:

Arcadis is seeking an experienced Senior Quantity Surveyor to support our growing team.

As a senior member of our Cost and Commercial Management team, you will drive project delivery, collaborating closely with clients, contractors, and stakeholders to provide insightful cost analysis and guidance. Regular site presence is required to support project execution and maintain strong client relationships.

We are seeking a Senior Quantity Surveyor with a proven track record in the electrical estimating field. It would also be preferable if they had experience with mechanical estimating and had experience in the technology sector or advanced manufacturing environments, who excels at analyzing complex data, facilitating transparent contractor engagement, and delivering successful project outcomes.

Role accountabilities:

In this role, you will lead the delivery of cost estimating and cost planning activities across mechanical and electrical design scopes, ensuring estimates are robust, market-informed, and aligned with project objectives. You will engage closely with the supply chain, undertake detailed market testing, and use data-driven insight to assess project scope, quantities, pricing, and key estimating assumptions. A core part of the position will involve facilitating value engineering , risk and contingency reviews , and cost reconciliation sessions with clients, contractors, and design teams to drive informed decision-making and commercial confidence.

You will also play a key role in cost governance and assurance , overseeing peer reviews and QA/QC processes to maintain high standards of accuracy, transparency, and compliance with client procedures. By establishing clear audit trails and challenging assumptions where needed, you will help ensure that all cost advice is defensible, consistent, and aligned with best practice. Your ability to interrogate contractor pricing, analyse technical documents, and validate scope will be critical in supporting reliable cost outcomes throughout the project lifecycle.

From a commercial and procurement perspective, you will support procurement strategy development, bid evaluations, subcontractor and supplier quotation analysis, and contract negotiations. You will monitor change orders, manage cost trends, and provide informed negotiation support, while producing clear cost reports, variance analysis, and dashboards that communicate forecasts and emerging issues effectively. Regular site visits, field verification, and engagement with project teams will further strengthen cost validation and ensure alignment between commercial reporting and on-site progress.

Working collaboratively with project management, design teams, and clients, you will bring a proactive, solutions-focused approach to budgeting, change management, and constructability risk mitigation, particularly within complex or high-tech environments. Success in this role will require strong negotiation and stakeholder management skills, executive-level communication, and a deep understanding of construction processes and end-to-end cost management. You will be someone who builds trusted relationships, promotes contractor transparency, and consistently contributes to project excellence while identifying opportunities to strengthen client partnerships and create future business value.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• Minimum 10 years of relevant cost management experience, ideally in data centers, technology, advanced/high-tech manufacturing, or life sciences
• Demonstrated ability to manage stakeholders, resolve conflicts, and deliver executive-level presentations
• Proven experience obtaining and validating detailed cost breakdowns from contractors and subcontractors
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail, with proficiency in quantity take-offs, cost reconciliations, and pricing reviews
• Proficient with industry-standard cost and project management tools
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly and maintain a strong site presence
• Strong interpersonal skills, with a talent for building effective relationships with clients, contractors, and internal teams

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 are an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. We are dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status, disability, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by law.

The salary range for this position is $93,000 - $139,000. The base salary represents Arcadis’ hiring range for this position. Actual salaries will vary and will be based on various factors, such as location, skills, experience, and qualification for the role.