Senior Cost Consultant - Utilities in Birmingham

Location: Birmingham

Salary: Hidden

Recruiter: Mace

Job Hours: Full-time

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Senior Cost Consultant

At Mace, our purpose is to redefine the boundaries of ambition. We believe in creating places that are responsible, bringing transformative impact to our people, communities, and societies across the globe. To learn more about our purpose, culture and priorities, visit our .

Within our Consult business we harness our unique combination of leading-edge practical expertise and project delivery consultancy to unlock the potential in every project. The project:

A water company based in Coventry, England that supplies 4.6 million households and business with a responsibility to supply freshwater and treat sewage for around 8 million people living in the Midlands of England and also a small area of Wales.

This is a senior manager role within the client's Capital Delivery team, responsible for supporting the delivery of major improvements to their wastewater networks. You'll be accountable for providing commercial support to a number of projects from inception to completion and you will be part of a multi-disciplinary team ensuring successful delivery to time, cost, and quality commitments.

The role will be responsible for ensuring that client's supplier expenditure is effectively delivering the lowest cost and highest standards. This will involve analysing, negotiating and managing contractual or cost issues as well as coordinating with the supply chain and engineers to identify and drive continuous improvement in the delivery of the AMP capital programme.

Our values shape the way we consult, and define the people we want to join us on our journey, they are:

Safety first - Going home safe and well. Client focus - Deliver on our promise. Integrity - Always do the right thing. Create opportunity - for our people to excel.

You'll be responsible for:

Evaluating the promoted works orders in relation to all the commercial aspects of feasibility, value for money and contractual strength.

Defining and delivering the sourcing strategy. Evaluate the supplier’s proposals making sure they provide a suitable and reliable solution to the business needs.

Validating, testing and challenging the costs associated with work orders identifying and delivering opportunities to improve it. This will include reviewing assumptions in costs curves, leveraging market intelligence and benchmarking capabilities.

Analysing risks and opportunities and initiate the best structure to manage success.

Negotiating and finalising the work orders terms and compensation claims with the contractors.

Contribution, development and implementation of the capital works sourcing strategy and frameworks

Sourcing of capital works, goods and services through our supply chain partners

Negotiating of contractual and cost issues

Running tenders / Negotiations

Ensuring we deliver our savings target

Additional areas for potential leadership within the function:

Management of Framework Documents, Works Orders, Services Orders, Secondment Agreements, e-Sourcing and SAP

Monthly reporting

Savings tracker, £s in the ground, productivity

Whilst the role has no direct reports the role will involve the management of supply chain partners, consultants and internal stakeholders

Experience:

To succeed in this role it is expected that you will have:

Successfully operated as Senior Quantity Surveyor for Civil Engineering & Building Projects (preferably within the water industry)

Strong commercial and engineering background with an appropriate professional qualification e.g. CIPS, RICS or C Eng

Significant commercial experience of managing contracts and suppliers. Ideally a good proportion of this experience would be in managing civil engineering contractors and / or consultant engineers

Highly effective in supplier management

Good knowledge of contract law, ideally with experience of the NEC terms of contract.

Demonstrate capability to fully evaluate project costs and identify/unlock efficiencies

Track record of successfully managing large projects

Experience and knowledge of purchasing processes (e.g. managing tenders & contracts).

Highly numerate with excellent analytical skills

Ability to use a variety of computer software including developing and maintaining spreadsheets and databases (including; SAP, Access, Excel, Word, Powerpoint etc.)

An understanding of the EU Procurement Regulations would be desirable

Capabilities:

To succeed in this role it is expected that you will have:

Strong organisational skills

Excellent oral and written communication skills

Influencing skills

Effective Stakeholder management and great interpersonal skills

An ability to manage stakeholders at all levels

The capability to be self-reliant – able to work on own initiative

The ability to work to tight deadlines and prioritize own workloads

Capability to see opportunities, challenge when necessary and passion for improvement

Relentless determination to drive outstanding results

Qualifications

Essential

The role holder should be educated to degree level or equivalent commercial experience

Desirable

Quantity Surveyor qualified

RICS/CIPS qualified or working towards

Mace is an inclusive employer and welcomes interest from a diverse range of candidates. Even if you feel you do not fulfil all of the criteria, please apply as you may still be the best candidate for this role or another role within our organisation.