Quantity Project Surveyor – Tier One Contractor, Fit-Out & Refurbishment

About the Company

A leading UK construction and property services organisation is seeking an experienced Project Surveyor to join its specialist refurbishment, fit-out and building enhancement division.

The organisation delivers a diverse portfolio of construction, refurbishment, fit-out, maintenance and building improvement projects across the UK. Its work spans a broad range of sectors, including commercial offices, retail, education, healthcare, government, defence, justice, residential and other public and private-sector environments.

The business has particular expertise in delivering projects within existing, occupied, operational and technically complex buildings, where effective commercial management must be closely integrated with programme, design, procurement and construction activities.

Projects vary in scale and complexity, from smaller refurbishment and improvement schemes through to significant multi-million-pound projects involving multiple work packages, specialist subcontractors, complex contractual arrangements and challenging stakeholder requirements.
The organisation works collaboratively with clients, consultants, specialist subcontractors, suppliers and internal project teams to deliver projects safely, efficiently, commercially successfully and to a high standard of quality.

The Project Surveyor will play a key role in managing the commercial and contractual performance of projects, working closely with the Project Manager, Site Manager, Design Manager, procurement teams and wider commercial function.

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The Role

As Project Surveyor, you will be responsible for providing effective commercial and contractual management across one or more construction, refurbishment or fit-out projects.

You will monitor project costs, manage subcontractor accounts, administer change, support procurement, manage applications and payments, maintain commercial records and provide accurate financial reporting throughout the project lifecycle.

The role requires a commercially astute individual who understands the relationship between cost, programme, design, procurement, construction and contractual obligations.

You will work closely with the Project Manager to ensure that commercial decisions support successful project delivery while protecting the organisation's financial position.

You will also develop strong relationships with clients, consultants, subcontractors and suppliers and will be expected to identify commercial risks and opportunities at an early stage.

This is a hands-on role suited to someone who enjoys being close to the project and wants responsibility for the commercial performance of live construction work.

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Key Responsibilities

Commercial Management

• Take responsibility for the commercial management of allocated projects and work packages.
• Monitor project financial performance against budget and forecast.
• Maintain accurate cost reports and commercial records.
• Prepare and update project financial forecasts.
• Monitor committed costs and anticipated expenditure.
• Identify cost pressures and potential savings.
• Track project profitability and commercial performance.
• Ensure commercial information is accurate, timely and appropriately reported.
• Work closely with the Project Manager to understand operational and programme impacts on cost.
• Provide commercial advice to the wider project team.
• Identify commercial risks and opportunities.
• Ensure commercial decisions are properly documented and supported by evidence.

Pre-Construction & Tender Support
Depending on the project, the Project Surveyor may become involved during the pre-construction or tender stage.

Responsibilities may include:

• Reviewing tender documentation.
• Reviewing drawings, specifications and schedules.
• Identifying commercial risks and ambiguities.
• Assisting with tender reviews and cost planning.
• Supporting the preparation of project budgets.
• Reviewing subcontractor and supplier quotations.
• Assisting with package procurement strategies.
• Identifying potential cost-saving opportunities.
• Supporting value engineering exercises.
• Reviewing scope and contractual requirements.
• Highlighting exclusions, assumptions and qualifications.
• Supporting the transition from tender to project delivery.
• Ensuring commercial risks identified during tender are appropriately transferred into project controls.

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Cost Management

• Establish and maintain project cost plans.
• Monitor actual and forecast costs against approved budgets.
• Track committed, incurred and forecast expenditure.
• Maintain accurate cost-value reconciliation.
• Review cost reports with the Commercial Manager and Project Manager.
• Investigate variances between budget and actual performance.
• Identify potential overspends at an early stage.
• Develop corrective actions where necessary.
• Monitor project cash flow.
• Assist with monthly financial reporting.
• Ensure forecasts reflect current project conditions.
• Monitor the financial impact of programme changes and design development.

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Subcontractor Management
A significant part of the role will involve managing the commercial relationship with subcontractors and suppliers.

Responsibilities include:

• Assist with subcontractor procurement and selection.
• Prepare and issue subcontract enquiries.
• Review and analyse quotations.
• Undertake commercial comparisons.
• Assist with subcontract negotiations.
• Ensure appropriate subcontract orders are established.
• Monitor subcontractor scope and performance.
• Manage subcontractor variations and changes.
• Assess subcontractor applications for payment.
• Review supporting documentation and progress evidence.
• Agree subcontractor valuations.
• Manage subcontractor accounts through to final account.
• Monitor subcontractor cost exposure.
• Identify and manage potential claims.
• Ensure subcontractors comply with contractual requirements.
• Maintain strong but appropriately commercial relationships with the supply chain.

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Procurement

• Support the development of procurement strategies.
• Identify packages requiring early procurement.
• Monitor procurement against the project programme.
• Identify long-lead materials and specialist subcontractor requirements.
• Prepare and issue enquiries.
• Review supplier and subcontractor quotations.
• Undertake commercial analysis of tenders.
• Support negotiations and package awards.
• Ensure procurement decisions align with project budgets.
• Monitor procurement savings and risks.
• Ensure procurement commitments are accurately reflected within project forecasts.
• Work with the Project Manager and Design Manager to ensure packages are sufficiently developed before procurement.

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Change & Variation Management
Change management will be a key responsibility within the role.

You will:

• Identify changes to the contracted scope.
• Maintain change and variation registers.
• Review client instructions and design changes.
• Assess the commercial impact of changes.
• Obtain supporting quotations where required.
• Prepare quotations for client approval.
• Negotiate change values.
• Track change from instruction through to agreement and implementation.
• Ensure changes are correctly recorded in project forecasts.
• Monitor the impact of changes on subcontractors and suppliers.
• Ensure commercial records provide a clear audit trail.
• Work closely with the Project Manager and Design Manager to understand the technical and programme implications of change.

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Client Commercial Management

• Develop professional working relationships with client representatives.
• Prepare and submit applications for payment.
• Manage valuation processes.
• Support commercial meetings with the client.
• Respond to commercial queries.
• Provide supporting information for applications and variations.
• Negotiate change and valuation issues.
• Monitor payment performance.
• Assist with resolving commercial disputes.
• Maintain accurate records of client instructions and approvals.
• Ensure commercial communications are clear, timely and appropriately documented.
• Protect the organisation's contractual and commercial position while maintaining positive client relationships.

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Applications, Valuations & Payments

• Prepare monthly applications for payment.
• Compile supporting documentation.
• Assess work completed against the contract.
• Coordinate with site teams to verify progress.
• Submit applications within contractual timescales.
• Review client valuations.
• Identify discrepancies between application and assessment.
• Negotiate valuations where required.
• Monitor payment notices and payment dates.
• Maintain accurate cash-flow forecasts.
• Process subcontractor payment assessments.
• Ensure payment information is accurately reflected within project accounts.

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Contract Administration

The Project Surveyor will be expected to have a good working understanding of construction contracts and their commercial requirements.

Responsibilities include:

• Review and understand project contracts.
• Monitor contractual obligations.
• Maintain relevant contractual records.
• Manage notices and contractual communications where required.
• Monitor change mechanisms.
• Assist with extension-of-time and loss-and-expense matters.
• Maintain records supporting commercial and contractual positions.
• Monitor client and subcontractor compliance.
• Identify potential contractual risks.
• Escalate significant contractual issues to senior commercial management.
• Ensure project records provide an appropriate audit trail.

Experience with forms of contract such as JCT, NEC or other commonly used UK construction contracts would be advantageous.

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Final Accounts

• Manage subcontractor final accounts.
• Prepare and agree the project's client final account.
• Ensure all variations are captured.
• Reconcile costs against approved budgets.
• Resolve outstanding commercial issues.
• Close out subcontractor accounts promptly.
• Ensure retention, contra-charges and other commercial adjustments are appropriately managed.
• Maintain accurate records of agreed final account positions.
• Support the wider commercial team with project close-out.
• Capture lessons learned for future projects.

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Cost Reporting & Forecasting

• Prepare monthly cost/value reports.
• Maintain project cost-value reconciliation.
• Produce accurate forecasts of final cost and final margin.
• Monitor changes to forecast position.
• Identify emerging commercial risks.
• Highlight opportunities to improve project performance.
• Explain variances clearly to project and senior management.
• Provide reliable information for business-wide reporting.
• Ensure forecasts are based on current project information rather than historic assumptions.
• Work collaboratively with the Project Manager and site team to validate forecasts.

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Risk & Opportunity Management

• Establish and maintain commercial risk and opportunity registers.
• Identify financial risks at an early stage.
• Monitor exposure arising from design development, procurement, programme changes and construction conditions.
• Assess potential financial impacts.
• Develop mitigation strategies.
• Identify opportunities for cost savings and commercial improvement.
• Monitor risk movement throughout the project.
• Escalate material commercial risks appropriately.
• Ensure risk allowances and contingency are properly managed.
• Work with the Project Manager to understand the operational implications of commercial risks.

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Live / Occupied Environment

The organisation frequently delivers work within existing and operational buildings, creating additional commercial considerations.

The Project Surveyor may therefore be required to manage commercial implications arising from:

• Restricted access.
• Phased working.
• Out-of-hours working.
• Temporary works.
• Temporary services.
• Client shutdowns.
• Building-user requirements.
• Unexpected existing conditions.
• Asbestos or other site constraints.
• Restricted logistics.
• Security requirements.
• Protection of existing assets.
• Changes to working sequences.
• Delayed access or possession.
• Additional client requirements.
• Disruption to normal construction methodology.

You will need to understand how these issues affect cost, programme and contractual entitlement and ensure the appropriate commercial records are maintained.

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Cost Control & Value Engineering

• Work closely with the Design Manager and Project Manager to identify value-engineering opportunities.
• Review alternative materials, systems and construction methods.
• Assess subcontractor proposals.
• Identify potential efficiencies.
• Monitor the financial impact of design development.
• Challenge unnecessary costs.
• Ensure cost-saving proposals remain compliant with project requirements.
• Consider whole-life value where appropriate.
• Assess the financial implications of programme and sequencing changes.
• Ensure approved savings are reflected in project forecasts.

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Site & Project Team Collaboration

The Project Surveyor will work closely with the operational team and should maintain a strong understanding of what is happening on site.

Responsibilities include:

• Attend site regularly.
• Work closely with the Project Manager and Site Manager.
• Review progress and understand the physical status of works.
• Validate subcontractor applications against actual progress.
• Understand programme changes and their commercial implications.
• Attend site progress meetings.
• Assist in resolving commercial issues affecting delivery.
• Ensure the commercial team understands operational risks.
• Ensure site teams understand relevant commercial controls.
• Maintain strong communication between commercial and operational teams.

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Reporting & Governance

• Prepare monthly commercial reports.
• Attend project review meetings.
• Provide financial updates to senior management.
• Report on cost, value, margin, cash flow and risk.
• Maintain accurate commercial documentation.
• Ensure project records are complete and auditable.
• Provide information for internal commercial reviews.
• Escalate significant issues promptly.
• Track actions arising from commercial reviews.
• Ensure reporting is accurate and delivered within required timescales.

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Health, Safety & Sustainability

Although the role is commercially focused, the Project Surveyor will be expected to contribute to the organisation's wider health, safety, environmental and sustainability objectives.

This includes:

• Supporting the organisation's health and safety culture.
• Ensuring commercial decisions do not compromise safety.
• Considering environmental and sustainability requirements when procuring materials and subcontractors.
• Supporting responsible sourcing.
• Considering waste and material efficiency.
• Participating in relevant site inspections and project reviews.
• Raising concerns where commercial pressures could adversely affect safe delivery.
• Supporting the wider project team's commitment to responsible construction.

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Systems & Information Management

The Project Surveyor will be expected to maintain accurate commercial information using relevant project and financial systems.
This may include:

• Cost management systems.
• Contract management systems.
• Procurement platforms.
• Document management / Common Data Environment systems.
• Microsoft Excel.
• Project reporting software.
• Digital valuation and payment systems.

Strong Excel skills and confidence working with commercial data are expected.
Experience with industry-standard estimating, cost-management or enterprise systems would be advantageous.
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Key Skills & Experience

The successful candidate will ideally have:

• Proven experience working as a Project Surveyor, Quantity Surveyor or Assistant Quantity Surveyor within construction, refurbishment or fit-out.
• Experience managing the commercial aspects of live construction projects.
• Strong understanding of construction costs and commercial management.
• Experience managing subcontractor accounts.
• Experience with applications, valuations and payments.
• Experience managing variations and change.
• Experience with procurement and subcontractor negotiation.
• Experience preparing cost reports and forecasts.
• Good understanding of construction contracts.
• Strong commercial awareness.
• Experience working closely with operational project teams.
• Experience dealing directly with clients.
• Strong analytical and numerical skills.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Strong organisational skills.
• Good written and verbal communication.
• Ability to manage competing priorities.
• Ability to identify commercial risks and opportunities.
• Experience working within occupied or operational buildings would be advantageous.

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Qualifications

Ideally, you will hold:

• Degree/HNC/HND in Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management, Construction Management or a related discipline.
• RICS-accredited qualification or relevant professional membership would be advantageous.
• Relevant construction/commercial qualifications.
• Working knowledge of UK construction contracts.
• Relevant industry experience in lieu of formal qualifications will be considered.

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Personal Attributes

The successful Project Surveyor will be:

• Commercially astute.
• Numerate and analytical.
• Highly organised.
• Detail-oriented.
• Proactive and self-motivated.
• Confident dealing with subcontractors and suppliers.
• Comfortable negotiating.
• A strong communicator.
• Collaborative and relationship-focused.
• Able to challenge appropriately.
• Comfortable working under pressure.
• Able to prioritise competing deadlines.
• Solutions-focused.
• Commercially assertive while maintaining professional relationships.
• Comfortable working both independently and as part of a wider project team.
• Committed to accurate reporting and strong financial control.

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What You Will Be Responsible For

Ultimately, the Project Surveyor will be responsible for helping ensure that projects are commercially controlled, contractually protected and financially successful.

The role sits at the intersection of:
Client Contract
↓
Project Budget
↓
Procurement
↓
Subcontractors & Suppliers
↓
Design & Change
↓
Construction & Programme
↓
Valuation & Payment
↓
Final Account

You will ensure that changes in one area are understood and reflected commercially across the project.
For example, a design change may affect procurement, which may affect programme, which may affect subcontractor costs, which may ultimately affect the project's margin. The Project Surveyor is responsible for identifying and managing those commercial relationships.

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Key Performance Areas

Performance in the role will typically be assessed against:
Commercial Performance

• Accurate forecasting.
• Budget control.
• Margin protection.
• Cost/value reconciliation.
• Effective management of commercial risk.

Cash Flow

• Timely applications.
• Accurate valuations.
• Effective payment management.
• Subcontractor payment control.

Change Management

• Identification and recording of changes.
• Timely submission of variations.
• Effective negotiation.
• Accurate forecasting of approved and pending changes.

Procurement

• Competitive procurement.
• Package cost control.
• Timely procurement.
• Effective subcontractor and supplier relationships.

Contract Management

• Compliance with contractual requirements.
• Appropriate commercial notices.
• Strong record keeping.
• Effective management of contractual risk.

Project Team Support

• Strong collaboration with Project Managers and Site Managers.
• Clear communication of commercial risks.
• Commercial input into programme and design decisions.
• Prompt resolution of commercial issues.

Close-Out

• Timely agreement of subcontractor final accounts.
• Accurate client final account.
• Completion of outstanding commercial matters.
• Effective capture of lessons learned.

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Why Join the Organisation?

This is an opportunity to join an established UK construction and property services organisation with a strong presence across refurbishment, fit-out and building enhancement.

The role offers exposure to a diverse range of projects and clients across public and private-sector environments, including projects where construction needs to be carefully managed around existing buildings and ongoing operations.

You will work alongside experienced Project Managers, Design Managers, Site Managers, Planners, Commercial Managers, procurement professionals, consultants, subcontractors and client teams.

The organisation places significant emphasis on commercial performance, safety, collaboration, customer relationships, technical quality, sustainability and the development of its people.

For an experienced Project Surveyor, the role provides an opportunity to take meaningful commercial responsibility for live projects, develop client and supply-chain relationships, strengthen contractual and commercial expertise and progress within a larger construction and property-services environment.