Associate Director Quantity Surveyor
- Location Manchester, ENG
- Salary £80k/year - 90k/year
- Posted October 5, 2026
An established and growing independent construction consultancy is looking to appoint an Associate Director - Quantity Surveying to take a leading role within its new Central Manchester office.
The consultancy already has an established presence in Manchester and the wider North West, alongside a strong portfolio of work in London. With existing clients, live commissions and a growing pipeline of projects, the move to a new Central Manchester office represents the next stage of the business’s development.
This is a senior appointment combining project delivery and client leadership with a clear commercial remit. The successful individual will be expected to bring an established network of client relationships and play an active role in generating new opportunities, growing the Manchester team and developing the consultancy’s Cost Management offering.
The Business
The company is an established independent construction consultancy providing cost, project and commercial advisory services to developers, investors, private clients and organisations across the built environment.
The business has an established client and project base across Manchester, the North West and London, with projects spanning:
- Residential and mixed-use development
- High-end residential
- Commercial
- Education
- Healthcare
- Industrial and logistics
The consultancy has built its reputation around providing a highly personal, senior-led service and has developed a strong base of repeat and referred clients.
The business combines the established platform and client base of a successful consultancy with the agility and entrepreneurial culture of an independent business, giving senior individuals genuine influence over its direction.
The Role
As Associate Director - Quantity Surveying, you will take a senior role within the business, working closely with the Directors across project delivery, client relationships, team development and business growth.
Based from the new Central Manchester office, you will lead key commissions across the existing portfolio while taking an active role in developing new client relationships and opportunities across Manchester and the wider North West.
Your remit will include:
- Taking a leading role within the new Central Manchester office.
- Leading key Quantity Surveying and Cost Management commissions.
- Managing projects across pre- and post-contract stages.
- Providing senior input across cost planning, procurement, tendering, contract administration and commercial management.
- Acting as a senior point of contact for key clients.
- Working across an established portfolio of projects in Manchester, the North West and London.
- Bringing and developing established client relationships and industry contacts.
- Generating new instructions and identifying opportunities for repeat business.
- Developing the Manchester client base and project pipeline.
- Playing an active role in business development and work winning.
- Managing, mentoring and developing members of the QS team.
- Supporting future recruitment as the Manchester team grows.
- Maintaining high technical and professional standards across project delivery.
- Working closely with the Directors on wider business strategy and growth.
This opportunity offers considerably more than senior project delivery. The successful individual will be expected to contribute commercially, using their existing network alongside the consultancy’s established relationships to help grow the Manchester offering.
Business Plan & Growth
A key part of the appointment will be the candidate’s ability to demonstrate how they would contribute to the future growth of the business.
As part of the interview process, shortlisted candidates will be expected to present a business plan outlining their approach to developing the Quantity Surveying offering from the Central Manchester office.
This is likely to cover:
- Existing client relationships and potential opportunities they could bring to the business.
- Target clients, sectors and areas of growth.
- Approach to business development and work winning.
- Opportunities within the Manchester and wider North West market.
- How they would develop and grow the local QS team.
- Their vision for the development of the Cost Management offering.
- How they would translate their network and market knowledge into a sustainable pipeline of work.
They are looking for someone who can build on the existing platform, bring established client relationships and use their experience and market knowledge to help shape the direction of the Manchester business.
About You
This opportunity is likely to suit an established Associate Director or experienced Associate Quantity Surveyor from a consultancy background who is looking for greater autonomy, visibility and commercial influence.
You will ideally bring:
- Strong consultancy-side Quantity Surveying / Cost Management experience.
- Experience delivering projects across both pre- and post-contract stages.
- Chartered status, ideally MRICS, or equivalent professional accreditation.
- Strong technical knowledge across cost planning, procurement, tendering and contract administration.
- An established network of clients and contacts within the property and construction market.
- The ability to bring and develop client relationships and generate new opportunities.
- A strong understanding of the Manchester and North West market.
- Excellent client and stakeholder management skills.
- Experience managing and developing members of a QS team.
- Strong commercial awareness and business development capability.
- The ability to develop and articulate a credible business plan for growth.
- An entrepreneurial, accountable and commercially minded approach.
- The ambition to take on increasing responsibility as the business continues to grow.
Progression
The appointment forms an important part of the consultancy’s continued growth.
The successful individual will have the opportunity to take increasing responsibility within the Central Manchester office, grow the local team and client base, and play a significant role in the wider development of the business.
For someone who has reached Associate or Associate Director level within an established consultancy but wants greater autonomy, commercial influence and the opportunity to help shape the direction of a growing independent business, this offers a compelling next step.
An established client base. A new Central Manchester office. Projects across Manchester, the North West and London. And the opportunity to play a leading role in the next stage of growth.
For a confidential conversation and further information on the opportunity, please get in touch with Freya at Vertical Recruitment.
