Senior Manager - Cost Planning - 50013617

The Senior Manager, General BU Cost Planning supports the delivery of Qiddiya’s cost planning requirements within assigned business units, development projects, and governance activities. The role provides structured cost planning support, consultant coordination, Stage Gate review input, benchmarking analysis, and cost governance assistance to help ensure that project budgets, cost plans, and design-to-budget decisions are evidence-based, consistent, and aligned with Qiddiya’s standards.

The role operates within the Business Unit cost planning environment and supports the application of the Qiddiya Cost Planning Technical Guidelines, asset class guidelines, cost planning processes, benchmarking requirements, and digital tools. While detailed cost plans may be prepared by external cost consultants or project teams, the Senior Manager is responsible for reviewing assigned outputs, coordinating comments, maintaining cost planning records, and escalating key issues to business unit and cost planning leadership for review and decision-making.

Role Purpose

To support General BU Cost Planning in applying consistent cost planning standards across Qiddiya’s business units and development assets. The role helps ensure that cost planning activities are well coordinated, consultant outputs are reviewed in line with agreed requirements, Stage Gate submissions include the required cost planning information, and business units receive clear, reliable, and evidence-based cost planning support throughout the asset lifecycle.

Key Accountabilities

·       Coordinate cost planning activities for assigned projects, workstreams, business unit support activities, and development programmes.

·       Support the implementation of the Qiddiya Cost Planning Technical Guidelines, asset class guidelines, templates, trackers, reporting standards, and cost planning governance processes.

·       Review and comment on cost consultant outputs, including cost plans, reconciliations, assumptions, risk allowances, benchmarks, cost reports, and design-to-budget recommendations.

·       Maintain clear and current cost planning records for assigned projects, workstreams, or business unit support areas.

·       Support Stage Gate reviews by checking cost planning readiness, completeness, compliance, and alignment with required deliverables.

·       Coordinate with business units, development teams, design teams, commercial, procurement, finance, project controls, digital teams, and external consultants to support integrated cost planning outcomes.

·       Support early-stage cost advice, feasibility input, benchmark checks, and pre-concept cost planning where required before the appointment of project cost consultants.

·       Assist with the briefing, mobilisation, coordination, and performance monitoring of executive and project cost consultants.

·       Track scope and cost movements across project phases and escalate material changes, risks, opportunities, and non-compliance issues in a timely and structured manner.

·       Apply benchmarking data, cost planning software, digital tools, and cost planning analytics to support the review and validation of cost positions.

·       Support business unit cost planning capability through training, onboarding, guidance, and adoption of Qiddiya ways of working.

·       Contribute to the preparation of cost planning review packs, governance papers, leadership updates, dashboards, and trackers.

·       Promote consistent ways of working, professional standards, and continuous improvement across the cost planning community.

Key Performance and Success Measures

·       Assigned projects or workstreams maintain clear, current, and evidence-based cost planning records.

·       Stage Gate cost planning deliverables are checked, coordinated, and submitted in line with Qiddiya cost planning requirements.

·       Consultant-produced cost plans are reviewed with clear comments, actions, assumptions, and escalation points recorded.

·       Material cost movements, cost risks, scope changes, and non-compliance issues are identified and escalated promptly.

·       Cost planning guidelines, templates, trackers, and reporting processes are applied consistently across assigned workstreams.

·       Benchmarking data and cost planning analytics are used to support the review and validation of cost plans.

·       Business units and project teams receive timely and practical cost planning support.

·       Consultant deliverables are coordinated and monitored against agreed scopes, timelines, and quality expectations.

·       Stakeholder feedback reflects collaboration, reliability, responsiveness, and professional cost planning support.

Skills and Capability Profile

This role is aligned to the Senior Manager skill profile within the Qiddiya cost planning framework. The role is expected to operate primarily at Working level across core managerial, stakeholder, and governance capabilities, with developing Practitioner-level capability in cost planning, benchmarking, consultant coordination, Stage Gate support, and design-to-budget processes.

·       Collaboration: Works effectively with business units, design teams, procurement, finance, commercial, project controls, digital teams, and consultants to support aligned cost planning outcomes.

·       Communication: Communicates cost planning information clearly and concisely, with the ability to prepare structured updates, comments, trackers, and review summaries for project and leadership review.

·       Governance: Supports Stage Gate reviews, cost planning assurance checks, compliance reviews, and the application of Qiddiya cost planning standards.

·       Influence: Builds credibility with stakeholders and consultants, raises issues constructively, and supports evidence-based cost planning discussions.

·       Leadership: Coordinates assigned tasks and workstreams, supports consultant activity, contributes to consistent ways of working, and helps embed Qiddiya cost planning processes.

·       Technical: Applies practical knowledge of cost planning, benchmarking, cost plan reconciliation, risk and contingency, design-to-budget, CAPEX planning, construction cost drivers, and cost planning software.

Requirements

Qualifications and Experience

·       Bachelor’s degree in Quantity Surveying, Construction Economics, Commercial Management, Civil Engineering, Engineering, or a related discipline.

·       Minimum 12 years of relevant experience in cost planning, quantity surveying, estimating, pre-contract commercial management, or development cost management.

·       A graduate qualification in Civil Engineering, combined with relevant cost planning, quantity surveying, estimating, or commercial experience and evidence of working towards RICS or equivalent professional accreditation, would be acceptable.

·       Experience working on large-scale development, infrastructure, mixed-use, entertainment, sports, retail, residential, hospitality, or public realm projects is preferred.

·       Experience reviewing or supporting the review of consultant-produced cost plans across design stages.

·       Working knowledge of cost planning governance, Stage Gate processes, benchmarking, design-to-budget principles, risk and contingency management, inflation, escalation, and cost reporting.

·       Experience supporting the briefing, mobilisation, coordination, or performance monitoring of external cost consultants.

·       Proficiency in cost planning software and digital tools used to prepare, review, validate, and report cost plans; CostX experience is preferred.

·       Understanding of relevant measurement standards and industry guidance such as RICS, NRM, IPMS, POMI, CESSM, or equivalent is preferred.

·       Professional membership with RICS, AIQS, or equivalent, or active progress towards professional membership, is preferred.

·       GCC or KSA project experience is preferred.

·       Experience working within stakeholder environments and project governance frameworks is preferred.

Key Interfaces

·       Business Unit cost planning leadership and team members

·       CDU Cost Planning, business unit development teams, and project teams

• Development Management Office and Stage Gate stakeholders
• Design management teams and design consultants
• Commercial, procurement, finance, project controls, digital, and implementation teams
• Executive cost consultants and project cost consultants
• Benchmarking, data analytics, and CostX / digital enablement teams

Role Accountability in Relation to Cost Consultants

External cost consultants may prepare detailed cost plans, estimates, benchmarking outputs, risk allowances, cost reports, and supporting analysis; however, Qiddiya retains accountability for the recommended cost planning position. The Senior Manager supports this accountability by coordinating consultant deliverables, reviewing assigned outputs, recording comments and actions, and escalating key cost planning issues to business unit and cost planning leadership for review.

The role helps ensure that consultant outputs are aligned with the Qiddiya Cost Planning Technical Guidelines, reflect the approved brief and design status, include appropriate assumptions and reconciliations, identify risks and opportunities, and provide reliable support for project and governance decisions.

Personal Attributes

·       Reliable and delivery-focused, with strong ownership of assigned tasks.

·       Professional and constructive when reviewing information, raising issues, and supporting cost planning discussions.

·       Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret cost, design, benchmark, and risk information.

·       Clear communicator who can prepare structured comments, summaries, trackers, and updates.

·       Collaborative and responsive when working with internal stakeholders and external consultants.

·       Adaptable, proactive, and comfortable working in a fast-moving development environment.

·       Committed to continuous improvement, knowledge sharing, and strengthening Qiddiya’s cost planning capability.