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Building the Digital Infrastructure of Tomorrow | Veteran Development & Recruiting
The Role
Owner-side cost manager for a large MEP-intensive data center program. Track budgets, validate GC pay applications, manage change orders, perform cost risk analysis, maintain PCR and contingency, coordinate cost/schedule integration, support procurement, and prepare monthly executive cost reports.
Summary Generated by Built In
About Overwatch Mission Critical
Overwatch is a service-disabled Veteran-owned small business (SDVOB) certified through the National Veterans Business Development Council (NVBDC), offering construction professional services, talent acquisition, and general contractor services for the mission-critical infrastructure industry.
Our mission is the construction and management of state-of-the-art data centers with the precision and reliability this industry demands. From high-end engineers to seasoned professionals, we deploy the people you need to get your data center off the ground. At Overwatch, it's more than a job — it's purpose.
Overview
We are seeking an experienced Cost Manager to provide independent cost management and financial oversight for a new data center construction program. This individual will serve on behalf of the owner to track project costs, validate GC pay applications, manage the change order process, and deliver accurate budget forecasts to the owner's leadership team throughout the project lifecycle.
The successful candidate will bring strong quantity surveying or cost engineering expertise, experience with large-scale MEP-heavy construction, and the analytical capability to proactively surface budget risks before they become financial exposures.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and maintain the owner's independent project cost report (PCR), tracking budget, commitments, expenditures, and projected final cost.
- Review and validate GC monthly pay applications against schedule of values, work-in-place, and stored materials; recommend approval or withholding to the owner's PM.
- Manage the change order log; independently evaluate GC change proposals for scope, pricing, and schedule impact validity.
- Conduct cost risk analysis and maintain a project contingency tracker with drawdown history and remaining exposure.
- Coordinate with the Scheduler (DC-SCH-003) to align cost forecasts with schedule progress and milestone-based payment structures.
- Track owner-direct vendor and equipment costs (transformers, switchgear, generators, UPS, cooling equipment) alongside GC contract costs.
- Prepare monthly cost reports and executive budget summaries for the owner's program and finance teams.
- Support procurement activities including bid review, cost comparison matrices, and contract award recommendations.
- Assist in claim prevention and documentation; maintain contemporaneous cost records to support potential dispute resolution.
- Monitor subcontractor payment compliance (including conditional/unconditional lien waivers) in coordination with the legal and finance teams.
Required Qualifications
- 6+ years of cost management, quantity surveying, or cost engineering experience on commercial, industrial, or mission-critical construction projects.
- Experience managing construction budgets in excess of $100M.
- Proficiency in cost management platforms (e.g., Procore, Sage, PRISM, or equivalent).
- Strong analytical skills; advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel for cost modeling and reporting.
- Thorough understanding of construction contract types (GMP, lump sum, unit price) and change management processes.
- Ability to read and interpret construction drawings, specifications, and schedules for cost validation purposes.
Nice to Have Qualifications
- Experience with data center or mission-critical facility construction, including MEP-intensive and long-lead equipment procurement.
- CCE (Certified Cost Engineer) or CVS certification from AACE International.
- Familiarity with earned value management (EVM) and cost/schedule integration.
- Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or Finance.
Data Center Years Experience Needed
- 3 Years
Certifications Required
- Procore – pay applications, change orders, cost tracking, and document management.
- Microsoft Excel – cost models, PCR, and budget dashboards.
- Sage / PRISM / Ecosys (or equivalent) – cost management platform (experience with at least one required).
Driver’s License Requirement:
For roles that require on-site presence or travel between work locations as an essential function of the position, candidates must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license appropriate for the role and be eligible to operate a motor vehicle in accordance with applicable laws.
Communication Skills:
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in a professional work environment, including preparing written reports and documentation, conveying information clearly to team members, clients, and stakeholders, and responding appropriately to verbal and written communications related to job duties.
Physical Requirements and Work Environment
This position operates primarily in an active data center construction environment, encompassing both indoor and outdoor work settings. The role requires the physical ability to perform essential job functions safely and effectively in a dynamic environment that includes ongoing construction activity and evolving site conditions.
The work environment includes areas and temporary structures owned, leased, or controlled by third parties over which Overwatch may have limited or no control. Because the project remains under construction, certain areas of the site — including access routes, staging zones, and temporary structures — may not yet be fully ADA-compliant until construction is complete or those third-party areas are finalized.
Physical Requirements:
- Must be able to walk, stand, stoop, twist, bend, and climb stairs or ladders for extended periods while navigating uneven, unpaved, or obstructed terrain.
- Must be able to lift, carry, push, or pull up to 50 pounds on an occasional basis.
- Must be able to drive between job sites and access all areas of an active construction zone, including raised platforms, scaffolding, and confined spaces.
- Must be able to tolerate exposure to outdoor weather conditions, dust, and construction-related noise, vibrations, and odors.
- Must be able to communicate effectively with contractors, engineers, and site personnel, and maintain situational awareness in high-activity environments.
- Personal protective equipment (PPE), including hard hats, safety vests, hearing protection, and steel-toe boots, is required.
- Must have sufficient visual acuity to read drawings, specifications, and safety signage, and to observe site activity.
Work Environment:
Work is performed primarily in and around active construction areas, which may include unfinished buildings, temporary field offices, staging areas, and partially completed infrastructure. These locations may contain uneven surfaces, limited accessibility, and other conditions typical of construction projects prior to final completion. Overwatch does not control and cannot modify accessibility conditions within areas, facilities, or temporary structures owned or managed by third parties.
Reasonable Accommodation:
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position, provided such accommodations do not create safety hazards, impede essential mobility within active work zones, or require modification of facilities not owned or controlled by Overwatch.
Benefits:
Overwatch Construction offers a competitive salary and benefits package, including health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, 401(k) retirement plan and paid time off.
Skills Required
- 6+ years cost management, quantity surveying, or cost engineering experience on commercial, industrial, or mission-critical construction projects
- Experience managing construction budgets in excess of $100M
- Proficiency with cost management platforms (Procore, Sage, PRISM, Ecosys or equivalent)
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills for cost modeling and reporting
- Thorough understanding of construction contract types (GMP, lump sum, unit price) and change management processes
- Ability to read and interpret construction drawings, specifications, and schedules
- Ability to review and validate GC pay applications and manage change order log
- 3 years data center or mission-critical facility construction experience
- Valid driver's license and ability to drive between job sites
- Ability to work in active construction environments and meet physical requirements (lift up to 50 lbs, climb stairs/ladders)
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for reporting and stakeholder coordination
- CCE or CVS certification from AACE International
- Familiarity with earned value management (EVM) and cost/schedule integration
- Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, or Finance
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The Company
What We Do
The fifth industrial revolution is here, and it runs on data centers and the skilled labor who build and sustain them. Behind every AI breakthrough, cloud platform, and digital connection is a data center, and behind every data center are the people who build, commission, and operate them. By bringing blue-collar jobs back to the front lines of innovation, Overwatch(SDVOSB) is proving that the future of technology depends on human expertise as much as it does on machines. Your mission-critical journey starts and scales with us. We deliver end-to-end solutions for the data center lifecycle, design, build, staffing, and sustainment, powered by a workforce you can trust.
