Closing Date
2025-12-01
Job Title: Commercial Quantity Surveyor
Location: Falmer (Hybrid Working)
Salary: Salary and package are to be discussed at the screening stage.
Ready to shape the future of cost intelligence in the water industry? Southern Water is on the lookout for a visionary Commercial Quantity Surveyor to lead a transformation in how we understand, manage, and optimise costs across our capital delivery programmes.
Job Overview
This is more than a surveying role — it’s a strategic leadership opportunity to build a best-in-class cost intelligence function from the ground up. You’ll be at the heart of our journey to in-source a critical service, drive efficiency, and deliver value for money across our investment portfolio.
Responsibilities will include:
1. Lead the charge in developing a cost estimating and benchmarking service that supports asset management, capital delivery, and regulatory submissions.
2. Challenge the status quo by identifying inefficiencies and driving commercial improvements across our supply chain.
3. Shape the future of Southern Water’s cost intelligence capability — from designing the business case to recruiting and mobilising a high-performing team.
4. Own the numbers — manage our cost library, implement cutting-edge software, and provide robust cost models for Price Reviews and strategic planning.
5. Influence at the highest level — deliver executive reports, support regulatory assurance, and collaborate across functions to ensure strategic outcomes are met.
About You
6. A strategic thinker with deep expertise in cost management, estimating, and benchmarking.
7. Proven experience in managing outsourced services and transitioning to in-house delivery.
8. Strong knowledge of construction contracts and cost modelling methodologies.
9. Exceptional communication and influencing skills — confident engaging at board level.
10. A natural leader, capable of building and inspiring teams, setting direction, and delivering results.
11. Highly numerate, commercially astute, and comfortable navigating regulatory frameworks and business planning.
Package
This role will be full time Monday to Friday 37 hours a week.
Southern Water operate a hybrid approach to working between our Falmer office and home.
We are offering a salary of up to TBC per annum depending on skills and experience as well as other benefits including:
• Company and performance-related bonus
• Generous pension up to 11% company contribution
• 25 days annual leave
• Life assurance equal to 4x salary
• Salary sacrifice electric car scheme (after 6 months service)
• Health Cash Plan
• Full funded eye tests
• Two paid volunteering days a year
• Occupational health service
• Discounts with over 800 popular retailers
• Digital GP service
• Study support may be available for job-related qualifications
• Competitive maternity leave and flexible return to work options
• Cycle to work scheme
Does this opportunity excite you but you’re not 100% sure if you meet all the requirements for the role? Or are you concerned that ‘normal’ office hours aren’t possible given your personal circumstances? Whilst we can’t accommodate every flexible working request, we’ll try to find a practical solution. So why not engage with us and find out more about this role?
Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, because delivering water for life is our core purpose. To achieve this, we need 24/7 support in place to resolve incidents quickly and efficiently. All our employees understand the importance of out-of-hours incident support – because when problems appear, fixing them is our top priority. That’s why our people join together and support when and however needed to make sure our customers get the service they deserve. Joining the Southern Water family means you’ll become part of our incident support team. During your interview, your manager will speak to you about any incident support rotas that apply to your position.
Privacy Statement:
Please note: If you are an existing Southern Water employee, you will need to confirm within your application that your Manager is aware of your application.
All applicants must be eligible to live and work in the UK. You will need to provide evidence of eligibility (e.g. a passport or long birth certificate and proof of NI) and current proof of address (dated within the last 3 months), will be required as part of the recruitment process. If you do not meet these criteria, your application will not be considered.
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