Cost Manager

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 a purpose.

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.

• 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, switch gear, 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 1-3 Years

• Procore – pay applications, change orders, cost…