Construction Cost Specialist

About Overwatch Construction

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 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.

The Construction Cost Specialist helps the team reach its goals for low total ownership cost and durable projects, handling budgeting, bidding, buyout, and change order management for the project team. The Cost Specialist supplies off-site teams (Finance, Delivery, and Executive Management) with reliable data for problem-solving and process improvement and escalates risks and provides clear updates to the VP of Preconstruction.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Support development and management of project budgets, including scope alignment, assumptions, and cost narratives.
• Perform cost trending, forecasting, and variance analysis to identify risks and provide early financial visibility.
• Conduct bid leveling and detailed analysis of General Contractor and subcontractor proposals, identifying gaps, overlaps, and cost exposures.
• Review and validate change orders for scope accuracy, labor/material justification, and cost reasonableness.
• Maintain and manage cost reports, change order logs, and risk exposure tracking.
• Review contractor pay applications to ensure alignment with project progress and contract terms.
• Partner cross-functionally with Preconstruction, Engineering, Finance, and Delivery teams to support accurate and timely cost management.
• Prepare clear, data-driven reports and executive summaries to support decision-making.
• Maintain and contribute to historical cost databases to support continuous improvement and future estimating accuracy.
• Proactively identify, communicate, and escalate cost trends, risks, and forecast impacts.
• Support procurement and progressive buyout activities across project phases.
• Participate in Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and value optimization discussions.
• Continuously expand knowledge of data center cost drivers, delivery models, and MEP systems to support increasing responsibility over time.

Required Experience Needed

• • 5-7 years of experience in construction cost management, estimating, or project controls (flexible for strong technical candidates with high growth potential).
  • Strong background in MEP systems (electrical, mechanical, or both), preferably on complex or infrastructure-heavy projects.

Demonstrated experience with:

• • Cost trending and forecasting
  • Budget development and cost control
  • Change order management and financial analysis
  • Bid analysis or subcontractor/GC proposal review
  • Experience supporting commercial, industrial, mission-critical, energy, or infrastructure projects.
  • Working knowledge of construction financial processes (forecasting cycles, pay applications, cost reporting).
  • Experience with construction/project management platforms (e.g., Procore or similar).
  • Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally and understand how cost impacts overall project delivery.
  • Evidence of a learning-oriented, proactive approach, including taking initiative to understand new project types, systems, or delivery environments.

Nice-to-Have Experience (Growth Toward Data Centers)

• Experience on data center or other mission-critical projects.
• Exposure to power infrastructure, generators, switch gear, UPS systems, or advanced cooling systems.
• Background in a formal project controls environment (forecast cycles, earned value concepts, cost performance tracking).
• Experience with progressive design-build, fast-track delivery, or campus-style developments.
• Familiarity with cost benchmarking, parametric estimating, or historical cost modeling.
• Experience supporting multiple concurrent projects or program-level reporting.
• Exposure to value engineering, procurement strategy, or TCO analysis.
• Demonstrated interest in building a long-term career in the data center or mission-critical industry (coursework, certifications, self-learning, or related project exposure).

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…