Quantity Surveyor

Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose South West Water keeps the South West flowing with safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services across some of the UK's most stunning landscapes. We're proud to be part of Pennon Group, a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals? As well as lowering our carbon footprint, we're working with partners to plant 300,000 trees, restore peatlands and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.

Whether you're starting out or seeking a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your own career. Ready to make a splash? Join our team today. About the Role We are seeking a commercially focused Quantity Surveyor to join our Commercial Team, supporting the effective management and control of high-volume reactive Repair & Maintenance (R&M) network contracts alongside other operational contracts across the business.

Reporting to the Senior Quantity Surveyor, the successful candidate will be responsible for validating costs, reviewing payment applications, assessing Defined Cost under NEC contracts, and supporting the commercial administration of key operational contracts. This role plays a critical part in ensuring accurate cost control, contract compliance, and value delivery across a varied portfolio of works.

Key Responsibilities Commercial Management Review, challenge, and certify contractor payment applications accurately and fairly. Assess and validate Defined Cost submissions in accordance with contractual requirements. Review target cost build-ups and support pain/gain share assessments. Track and analyse actual expenditure against target costs and approved budgets. Monitor labour, plant, materials, and subcontractor costs to identify efficiencies and opportunities for improvement. Assess completed works, including reinstatement activities and material utilisation.

Contract Administration Support the administration and management of NEC contracts. Draft and manage Early Warnings and Compensation Events in accordance with contractual processes. Assist with the review and evaluation of tender submissions. Support the optimisation of commercial and contract management processes. Risk & Performance Management Maintain contract risk registers and assess the potential financial impact of operational risks. Support forecasting, budgeting, accruals, and commercial reporting activities.

Ensure contract trackers, purchase orders, and financial records remain accurate and up to date. Provide analysis and reporting to support business decision-making. Stakeholder Management Build and maintain effective working relationships with operational teams, supply chain partners, finance, legal, and wider commercial colleagues. Act as a first point of contact for resolving routine commercial queries and contract-related issues. Work collaboratively with operational managers to ensure accurate and timely cost data is available.

Person Specification Essential Skills & Experience Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels. Analytical and detail-oriented approach to problem-solving. Competent user of Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel. Basic understanding of the construction, utilities, or infrastructure sectors. Understanding of cost control and commercial management principles. Desirable Skills & Experience Previous experience within utilities, water, construction, or infrastructure industries.

Experience working with NEC contracts. Knowledge of SAP, CEMAR, Ellipse, or similar contract management systems. Experience reviewing payment applications and contractor costs. Qualifications Essential Degree in…