Senior Quantity Surveyor

Job Description

About us

Senior Quantity Surveyor

(Location: Cumbria (Hybrid) Salary: Competitive

If you’re an experienced Quantity Surveyor ready to take the next leap in your commercial career, this is your opportunity to shape major infrastructure delivery across the North West.

United Utilities is driving one of the UK’s most ambitious investment programmes — and we’re looking for a Senior Quantity Surveyor who can bring commercial clarity, leadership and technical excellence to our construction and services contracts.

This is a role where your decisions matter. Your expertise will influence strategy, protect commercial interests, and ensure our projects deliver maximum value for customers, communities and the environment.

The role

What Makes This Role Exciting

As a Senior QS, you won’t just manage contracts — you’ll lead people, shape commercial strategy and act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders across the business.

You’ll be at the heart of:

• Major construction and infrastructure programmes
• High‑value services contracts
• Complex commercial negotiations
• NEC contract management
• Stakeholder engagement at senior levels
• Developing the next generation of QS talent

If you want a role with scale, visibility and impact, this is it.

What You’ll Lead & Deliver

Commercial Leadership & Delivery

• Deliver commercial outcomes across category plans, ensuring optimum value for money.
• Lead or support the delivery of projects, either independently or through managing a QS team.
• Act as a subject matter expert on commercial and contractual matters.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Work closely with operational and senior stakeholders to align commercial activity with business strategy.
• Present commercial insights, risks and outcomes confidently to Commercial Managers and UU leadership.
• Manage conflicting priorities across multiple business areas with clarity and authority.

Contract & Supplier Management

• Ensure contractual compliance and proactively manage consultant and contractor performance.
• Establish and maintain strong supplier relationships, ensuring delivery against contractual obligations.
• Manage a portfolio of services contracts, protecting UU’s commercial position at all times.

Post‑Contract Commercial Management

• Lead early warnings, change management, cost forecasting, payments, cost audits and final accounts.
• Negotiate and resolve claims and disputes, escalating where necessary.
• Maintain accurate contract data to support robust reporting and decision‑making.

Team Leadership & Development

• Manage a team of QSs at varying levels of experience.
• Provide coaching, development and professional guidance.

What You’ll Bring

We’re looking for a Senior QS with strong construction pedigree, commercial confidence and leadership capability.

You’ll need:

• A Quantity Surveying degree or equivalent experience (RICS Professional Experience Route accepted).
• Achieved or working towards chartered status (RICS preferred).
• Experience managing large volumes of contracts, including change management through to completion.
• Strong knowledge of QS processes, tools and methodologies across the full project lifecycle.
• Experience with NEC contracts — essential.
• Strong commercial negotiation and dispute resolution skills.
• Ability to analyse programmes/schedules and assess impacts.
• Excellent communication skills and confidence engaging with internal and external stakeholders.
• Proficiency in MS Excel, Word and PowerPoint.

This role is ideal for someone who has mastered the fundamentals of QS practice and is ready to lead, influence and elevate commercial performance across major programmes.

Why Join United Utilities

You’ll be part of a FTSE 100 organisation with a clear purpose and a commitment to investing in people. Expect:

• Competitive salary
• 26–30 days annual leave + bank holidays
• Up to 14% employer pension contribution
• 10.5% Annual Bonus
• Healthcare plan
• Flexible hybrid working
• Career development and professional support

You’ll join a team that values expertise, collaboration and innovation — and you’ll have the platform to make a real difference.

Impact

Ready to Lead Commercial Excellence?

If you’re a QS or Senior QS who thrives on challenge, enjoys leading people and wants to shape major infrastructure delivery, we’d love to hear from you.

This is your chance to step into a role with purpose, scale and long‑term impact.