Cost Engineer
Pubblicato il 14-08-2026 - Brightsmith in Italia
Cost Engineer – Data Centre
Location: Milan, Italy
Project: Data Centre
Employer: Italian General Contractor
Contract: 6-month initial contract with view to permanent employment
Working Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 hours per day
Sector: Data Centres / Construction
Language: Italian & English (fluent)
Role Overview
We are currently seeking an experienced Cost Controller to join an Italian General Contractor working on a major Data Centre project in Milan.
The successful candidate will have a strong background in cost control, contract management and commercial administration, with the ability to support the project team across monthly invoicing, subcontractor management, cost reporting and commercial discussions.
A key part of the role will be protecting the commercial interests of the contractor when dealing with consultants and project stakeholders. The successful candidate must therefore be confident working with contractual documentation, specifications, drawings and supporting evidence to substantiate the contractor’s position.
The initial contract will be for 6 months, with a strong possibility of becoming permanent based on project requirements and performance.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage and monitor project costs, budgets, forecasts and commercial performance.
- Support the preparation and submission of monthly valuations and invoices.
- Review subcontractor applications for payment and assess completed works against contractual requirements.
- Manage subcontractor commercial performance, including variations, claims, valuations and payment assessments.
- Review project specifications, drawings, contracts and other technical documentation to identify commercial implications.
- Support the identification, preparation and substantiation of variations, change orders and commercial claims.
- Maintain accurate cost reports and commercial records throughout the project lifecycle.
- Assist with forecasting,
cost-to-complete assessments and cash-flow monitoring.
- Work closely with the project management, engineering and construction teams to ensure commercial matters are properly captured and documented.
- Attend commercial and project meetings with consultants and other stakeholders.
- Present and defend the contractor’s commercial position using clear contractual evidence, project records and supporting documentation.
- Identify potential commercial risks and ensure these are escalated and managed appropriately.
- Ensure all commercial activities remain compliant with the project requirements, specifications and contractual obligations.
- Maintain detailed records of correspondence, approvals, instructions, changes and supporting evidence.
- Assist with contract administration and the interpretation of contractual obligations.
- Support the project team in resolving commercial and contractual issues with consultants, subcontractors and the client.
Key Requirements
- Proven experience in cost control, quantity surveying, commercial management or contract administration within the construction industry.
- Strong understanding of cost control and contract management principles.
- Experience managing subcontractor valuations, payments, variations and commercial issues.
- Ability to read, interpret and effectively utilise technical specifications, drawings and contract documentation.
- Strong understanding of how project specifications and contractual requirements impact commercial decisions.
- Comfortable participating in commercial meetings with clients, consultants and subcontractors.
- Ability to confidently defend the contractor’s commercial position using evidence, contractual documentation and project records.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate commercial records.
- Good analytical and numerical skills, with the ability to identify cost and commercial risks.
- Strong communication and negotiation skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively with construction, engineering and project management teams.
- Experience working on complex construction projects; data centre experience is highly desirable.
- Experience working with major international clients such as would be advantageous.
- Strong Microsoft Excel skills and familiarity with standard cost-control/commercial reporting systems.
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate will be a commercially minded construction professional who combines strong cost-control capability with practical contract management experience.
You will be comfortable working in a fast-paced data centre environment, dealing with multiple subcontractors and project stakeholders, while being confident enough to challenge commercial positions and defend the contractor’s interests when required.
You should be able to understand the technical requirements of the project, translate these into commercial implications, and ensure that the contractor has the appropriate documentation and evidence to support its position.
What’s on Offer
- Opportunity to work on a major Data Centre project in Milan.
- Initial 6-month contract with a view to permanent employment.
- Monday–Friday working schedule.
- 8 hours per day.
- Opportunity to work for an established Italian General Contractor on a high-profile hyperscale data centre project.
- Potential for long-term career progression within the project and wider organisation.