Managing Quantity Surveyor - Regional Civil Engineering business in the South

Lead commercial delivery on impactful (self‑delivery) highways projects — and help shape the future of our Regional Civil Engineering business.

We’re looking for an experienced and motivated Managing Quantity Surveyor to take a key leadership role within our Regional Civil Engineering (RCE) team — the self‑delivery arm of Octavius, where we directly deliver our highways and public realm new build, maintenance, and vehicle restraint systems (VRS) work using our own in‑house teams.

This role offers the rare opportunity to take ownership of South East or South West region, influence how we evolve, and grow alongside a business investing for the long term.

Who We Are

Octavius is a leading UK civil engineering and transport infrastructure business, with over 700 employees delivering high‑quality Rail and Highways projects across the country. We’re proud of our people, our culture and our vision to be the UK’s most respected provider of transport infrastructure.

Our Regional Civil Engineering business is growing rapidly, and as we expand our pipeline of work, we’re creating exciting opportunities for people who want to make an impact and build their career in a supportive, forward‑looking team.

What You Will Do

In this role, you’ll take commercial ownership of a portfolio of (self‑delivery) highways schemes, working closely with our in‑house operational teams to deliver high‑quality outcomes across the region.

You Will

• Lead, support and develop an established commercial team of 5–7 colleagues (Assistant QS to SQS), helping them build capability and confidence as we continue to grow.
• Drive full commercial governance across your projects — including NEC contract management, forecasting, reporting, and proactive risk and opportunity management.
• Work hand‑in‑hand with operational teams, shaping commercial solutions, spotting issues early, and ensuring clarity across all your schemes.
• Build strong, collaborative relationships with key clients such as Balfour Beatty and Galliford Try, helping deliver high‑profile and exciting regional projects.
• Operate with a high degree of autonomy — trusted to run your portfolio, make informed decisions and contribute to wider improvement across the RCE function.
• Work in a hybrid pattern, typically 3 days on site or one of our offices in Taunton or Winchester and 2 days from home, flexing depending on project demands.

Who Is a Good Fit?

To make an immediate impact, you’ll be a Managing Quantity Surveyor with strong NEC knowledge and a background in self‑delivery highways projects.

You’ll Thrive Here If You

• Are driven by developing others and enjoy coaching a team to perform at their best.
• Want the freedom to run your region and feel confident working autonomously.
• Bring a proactive mindset — you anticipate problems rather than react to them, and you’re comfortable shaping solutions in a fast‑moving environment.
• Build strong, professional relationships and handle challenging conversations with clarity and fairness.
• Are excited about joining a growing business where you can influence how we work and grow your own career as we scale.

Why Join Us?

We offer a competitive rewards package including a company car or car allowance, Private Healthcare, Pension, Life Assurance, and 25 days Annual Leave (plus a day off for your birthday). You’ll also benefit from hybrid working, enhanced Paternity & Maternity leave and the opportunity to continue your personal and professional development within a supportive team.

Ready to Join Us?

If you’re an experienced Managing Quantity Surveyor looking for a role where you can lead, influence and help shape the future of our highways business, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply now and be part of our RCE growth story.

Inclusion and Diversity

Inclusion and diversity are important to us, we are an equal opportunities employer and value difference. We want and will continue to build an inclusive environment where our people thrive. We firmly believe constantly striving to build a truly diverse workforce is what makes us a strong business and will enable us to continue to solve important problems and deliver unrivalled value to both our customers and clients. If you need any specialist support throughout your application, we will work with you where we can to support your journey with us.

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