Quantity Surveyor at Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)

Job Description    

• The Quantity Surveyor is responsible for managing and forecasting all costs associated with infrastructure projects, from planning through to completion, ensuring cost efficiency and value for money while maintaining quality and regulatory standards. The role involves monitoring project finances, adhering to statutory building regulations, and delivering professional Quantity Surveying services that meet the needs of the Infrastructure Delivery Division. Additionally, the Quantity Surveyor provides expert guidance and inputs for the development of infrastructure strategies, policies, systems, and technical standards.

Key Responsibilities    
Quantity Surveying and Quality Assurance

• Calculate and verify project costs to enhance value and cost efficiency for infrastructure projects in line with regulatory standards and quality.
• Estimate and monitor all costs that relate to the infrastructure project from the planning stage until the final stage, when all actual costs are levied.
• Verify the accuracy of deriving costs for project ancillaries, labour and material for each item or activity, especially for large volume, high value or high-risk services and works.
• Advise contract custodians on bill of quantities and activity schedule composition for large volume, high-value or high-risk services and works.
• Monitor execution and update of processes for site audits, where required, to verify quantities and claims for work executed.
• Monitor and maintain adherence to local statutory building regulations and the applicable built environment standards and regulations.
• Provide surveying inputs and guidance for the development of infrastructure strategies, policies, systems, functional / technical norms and standards.
• Provide a professional quantity surveying service and continuous quality assurance to meet the needs of the Infrastructure Delivery division.
• Vet bills of quantities and variation orders as received before payment and approve payments to contractors.
• Advise on standards, practices and governance relevant to contractual documentation.
• Prepare and conduct financial close-out and review project/programme close-out costs.
• Compile and present special reports when required.
• Prepare quantity surveying inputs for the preparation of the User Asset Management Plan, the final project lists, the budgets and the infrastructure Programme Management Plan.

Continuous Improvement of Estimating Services and Cost Engineering

• Conduct research and keep abreast of new technologies and procedures, including interaction with professional Councils/ Boards.
• Liaise with external quantity surveying firms and the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors regarding documentation, benchmarking rates and alternative procedures to ensure improvements and cost savings.
• Contribute to Master Planning, Project Briefing documents, accommodation schedules and operational narratives.
• Optimise standard guides, methods and techniques to evaluate the utilisation of available resources.
• Evaluate and identify new initiatives or enhanced/ improved products for inclusion in programmes or projects.
• Formulate standards and improved bills of quantities and activity schedules for large volume, high value or high-risk services and works.
• Identify all risks and devise risk mitigation strategies.

Reporting and Analytics

• Generate detailed and insightful reports and analyses that support strategic decision-making and drive organisational improvement.
• Develop and deliver accurate, relevant, and stakeholder-focused reports, presenting data in a clear, concise, and actionable format using appropriate visualisations and analytical tools.
• Identify trends, anomalies, and key insights that influence strategic planning and operational adjustments.

Stakeholder Management

• Engage and collaborate with key stakeholders to align expectations, gather insights, and ensure successful outcomes.
• Build strong relationships, communicating clearly and consistently, and addressing stakeholder needs and concerns with responsiveness and professionalism.
• Facilitate cooperation and support for initiatives within the area of expertise, contributing to overall project and organisational success.
• Compile and present technical reports, briefing notes, and special reports as required.

Key Measures of Performance

• Accuracy in project costing and quality assurance
• Adherence to applicable regulations and built environment protocols
• Accuracy in the approval of bills of quantities and variation orders
• Accuracy and completeness of cost estimates and financial planning documents
• Number and quality of Bills of Quantities and Variation Orders vetted
• Timeliness and accuracy of financial close-out reports and programme cost reviews
• Compliance with statutory building regulations and internal standards
• Mitigation and prevention of key cost-related risks
• Stakeholder feedback on strategic cost advice and technical support
• Clean audit

Expertise & Technical Competencies    
Minimum Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree or a B-Tech in Quantity Surveying.
• Registration with the South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession (SACQSP).

Minimum Experience

• A minimum of 8 years’ experience with quantity surveying in engineering and construction contracts, preferably in the public sector.
• Experience in estimating and cost engineering of construction services and implementing cost control measures in projects.
• Knowledge and understanding of the Quantity Surveying Professions Act of 2000, National Building Standards Act of 1977 and Regulations, Construction Industry Development Board Act of 2000 and Regulations, and Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1993.
• Understand how to apply the Provincial Infrastructure Delivery Management System (PIDP) and the IDM Toolkit.
• Understand how to prepare budgets, extract and interpret information from related information systems.
• Understand the service delivery platform, indicators and service plan and how that links with Infrastructure.
• Understand how to undertake a risk analysis and undertake a risk mitigation strategy.
• Understand how to interpret existing and develop new Functional- and Technical Norms and Standards.
• Ability to process and analyse new and complex information quickly and to prioritise issues for consideration.
• Ability to build strategic alliances with key players for business.
• Capacity to clarify the needs of others and work with them to develop and implement cost-effective and practical solutions.
• Demonstrated experience in successfully managing projects within tight schedules.

Desirable Requirements

• Postgraduate qualification in Quantity Surveying.
• Qualifications in health and safety.

Deadline:14th October,2026