About the Role: Responsibilities, Skills, and Requirements
Introduction
Ever wondered what it really takes to keep a construction project financially on track from the first shovel to the final handover? If numbers tell a story and you’ve got a sharp eye for detail, this Quantity Surveyor role might just be your next smart move. We’re after someone with solid UAE experience who can hit the ground running—measuring, costing, and negotiating with confidence across a range of exciting construction projects. It’s a role that keeps you on your toes, mixes office analysis with on-site reality, and honestly, it’s never boring.
About the Company
We’re a growing construction firm with a reputation for delivering quality work and building lasting relationships—both with clients and the people on our team. You won’t find a stiff corporate maze here. Instead, you’ll step into a collaborative environment where your input genuinely shapes project outcomes. We’ve got a steady pipeline of work across commercial and residential sectors, and we take pride in doing things properly—clear communication, fair dealing, and a genuine focus on getting the details right. If you’re someone who likes seeing tangible results from your efforts, you’ll feel right at home.
What You’ll Be Doing (Responsibilities)
- Measuring and quantifying – Preparing BOQs and taking-offs from drawings and specs, making sure every figure stacks up before it ever reaches a tender document.
- Cost estimation and tendering – Putting together competitive estimates, analysing subcontractor quotes, and helping us negotiate the best deals without compromising on quality.
- Valuations and variations – Carrying out monthly valuations on site, assessing variations as they come up, and keeping the financial side of projects transparent and up-to-date.
- Cost control – Tracking expenditure against budgets, flagging potential overruns early, and suggesting practical solutions before small issues become big problems.
- Final accounts – Preparing and agreeing final accounts with clients and subcontractors—dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s so everything closes out smoothly.
- Site coordination – Visiting sites regularly to monitor progress and verify that what’s being claimed matches what’s actually happening on the ground.
What You’ll Bring (Qualifications)
Must-Haves:
- Minimum 3 years of UAE experience as a Quantity Surveyor, working on construction projects from conception through to completion.
- A degree or diploma in Quantity Surveying, Civil Engineering, or a related field.
- Solid working knowledge of UAE construction practices, including local market rates, authority requirements, and standard forms of contract.
- Strong numerical and analytical skills—you can spot a discrepancy from a mile away.
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to negotiate firmly yet fairly.
- Proficiency in MS Excel and familiarity with quantity surveying software (we use modern tools, so you won’t be stuck in the stone age).
Nice-to-Haves:
- Experience with FIDIC contracts or other internationally recognised forms.
- A background in both commercial and residential sectors.
- Membership or working towards membership with a recognised professional body (RICS, SCA, etc.).
Not sure you tick every box? We’d still love to hear from you. Sometimes the right attitude and a willingness to learn matter just as much as a perfect CV.
Why You’ll Love Working Here (Benefits & Perks)
- Competitive salary – We pay fairly and review regularly based on performance.
- Medical insurance – Comprehensive coverage for you and your family, because your wellbeing matters.
- Annual leave – Generous paid time off plus public holidays, so you can actually recharge.
- Career progression – We promote from within and support professional development, whether that’s certifications, courses, or mentoring.
- A supportive team culture – Friday team lunches, open-door management, and colleagues who actually help when deadlines get tight.
- Varied project exposure – You won’t be pigeonholed into one type of work; you’ll get the chance to stretch your skills across different projects.
At the end of the day, we’re looking for someone who takes pride in their work and wants to grow with a company that values their contribution. If that sounds like you, we’d love to chat.
Common Interview Questions and Tips
To help you prepare and feel confident, here are some questions you might encounter during the interview process for this role.
Walk me through your process for preparing a BOQ from drawings and specs. Where do you usually start, and how do you make sure nothing gets missed before it goes out for tender?
Tell me about a time in the UAE when a monthly valuation on site didn’t match what the subcontractor was claiming. How did you handle it, and what was the outcome?
We use modern quantity surveying tools alongside MS Excel. Which software are you most comfortable with, and how do you typically use it to keep cost tracking accurate and efficient?
Have you worked with FIDIC contracts in the UAE? If so, what’s the trickiest clause or situation you’ve dealt with under that framework, and how did you navigate it?
Imagine you spot a potential cost overrun on a project about halfway through. What’s your first move—who do you talk to, and what kind of solution would you bring to the table?
Describe a time you had to negotiate a final account with a client or subcontractor where the numbers were contentious. How did you keep things fair but firm, and what was the final resolution?
What’s your approach to visiting sites for progress monitoring? How do you verify that what’s being claimed on paper actually lines up with what’s happening on the ground?
Give me an example of a small discrepancy you caught early that could have become a big problem if left unchecked. How did you spot it, and what did you do?
We’re a collaborative team without a stiff corporate structure. Tell me about a time you had to push back on a colleague or manager to keep a project financially sound—how did you handle that conversation?
Deadlines can get tight, especially when tenders are piling up. How do you prioritise your workload when everything feels urgent, and what keeps you from dropping the ball?
What part of quantity surveying do you find most satisfying—the estimating, the site work