Priyanka Narne
Senior Cost Manager, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
In our career journeys series, we put the spotlight on team members from different areas of the business to share their career stories and daily experiences.
Here, we meet Priyanka Narne, a Senior Cost Manager based in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Priyanka joined Turner & Townsend as a graduate in 2018 and has grown into an important member of her team.
Priyanka’s Turner & Townsend journey
Q. Priyanka, how did your career with Turner & Townsend begin?
A. I joined the company as a graduate in India back in 2018. I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to relocate to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the support of the business. Turner & Townsend offers the opportunity for employees who’ve worked with the business for one year to apply for roles with a skills match in other regions or to request to move internationally for personal reasons.
Q. Can you tell us about what a typical day looks like for you in cost and commercial management?
A. It’s usually busy. My daily routine is essentially coordinating with different types of project stakeholders, such as designers, employers and project managers – everyone needed to keep the project on track in terms of cost.
Q. What’s your favourite part of your job?
A. I think the technicalities of cost management are somewhat different when compared to other aspects of the construction industry. The area I work in often generates significant curiosity among project stakeholders who want to understand how the project is progressing and whether it can be successfully completed within the budget.
As cost managers, we hold a major role in advising the appropriate individuals about the project’s financial aspects, ensuring that project cost is effectively managed.
Q. In your time with the company, is there a project that stands out as your favourite? If so, what makes that particular project memorable for you?
A. Actually, I have worked on a number of significant projects. Over my career, I’ve contributed more than 11,000 official hours to various projects, so there’s a lot to choose from.
One major programme that stands out is from my time working with the India business. We were appointed as cost consultants on a mixed-use development project for a leading shopping centre brand. This project was significant in scale and was a testimonial for the client to establish in the Asian market.
This project was challenging, even for Turner & Townsend, as it was one of the first of its kind in India where we implemented Building Information Modelling (BIM). I played a significant role in interfacing with the client, specifically from an architectural perspective, acting as a BIM representative for Turner & Townsend.
My responsibilities included implementing BIM, ensuring correlation between costs and design, and advising on requirements for the BIM models. This role was quite new for me, making it a great and quite exciting experience.
We are known for taking on very challenging projects and setting benchmarks in consultancy services. Turner & Townsend is recognised for its high-quality projects.
Q. Can you describe the culture of working at Turner & Townsend?
A. Diversified, inclusive and productive are the key words that I can use to describe Turner & Townsend’s culture.
Q. That’s great to hear. In your time in your role, has there been anything that’s surprised you?
A. Not necessarily when I was working in India, but definitely in Riyadh.
The scale of projects here is enormous and it’s one of a kind. The clients’ requirements for delivering cost management services are more challenging than anything I have encountered in my career.
Meeting client expectations requires exceptionally precise and refined efforts from our team. It takes a lot to impress clients here, and securing and performing on projects is not easy. I was quite surprised by this aspect.
Q. How do you feel about the opportunities available for career progression and development in cost management?
A. I want to highlight an important aspect of cost management. Turner & Townsend entered the construction market as a cost consultancy and has been known for its services ever since. As part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia team, we are currently involved in multiple mega- and giga-projects, so we have significant career growth.
We have a career plan established for five years and conduct annual career reviews. Instead of calling them performance reviews, we refer to them as performance and career reviews. This change allows us to focus on our future career strategy and review our progress quarterly, which is a very good thing.
Q. Turner & Townsend’s three company values are ‘love a challenge’, ‘bring out the best in everyone’ and ‘stronger together’. What company value do you align with most and why?
A. I think that ‘love a challenge’ stands out. We are known for taking on very challenging projects and setting benchmarks in consultancy services. Turner & Townsend is recognised for its high-quality projects.
I also align with ‘stronger together’, as we work on many complex projects which require the best team to deliver them by focusing on collaboration and being client focused.
These are the two things that I mostly correlate with.
Turner & Townsend values everyone’s opinion, fostering a culture of inclusion that makes our organisation unique and employee-friendly.
Q. You mentioned previously that Turner & Townsend is an inclusive environment, but how have you personally experienced inclusion in your workplace?
A. At Turner & Townsend, my experience with inclusivity in the workplace has been profoundly positive. From the outset, the company’s commitment to inclusion is evident in its hiring practices and the diversity of teams.
I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues from a wide range of cultural and professional backgrounds, which has enriched our collective problem-solving capabilities and fostered a sense of belonging.
Q. What do you personally do to encourage inclusion at Turner & Townsend?
A. I actively promote a culture of openness and respect within my team. I make it a point to listen to and value each team member's input, ensuring that diverse perspectives are considered in decision-making processes. By fostering an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their ideas, I help to cultivate a collaborative and innovative atmosphere.
I also mentor and support colleagues from varied backgrounds, advocating for equitable opportunities for professional growth and development. Through these efforts, I strive to create a sense of belonging and respect that enhances our team’s cohesion and performance.
Q. Why is Turner & Townsend a great place to work if your role is in cost and commercial management?
A. I’d say it’s because Turner & Townsend values everyone’s opinion, fostering a culture of inclusion that makes our organisation unique and employee-friendly.
Our vision reflects this commitment to inclusion. We conduct regular performance and career reviews that not only assess past achievements but also focus on developing effective career strategies for the future.
Q. Fantastic, thank you for speaking with us today Priyanka. But before you go, do you have any tips for people applying to work at Turner & Townsend?
A. One should give importance to building a strong work profile, creating a good network, and coming with a positive attitude.