Senior Estimator

Cardo Group is a trusted provider of building maintenance, refurbishment, and retrofit services for social housing and public sector buildings across the UK. With nationwide coverage and skilled local teams, we deliver a reliable end-to-end service that ensures homes and public spaces are safe, sustainable, and well-maintained.

We specialise in responsive repairs and voids, planned maintenance, energy-efficiency upgrades, compliance works, and major improvement programmes. Our approach combines quality workmanship, strong resident communication, and efficient project delivery to achieve the best outcomes for our customers and communities.

Driven by ambitious growth plans, we continue to expand our capabilities and adapt to the evolving needs of our clients. Our reputation is built on consistent service delivery, trusted partnerships, and a commitment to doing things the right way. As we grow, so do the opportunities – for our people, our clients, and the communities we support.

Cardo Group is becoming one of the UK's most forward-thinking maintenance and retrofit providers. Do you want to be part of something great?

We are seeking an experienced, commercially astute and strategically minded Senior Estimator / Managing Estimator to lead the preparation, development and submission of competitive, commercially robust tenders across our social housing, planned maintenance, refurbishment, retrofit and regeneration portfolios.

This is a senior role requiring strong technical estimating expertise, commercial awareness and the ability to influence bid strategy, manage complex tender processes and support the continued growth of the business.

Working closely with senior operational, commercial, procurement and business development teams, you will take ownership of major tenders from initial opportunity assessment through to submission, ensuring that estimates are accurate, risks and opportunities are fully evaluated, and proposals align with the Group's commercial objectives.

Depending on experience, the successful candidate will also provide leadership, guidance and mentoring to the estimating team, establish best practice across estimating processes and contribute to the development of estimating strategy, cost intelligence and commercial governance.

• Lead the preparation, review and submission of competitive, commercially robust tenders across planned maintenance, refurbishment, retrofit, repairs and regeneration projects.
• Review ITTs, drawings, specifications and schedules to establish scope, identify risks, assumptions and opportunities, and ensure full tender compliance.
• Undertake and oversee detailed take-offs, cost plans, labour and resource analysis, subcontractor pricing and material cost assessments.
• Develop pricing and tender strategies that balance competitiveness, risk, programme and profitability.
• Lead subcontractor and supplier enquiries, negotiate quotations and ensure accurate scope comparisons, exclusions and commercial conditions are captured.
• Lead tender adjudications, presenting key commercial considerations, risks, opportunities, margins and recommendations to senior management.
• Work closely with Operations, Commercial, Procurement and Planning teams to develop practical and cost-effective delivery solutions.
• Maintain accurate cost databases, market rates, subcontractor information and historical tender data to support pricing decisions.
• Identify value engineering, procurement efficiencies and alternative delivery opportunities.
• Attend site visits, client meetings and pre-tender discussions to understand project requirements and constraints.
• Lead post-tender clarifications, negotiations and successful project handovers, ensuring assumptions,…