Senior Estimating Manager

Annual salary: up to £91,000.00

Senior Estimating Manager

Location:

Homebased - Remote, with UK travel

Contract:

Full-time, Permanent

Hours:

40 per week, Monday to Friday

Salary:
Up to £91,000, plus £4,800 car allowance

About the Role

The Senior Estimator is a key role within the commercial estimating and tendering function, responsible for producing high-quality, competitive and compliant bids across all business streams. You will develop robust cost models, assess risk, collaborate with operational and commercial stakeholders, and ensure all estimating outputs meet the standards set by the Head of Estimating.

This role works closely with Business Development, Operations, Supply Chain and Finance to support sustainable growth and protect margin. You will report directly to the Head of Estimating.

Key Responsibilities

Purpose
Lead the preparation of robust, compliant and competitive estimates aligned to company commercial strategy
Ensure pricing, methodology, risk and assumptions are clearly articulated and aligned with operational delivery
Provide analytical insight, industry knowledge and commercial judgement to support tender adjudications
Contribute to continuous improvement of estimating processes, knowledge bases and governance frameworks

Estimating & Commercial Proposal Development
Prepare detailed estimates and commercial submissions for tenders across Repairs & Maintenance (including M&E and Planned Works), Central Government housing and support, Decarbonisation and Net Zero programmes, and DLO support
Build cost models from first principles with accuracy and commercial integrity
Support value engineering, scenario modelling and pricing strategy development
Analyse tender documentation, specifications and operational data to ensure deliverable proposals
Provide clear written and verbal summaries of assumptions, pricing logic and risks

Tender Governance & Risk Management
Ensure all estimating outputs meet internal governance standards for completeness and compliance
Support tender clarifications, RFIs and responses to client queries
Assist with commercial review of contracts and legal documents alongside Legal and Operations
Identify and document key financial and delivery risks for adjudication

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication
Work collaboratively with Business Development and Operations to ensure bids reflect operational capability
Engage with supply chain partners to secure competitive quotations and maintain market intelligence
Present estimating outputs and recommendations to senior stakeholders when required

Mobilisation & Continuous Improvement
Support mobilisation teams post-award, ensuring clarity of estimating assumptions
Participate in post-contract reviews and outturn cost analysis to improve future pricing
Contribute to enhancements in systems, templates, cost databases and knowledge repositories

Team Support & Development
Act as a senior technical resource, providing mentoring to junior estimators
Promote accuracy, commercial discipline and collaborative working
Deputise for the Head of Estimating when required

Essential

Experience:

Significant experience in social housing, R&M, planned works or related construction estimating
Strong working knowledge of NHF Schedule of Rates
Proven experience producing cost models and pricing strategies for medium-large tenders
Experience engaging with clients, supply chain and internal stakeholders
Ability to manage multiple bids to tight deadlines
Good understanding of NEC and JCT contract forms
Strong analytical skills and commercial awareness

Desirable

Experience:

Experience in a large contracting or housing services environment
Familiarity with estimating software and data analytics tools
Professional qualification in QS, Construction Management or similar (or working towards)
Key Skills & Attributes
Strong numerical ability and exceptional attention to detail
Clear, confident communicator able to explain commercial reasoning to all audiences
Proactive problem-solver with a continuous improvement mindset
Ability to interpret complex specifications and technical documentation
Highly organised, deadline-driven and able to prioritise effectively
Collaborative team player with…