Estimator in Manchester

The Estimator / Cost Planner is responsible for all aspects of cost planning and estimating, working closely with senior colleagues, project teams, and both internal and external clients from project inception. Main duties include preparing estimates for bids, developing strategies, managing approval processes, and coordinating all bid components such as cost plans, commentary, fees, and value engineering. The role involves challenging design teams to deliver efficient solutions within budget, supporting best practice development, sharing expertise, and ensuring forecast margins are met throughout project delivery.

Key Responsibilitie

sThe Estimator / Cost Planning Manager assumes commercial and functional management. Key responsibilities include overseeing the pre-construction cost planning process, developing and implementing best-practice estimation methodologies, driving value engineering initiatives and managing commercial risk registers on major tenders. This role is responsible for tender sign-off and bid strategy alignment, engaging in client negotiation on project costs, and acting as a commercial liaison for external stakeholders

.Cost Planning

• :Utilise and support the development of the company’s preferred cost planning software and tools
• .Be proficient in taking off quantities using the Bovis measurement software
• .Collaborate with the commercial team to secure market prices for trade packages and analyse these against cost plan allowances
• .Prepare, review, and analyse preliminaries for first and second stage bids, including producing standard preliminaries aligned with the proposed bid strategy
• .Incorporate programming requirements, methodology, phasing, and associated implications into cost plans and preliminaries
• .Accurately quantify and price cost plans from Development Brief / Feasibility stage through to Contract Price with the preferred contractor
• .Ability to build rates from first principles (labour, plant, and materials) is desirable but not essential
• .Accurate forecasting (inflation) of current trade rates
• .Manage external consultants (EQ Bill of Quants Consultancy), including initial engagement, appointment, issue of information, quality control, and ensuring submission and return in line with the programme
• .Be able to assess sub-contractor proposals
• .Prepare design fees with support from the relevant Design Manager
• .Prepare tender documentation for submission
• .Prepare cost plan commentary and supply key information to Bid Managers to support technical and written responses within tender submissions
• .Ensure that scope, assumptions, and pricing are clearly documented throughout all cost planning stages

.
Design and Cost Contro

• l:Support project teams with change control and major variations during conversion and delivery stage
• s.Support project and design teams in producing a design that meets cost plan requirements. Continuously analyse the design against cost plan assumptions, design briefs/target metrics, and benchmark project

s.
Bidding and Strate

• gy:Lead or support a bid as a Cost Planner either independently or as part of a team, depending on project scale and complexi
• ty.Support compliance of the cost plan with brief, authority, financiers’, and customer requirements during the conversion sta

ge.
Data / Analyt

• ics:Support the updating of design and cost KP
• I's.Support benchmarking data and workstreams (cost / design / programme), ensuring data is captured and maintained. And support an initiative for the development of benchmarking syst
• ems.Contribute to the development of best practices, standards, knowledge bases, sector expertise, industry trends, yardsticks, and benchma
• rks.Produce written narratives outlining key insights derived from cost and benchmarking analysis, including justification of the cost plan within the context of these findi

ngs.
Creden

• tialsMaintain CSCS card for the
• roleCurrently holding, or working towards a related Chartership such as MRICS /

MCIOB
Essential Skills, Knowledge, Experience & Beha

viours

• SkillsAbility to influence and lead
• teamsAbility to read drawings and construction design infor
• mationData analysis and data analytics including use of P
• owerBIDocument c
• ontrolNegot
• iationPresentation
• skillsProblem s
• olvingProcess comp
• lianceQuantity ta
• ke-offStrong Commercial
• acumenTendering subcontract works packages of medium to high
• valueTime management and prioritising tasks in order to meet dea
• dlinesValue engin
• eeringWritten and verbal communication to influence and build relationships with various stakeh

olders
Kn

• owledgeAbility to contribute to value engineering as part of the design
• processAllocation of scope to trade p
• ackagesBe able to produce detailed prelim for
• ecasts.Understand and apply cost planning & financial procedures and reportin
• g toolsUnderstanding of various procurement routes, including the RIBA design pro

cesses.
Ex

• perienceProven track record of working on various bid stages included Stage 1 (initial tender) and Stage 2 (Conversion into contract / PCSA).Reviewing subcontractor tender offers and subcontractor tender analysis produced by the commercial team to ensure a robust cost p
• osition.Building inflation models / calcu
• multiple trade packages into a master cost plan / bill of quantities to ensure all scope gaps are found, priced, and any duplication is
• removed.Coordinating resources internally to ensure deliverables
• are met.Preparing cost plans at various RIBA
• stages.Presenting to stak
• eholdersUnderstanding, building, and using benchmarking data for use at reviews, and for use externally with clients / cons

ultants.
Be

• haviours Flexibility and openness of approach and willingness to work as a te
• am playerHas a great attention to detail and thoroughness in all of the work the
• y produceIs analytical
• thinkingTaken ownership of Reporting, including populating all key templates and documents for
• reviews.Provides constructive challenge and feedback to others within

the team.
We will

• provide: Car
• allowanceFlexible and hybrid wo
• rk optionsUp to 10% employer pension co
• ntributionPrivate medical heal
• th benefitLife
• assurance25 days annual leave with the option to buy or sell addit
• ional days3 days wellbeing leave in addition to an
• nual leaveHealth and wellbeing support and i
• nitiatives24/7 confidential Employee Assistance Programme including direct access to Talking Therapies and Coachin
• g servicesDiscounted gym membership to over 2,500 gym’s n
• ation wideIndustry leading pare