Senior Estimator in Cardiff

Who We Are

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?

The Role

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.

Key Responsibilities:

• 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, risks and pricing are clearly communicated.
• Review project feedback and actual costs to improve estimating accuracy, processes and future tender performance.
• For Managing Estimator level, provide leadership, mentoring and quality assurance to the estimating team, manage workload and establish consistent estimating standards and processes.

What You Will Need:

• Proven experience as a Senior Estimator, Managing Estimator or similar role within construction, refurbishment, planned maintenance or social housing.
• Strong experience delivering competitive tenders across refurbishment, repairs, maintenance, retrofit and regeneration projects.
• Relevant HNC/HND, degree or equivalent experience in Quantity Surveying, Construction or a related discipline.
• Strong knowledge of construction methods, labour, materials, subcontractor pricing and cost planning.
• Excellent understanding of JCT and NEC contracts and their commercial implications.
• Ability to interpret drawings and specifications, undertake detailed take-offs and prepare accurate Bills of Quantities.
• Strong commercial, analytical and negotiation skills, with the ability to identify risk, opportunity and value.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with experience presenting estimates and tender strategies to senior stakeholders.
• Ability to manage multiple tenders, meet tight deadlines and maintain a high level of accuracy.

What We Will Provide:

• Excellent development and career progression opportunities.
• Salary up to £75,000 negotiable depending on experience.
• 25 days' annual leave, plus bank holidays.
• Range of salary sacrifice schemes, including holiday purchase, EV schemes and AVC pension contributions.
• Life assurance cover.
• Wellbeing resources and counselling services.
• Retail and lifestyle discount platform.
• Enhanced family leave provisions.
• Recognition initiatives and awards.
• Occupational sick pay.

Why Join Cardo Group?

At Cardo Group, we are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and empowered to succeed. We recognise that diverse perspectives strengthen our business, drive innovation and help us better serve the communities we work with.

Our commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion is rooted in our core values:

• Teamwork – We collaborate, support one another and achieve more together.
• Integrity – We act with honesty, fairness and transparency in everything we do.
• Excellence – We set high standards and deliver quality for our people and customers.
• Respect – We value every individual and create an environment where all voices are heard.

We provide fair opportunities, embrace diverse backgrounds and experiences, and foster a culture where everyone truly belongs.

As Cardo Group continues to grow, this is an opportunity to play a key role in shaping our estimating capability, influencing major commercial decisions and delivering projects that make a meaningful difference to homes and communities across the UK.

Join us on our ambitious, exciting and inclusive journey.

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