Preconstruction Manager in Manchester

Due to significant growth in our water sector, a Preconstruction Manager role has become available to join our delivery team, working on the United Utilities (UU) Water Complex Delivery Partner (CDP) Framework. Costain has won extensive work across the water sector this year to support the AMP 8 investment cycle. We have been appointed by UU to the CDP Enterprise to help shape and deliver its strategic infrastructure upgrade programme over the next 5-10 years.

The Preconstruction Manager will support the planning, development, and execution of water infrastructure projects during the preconstruction phase. This role works closely with project managers, estimators, engineers, and external stakeholders to ensure all technical, financial, and logistical elements are thoroughly prepared before construction begins. You will play a key role in gathering project data, managing documentation, coordinating design deliverables, and supporting accurate cost development for water and wastewater facilities, pipelines, pump stations, and related civil infrastructure.

Once secured you will support the design and preconstruction teams through the UU gateway process in advance of on site delivery where you will handover to the individual Delivery Leads and relevant construction teams.

Responsibilities

• Establish the initial tender strategy, liaising with both Project Managers and Commercial representatives.
• Engagement with the Supply Chain, estimating team and wider Costain business to establish clear requirements and responsibilities and lead kick-off sessions.
• Develop the Tender Programme, monitoring progress and ensuring milestones are met.
• Prepare relevant governance documentation in conjunction with the Framework SLT and wider Costain business.
• Coordinate with the Estimating Team at each stage of the proposal phase to produce opportunity proposals in line with Customer mandated process and internal business governance rules.
• Facilitate flow of information between Client / design team / estimators / supply-chain / Delivery Team / CDP framework delivery team and wider Costain business.
• Coordination with Delivery Team and Client/other Stakeholders to identify potential impacts and mitigations from the relevant 3rd Party, environmental and ecological constraints; identify, plan and manage site surveys required in support of each tender.

Essential qualifications

• Degree level qualified or equivalent in an Engineering or Commercial related discipline.
• Significant experience working in a similar level role.
• Experience of pricing medium to large value contracts preferably in the water sector.
• Customer Focused, Open and Honest, Safe and Environmentally aware, Team Player, Accountable.
• Excellent communication skills and a good team player.
• Able to manage administration support and other members of the team to ensure the successful delivery of the tender.
• Commercially aware and a lateral thinker with a knowledge of various Forms of Contract, I.ChemE and NEC Terms and Conditions and Target Cost.
• Ability to manage and prioritise a high volume of work that requires completion within tight timeframes to meet the demands of the contract and the timely completion of multiple concurrent tenders with a fast turnaround in a Framework Environment.
• High level of competence using MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Teams.
• Hold a current relevant CSCS Card.
• Hold a current relevant Blue Card.
• Proven experience in Tender / Bid Management / Design management.
• Full UK driving licence.

Desirable

• Significant experience of the water and / or utilities sector.
• Experience of working within a multi-discipline engineering environment.
• Knowledge and appreciation of sewage treatment processes, water treatment processes and pumping systems.

About Us

Costain helps to improve people’s lives with integrated, leading edge, smart infrastructure solutions across the UK’s energy, water, transportation and defence markets. We help our clients improve their business performance by increasing capacity, improving customer service, safeguarding security, enhancing resilience, decarbonising and delivering increased efficiency. Our vision is to be the UK’s leading smart infrastructure solutions company.

We will achieve this by focusing on blue chip clients whose major spending plans are underpinned by strategic national needs, regulatory commitments, legislation or essential performance requirements. We offer our clients leading edge solutions that are digitally optimised through the following five services which cover the whole lifecycle of their assets: future-shaping strategic consultancy; consultancy and advisory; digital technology solutions; asset optimisation and complex programme delivery. Our culture and values underpin everything we do.

Costain appreciate the time and effort taken when applying for one of our positions but, due to the high volume of responses, we are unable to provide individual feedback on candidates at application phase. We do share individual feedback following an interview. A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that discloses they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer.