Senior Estimator - Civil Engineering in Bolton

A Civil Engineering contractor is seeking an experienced Estimator to work on a portfolio of tenders from £10 – £50m each within the NW region. Projects vary from earthworks, structures, water, groundworks and infrastructure.

The successful person will:

• Be Degree qualified and preferably chartered.
• Have a track record of leading the pre-construction team for a civil engineering main contractor.
• Have a track record in successfully estimating, bidding and winning design and build contracts.

Responsibilities:

• Coordinate and work with the national work winning resource in liaison with the Business Unit Manager and General Manager.
• Maintain contemporary expert knowledge and understanding of the construction market and provide advice and information to the work winning business unit.
• Lead and manage the development of winning proposals in response to bid documents issued by clients.
• Take ownership of the tender process, from bid through to award, including the integration of commercial and quality proposals and ensure the defined company process and procedures are adhered to.
• Agree bid strategy at start up meeting with Senior Management. This may involve working in a Joint Venture or Alliance Partnership.
• Identify internal and external resource requirements, agree availability with Senior Management.
• Manage a realistic and up to date bid programme and deliverables register and ensure targets are met by the bid team through discussion and review meetings.
• Undertake technical review of estimating, planning and supply chain proposals, supported by Estimator(s).
• Lead and manage the development of high quality written and costed bid material with specialist support from the Proposals Manager and Bid Writer.
• Co-ordinate information for tender settlement in line with requirements of T66 agenda. Deliver tender settlement presentations to Senior Management. Disseminate actions to the bid team.
• Gather post-submission client feedback and attend meetings. Identify and disseminate learning / best practice to the bid team and Proposals Manager.
• Ensure full and smooth handover of bid stage information to the Operations Team and provide further input and advice as appropriate.
• Develop, manage and maintain a supply chain database to provide full regional capability.
• Contribute to the business market share through developing contacts and effective marketing and assist in PQQ submissions.
• Assist in seeking out work streams which increase profitability and enhance market value.

Knowledge, skills & experience:

• Ability to articulate clearly tender schemes internally with senior management and a range of contributing and support staff making up the bid team.
• Ability to take the lead role in tender communication (queries, responses etc) with the client.
• Strong estimating and bid management skills.
• Ability to manage the requirements of several concurrent tenders and potentially work with and manage design teams and Joint Venture / Alliance partners.
• Able to remain calm and work under tight timescales whilst maintaining the required high quality standard of work and good management practices.
• Well-developed commercial acumen and proven ability to develop and maintain supply chain relationships.
• Ability to find a commercial advantage that provides a competitive tender and increases our margin.
• Good knowledge and understanding of cost planning and estimating requirements.
• In depth understanding of construction forms of contract.
• Understanding of the impact of value engineering, risk and programme on the final tendered price.
• Experience in managing and delivering high quality submission deliverables.
• Have a methodical and thorough approach that ensures tenders are compliant, consistent and complete.
• To identify the deliverables early in the tender and ensure contributing bid team fully understands the requirements, standards and timeline of their part.
• Operate at the centre of a tender and be able to manage the best out of people and take a hands-on role as appropriate and when required.

Person:

• Previous experience should ideally be in civil engineering infrastructure projects ranging in value between £5m and £50m.
• Management of a work winning business unit or bid team(s).
• Bid management responsibility.
• Tendering through estimating / project management role.
• Construction background, familiar with a range of clients operating in the region and sector.
• Construction related degree.
• Membership of professional body with Chartered status (MICE or equivalent) (Desirable).
• Experience/training in estimating of civil engineering infrastructure projects.
• IT literate in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project planning and estimating software.
• Bid writing.
• Detailed knowledge of the regional construction market.
• Commercially astute and able to gain competitive advantage.
• Client facing experience including the delivery of presentations.