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- Tasks: Lead the development of competitive bids for social housing projects and drive strategic decision-making.
- Company: Join a leading Tier 1 Main Contractor with a focus on social housing.
- Benefits: Up to £100K salary, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Shape the future of social housing while making a real impact in your community.
- Qualifications: Extensive estimating experience in social housing and strong leadership skills.
- Other info: Dynamic role with a focus on sustainability and continuous improvement.
The predicted salary is between 90000 - 100000 £ per year.
Do you have Senior Estimating experience working for a Social Housing Contractor? We are working with one of the UK's leading Tier 1 Main Contractors who are hiring for a Senior Estimator / Head of department. You will take ownership of developing robust, compliant and commercially competitive bids across a wide range of workstreams, including Repairs & Maintenance (such as M&E and Planned Works), Central Government housing and support services, Decarbonisation and Net Zero programmes.
You will shape the commercial strategy behind each opportunity, building cost models from first principles, driving value engineering, and ensuring risks and assumptions are clearly understood. Working closely with Business Development, Operations and Legal teams, you will influence strategic bid decisions and ensure our proposals support sustainable growth and margin protection. Your leadership will set the standard for commercial governance, pricing excellence and the continuous improvement of our estimating function.
Essential Experience- Extensive experience in social housing estimating, including expert knowledge of NHF Schedule of Rates.
- Proven ability to develop pricing strategies and deliver value engineering solutions.
- Strong track record in post-tender negotiations and contract award processes.
- End-to-end tender lifecycle experience, from pricing to mobilisation.
- Strong working knowledge of standard forms of contract.
- Experience presenting commercial proposals at senior leadership level.
- Ability to manage multiple bids under demanding deadlines.
- Demonstrable leadership experience in building high-performing teams.
- Experience at Head of / Senior Manager level within a large contracting or housing services organisation.
- Familiarity with sector-standard estimating systems and analytical tools.
- Professional qualification in Quantity Surveying or Construction Management.
- Strategic commercial thinker with strong influencing capability.
- Excellent communicator, able to simplify complex commercial reasoning.
- High numerical accuracy and attention to detail.
- Proactive problem solver committed to continuous improvement.
- Collaborative leader with a passion for developing people.
Senior Estimator employer: Richardson Recruit
Contact Detail:
Richardson Recruit Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Estimator
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry professionals on LinkedIn or at local events. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can land you that Senior Estimator role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its recent projects. We want you to be able to discuss how your experience in social housing estimating aligns with their goals. Show them you’re not just another candidate!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! You’ll want to clearly articulate your leadership experience and how you’ve driven value engineering in past roles. We suggest rehearsing with a friend or in front of a mirror to boost your confidence.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Estimator
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior Estimator role. Highlight your experience in social housing estimating and any relevant projects you've worked on. We want to see how your skills align with what we're looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for this position. Mention your leadership experience and how you can contribute to our commercial strategy. Keep it engaging and personal!
Showcase Your Achievements: When detailing your experience, focus on your achievements rather than just responsibilities. Did you lead a successful bid? Did you implement a value engineering solution that saved costs? We love to see results!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of applications and ensures you get all the updates directly from us. Plus, it shows you're keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Richardson Recruit
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Senior Estimator, you'll need to demonstrate your strong numerical accuracy and attention to detail. Brush up on key metrics related to social housing estimating and be ready to discuss how you've developed pricing strategies in the past. This will show that you can handle the financial aspects of the role with confidence.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Since this position involves leading high-performing teams, prepare examples of how you've successfully managed teams in previous roles. Think about specific challenges you faced and how you motivated your team to achieve results. This will highlight your collaborative leadership style and commitment to developing people.
✨Understand the Tender Lifecycle
Make sure you're well-versed in the end-to-end tender lifecycle, from pricing to mobilisation. Be prepared to discuss your experience with post-tender negotiations and how you've influenced strategic bid decisions. This will demonstrate your comprehensive understanding of the process and your ability to drive value engineering.
✨Communicate Clearly
Excellent communication is key for this role, especially when presenting commercial proposals at senior leadership level. Practice simplifying complex commercial reasoning into clear, concise points. This will help you convey your ideas effectively and show that you can influence decision-making at a high level.