At a Glance
- Tasks: Create practical, cost-effective storage solutions and prepare accurate cost estimates.
- Company: Join the Whittan Group, the UK's largest steel storage manufacturer.
- Benefits: Structured training, ongoing coaching, and a supportive team environment.
- Other info: Collaborative culture that values your ideas and encourages growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by solving problems and supporting sales success.
- Qualifications: Attention to detail, commercial awareness, and good IT skills required.
The predicted salary is between 31500 - 38500 £ per year.
The Whittan Group is the largest manufacturer of steel storage products in the United Kingdom. Operating with a number of market-leading brands, we design, manufacture and install storage solutions for commercial and industrial environments across the UK and Europe. We are looking for a Design Engineer to join our busy and growing organisation. This role is focused on creating practical, cost-effective storage solutions that meet customer requirements while supporting strong commercial outcomes. The Design Cost Estimator plays a key role in enabling sales success through accurate costing, attention to detail, and a structured, process-driven approach. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who is customer-focused, commercially conscious, and enjoys problem-solving within a collaborative and supportive environment. We offer structured initial training alongside ongoing coaching and development.
Key responsibilities:
- Develop storage solutions: Create practical and compliant storage solutions based on customer requirements, ensuring designs are fit for purpose and commercially viable.
- Prepare accurate cost estimates: Produce detailed and accurate costings and Bills of Materials (BOMs) for system entry, ensuring all components are correctly specified and priced.
- Process-driven design support: Follow defined internal processes to ensure consistency, accuracy, and efficiency in all estimates and design outputs.
- Support commercial performance: Work closely with the sales team to provide timely, commercially aware cost information that supports quotation, conversion, and margin targets.
- Customer-focused collaboration: Maintain a strong customer mindset, ensuring proposed solutions balance customer needs, operational feasibility, and commercial outcomes.
- Problem solving: Identify and resolve design or costing challenges, offering practical solutions while maintaining attention to detail.
- Cross-functional collaboration: Collaborate with sales, operations, and factory teams to ensure smooth handovers and high levels of internal and external satisfaction.
Required experience / skills / qualifications:
Essential:
- Strong attention to detail and numerical accuracy
- Commercial awareness and understanding of cost-driven decision making
- Problem-solving skills with a practical, solution-focused approach
- Good IT literacy, including MS Word, Excel, and Outlook
- Ability to work effectively within and outside of defined processes
Desirable:
- CAD experience (AutoCAD or equivalent)
- Experience within a manufacturing, engineering, or construction-related environment
- Knowledge of storage or racking systems (pallet racking, shelving, mezzanine)
Training and development:
- Structured onboarding and initial role-specific training
- Ongoing coaching and development to build technical and commercial capability
- Supportive management and collaborative team environment
The Whittan Group offers a positive, supportive, and collaborative working culture, where people are encouraged to develop, contribute ideas, and succeed together. The Whittan Group promotes equality of opportunity and is committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly, regardless of gender or gender reassignment, age, ethnic or national origin, nationality, race, colour, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief.
Design Cost Estimator employer: The Whittan Group
The Whittan Group is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Telford where innovation meets collaboration. As the UK's largest manufacturer of steel storage products, we provide our Inside Sales Representatives with extensive training and growth opportunities, fostering a culture that values teamwork and customer satisfaction. With a commitment to equality and a focus on professional development, we ensure that every employee can thrive while contributing to our mission of delivering outstanding storage solutions across the UK and Europe.
