What you'll be doing

Lead the Estimating team, including managing the workload and allocation of estimating resource within assigned bid teams. Undertake the role of Estimator on projects, where required

Oversee and/or interrogate design options and ‘value’ solutions, and if appropriate, identify the attractiveness of a project based on sound estimating principles. Activities to include:

• Review customer’s drawings and specifications to prepare accurate costing sheets for materials, labour and equipment


• Ensure compliance with Balfour Beatty CSUK procedures, including pre-construction gate process


• Review tender documents and submission requirements, ensuring all financial information is identified and provided and accurate compliant design proposals are included


• Establish and agree key plant rates


• Agree with engineering and planning key methods, outputs and plant selection


• Detailed analysis of subcontractors’ analysis


• Manage and coordinate the preparation of preliminary and general expense pricing, including plant schedules and risk assessment


• Prepare tender settlement papers and carry out any belated adjustments as a result of tender settlements


• Provide bills of allowances as part of the commercial handover meeting


• Responsibility for ‘sign off’ of all cost elements prior to any gate meetings or financial submissions


• Select suitable sub-contractors and specialists for each project


• Ensure that key specialists are utilised on each bid to optimise: design, specification, programme and value


• Manage the production of cost information and tender submissions for senior management


• Provide considered responses to customer questions including post tender queries


• Ensure that the project commercial team have received an effective handover of bid documentation


• Manage customer contact, present tender proposals to customers and contribute to customer meetings during the tender process

Seek to understand, lead the development of and implement the appropriate digital toolsets to execute cost take-off and other estimating activities, such as 5D cost planning

Attend or carry out periodic Tender Health Checks and formal risk reviews to ensure that the identified risks are mitigated as far as possible in tender submissions

Ensure that cost planning and estimating are accurate and reflect the project requirements and risk profile

Provide mentoring on bids to Estimators and the bid teams, including commercial and technical advice

Maintain the company supply chain database/Estimating System with tender information from allocated bids

Carry out measurement and take-offs, pricing and entering the system • Live the Balfour Beatty Values

Ensure a relentless focus on Zero Harm

Support the delivery of CSUK’s Sustainability activities

Who we're looking for

Previous experience of managing the process of estimating projects, within the construction industry is required along with a valid CSCS card.

Membership of a relevant professional body and/or relevant professional qualification is desirable, such as RICS/CIOB/RIBA/ICE/CIBSE.

Working knowledge of best practice solutions and optimisation of innovative ideas and an understanding of the principles of Lean Construction and 5D cost planning is desirable.

An understanding of BIM and how to read and assemble BIM models and produce appropriate reports from them is desirable.

Good working knowledge of pricing and quantification methods is required.

Strong interpersonal and communication skills are required, coupled with an ability to form effective relationships with partners under time pressure. Experience of leading a team is desirable. Able to be a strong team player, as well as work on their own initiative.

A desire to continuously pursue innovation and development, with a focus on the customer and the business is required. Proficiency in IT, numeracy and MS Office Basic & Estimating Systems is essential.

Why work for us

If you’re inspired by the chance to grow like never before through meaningful work, join us as a Senior Estimator. As well as benefits that include a share plan, pension, recognition scheme, employee assistance programme and generous annual and volunteering leave, you’ll be safe, seen, heard and respected throughout your career with us. Apply now.  

About us

If you’re inspired by the chance to grow like never before through meaningful work, join us as an Estimator. As well as benefits that include a share plan, pension, recognition scheme, employee assistance programme and generous annual and volunteering leave, you’ll be safe, seen, heard and respected throughout your career with us. You’ll also discover Smart Working. It’s our flexible approach to when, where and how you work, and at the heart of a warm and inclusive culture that supports you to be you. Apply now.  

At Balfour Beatty we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential components of any successful, happy workplace.  Through our Value Everyone D&I Strategy and Action Plan, we are growing our diverse workforce and developing our inclusive culture where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential.  Our Smart Working policy enables employees to work flexibly where operationally possible and we would be happy to explore this with you. 

To find out more about our Value Everyone D&I Strategy and Action Plan, visit our website at https://www.balfourbeatty.com/how-we-work/diversity-and-inclusion/  

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to working with disabled people and people with long-term health conditions, to remove barriers for them in obtaining employment. We are also committed to offering applicants with a disability an interview if they meet the minimum requirements for the role. 

Further information about Disability Confident can be found at https://disabilityconfident.campaign.gov.uk/