About the job

Description

Title: Estimator

Location: Swindon
Salary: £70,000 + package
Contract Type: Permanent

The Opportunity

An established Tier 1 civil engineering and infrastructure contractor is seeking an experienced Estimator to join its work-winning team in Swindon. The role reports into the Head of Bid Management and plays a key part in the preparation of competitive tenders and the support of Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) projects across major civil engineering schemes.

This position offers exposure to complex infrastructure bids, strong collaboration with bid, planning, design and procurement teams, and clear visibility within the tender governance process.

Key Responsibilities

Tender & Bid Preparation

• Prepare detailed, accurate and competitive cost estimates for civil engineering tenders
• Support pricing activities for Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) projects
• Ensure full compliance with internal governance and bid procedures
• Work closely with the Bid Manager to develop winning pricing strategies
• Agree methodologies and outputs with Planning and Design teams
• Provide cost advice on alternative design and construction methodologies
• Review client bills of quantities and activity schedules, arranging full take-offs where required

Cost Build-Ups

• Labour: Develop local and scheme-specific labour rates, ensuring compliance with working rules and wage requirements
• Plant: Build plant rates and reconcile plant resources with programme requirements
• Materials: Analyse supplier quotations, wastage, logistics and delivery constraints in collaboration with Procurement
• Subcontracts: Manage subcontractor enquiries, comparisons and selections alongside Procurement and Bid teams
• Temporary Works: Agree scope and costs with Temporary Works and Technical teams
• Staff & Preliminaries: Price staffing levels, preliminaries, programme durations and client-specific requirements

Risk & Settlement

• Contribute to tender risk and opportunity assessments
• Prepare pricing summaries and attend pre-settlement and settlement meetings
• Finalise pricing documentation for tender submission, maintaining positive cash flow profiles
• Support post-tender clarifications and amendments

Handover & Review

• Produce detailed handover pricing packs for delivery and commercial teams
• Attend bid handover meetings for successful tenders
• Participate in post-tender reviews to capture lessons learned

Required Knowledge & Experience

• Strong technical understanding of civil engineering and construction methods
• Proven experience in estimating within a structured bid environment
• Commercial awareness across different forms of contract
• Sound understanding of procurement processes and legislation
• Experience using estimating and cost management software
• Comfortable working collaboratively across bid, planning, design and commercial teams

Why Apply?

• Join a well-established Tier 1 infrastructure contractor
• Work on major civil engineering and infrastructure projects
• Strong exposure to bid strategy, governance and senior stakeholders
• Competitive salary and long-term career opportunity