Senior Estimator - Construction

Position Purpose

The Senior Estimator is responsible for preparing accurate, competitive, commercially viable and risk-adjusted cost estimates for construction tenders and negotiated projects.

The position leads the estimating process from the initial review of tender documents through pricing, internal approval, submission, clarification and handover to the project delivery team. The Senior Estimator must ensure that every tender reflects the full scope of work, current market rates, construction methodology, programme requirements, contractual obligations, project risks and the company’s required profit margin.

The Senior Estimator must be capable of independently pricing large and complex civil engineering, water, roads, infrastructure and building projects.

Key Responsibilities

1. Tender review and planning

• Review tender invitations, drawings, specifications, Bills of Quantities, conditions of contract and employer requirements.
• Confirm the complete scope of work and identify missing, conflicting or unclear information.
• Prepare a tender responsibility matrix, tender programme and submission checklist.
• Identify compulsory briefing sessions, site visits, statutory requirements and submission deadlines.
• Coordinate the estimating process with the technical, commercial, procurement, finance and operations teams.
• Raise tender queries and requests for clarification timeously.

2. Cost estimating and pricing

• Prepare detailed estimates for labour, plant, materials, subcontractors, transport, temporary works and site establishment.
• Develop first-principles build-ups for all major construction activities.
• Calculate realistic production rates based on the proposed methodology, available resources and site conditions.
• Price preliminary and general items, including mobilisation, supervision, security, accommodation, insurances, guarantees, utilities and demobilisation.
• Allow for escalation, inflation, foreign exchange exposure, wastage, weather disruption and supply-chain risks.
• Incorporate overheads, contingencies and the approved profit margin.
• Prepare alternative pricing options and value-engineering proposals where appropriate.
• Benchmark rates against previous projects, current market information and supplier quotations.
• Ensure the tender remains competitive without exposing the company to unreasonable financial or delivery risks.

3. Supplier and subcontractor management

• Prepare and issue enquiries to suitable suppliers and subcontractors.
• Develop clear scopes of work so that quotations can be compared on an equal basis.
• Review quotations for scope gaps, exclusions, qualifications, validity periods and commercial conditions.
• Negotiate pricing and commercial terms with suppliers and subcontractors.

4. Construction methodology and programme

• Work with engineers, project managers and construction managers to develop the proposed construction methodology.
• Ensure that the pricing is aligned with the tender programme and planned sequence of works.
• Confirm that labour, plant and subcontractor resources are sufficient to achieve the required production rates.
• Identify long-lead materials, specialist subcontractors, permit requirements and logistical constraints.
• Assess the financial effect of acceleration, sectional completion, restricted working hours and delayed access.

5. Commercial and contractual risk

• Review contract conditions and identify commercial, legal and operational risks.
• Assess payment terms, retention, performance guarantees, advance-payment guarantees, penalties and liquidated damages.
• Identify onerous conditions, design liabilities, fitness-for-purpose obligations and unquantifiable risks.
• Prepare a tender risk register and recommend suitable pricing allowances or qualifications.
• Review cash-flow requirements and determine whether the project can remain financially sustainable.
• Highlight projects that may require significant working capital or expose the company to excessive negative cash flow.
• Ensure that all taxes, duties, permits, statutory contributions and regulatory costs are included.

6. Tender adjudication and approval

• Prepare a complete tender adjudication pack for management.
• Present the pricing strategy, expected margin, cash-flow position, key risks and proposed mitigations.
• Ensure that the final tender price is reviewed and approved by the designated commercial and executive authorities.
• Maintain a clear audit trail of all pricing decisions.

7. Tender submission and clarification

• Review commercial schedules and ensure that every item is correctly priced.
• Confirm arithmetic accuracy, rate consistency and compliance with tender requirements.

8. Post-award handover

• Prepare a detailed handover package for the project team.
• Explain the tender assumptions, production rates, resource allowances, subcontractor quotations, risks and exclusions.
• Provide the approved cost budget and procurement schedule.
• Identify activities requiring early procurement or commercial protection.
• Assist the project team in converting the tender estimate into a project cost-control budget.
• Participate in the initial project planning and mobilisation meetings.

9. Cost feedback and continuous improvement

• Compare estimated costs and production rates with actual project performance.
• Investigate major differences between tender allowances and actual expenditure.
• Use completed-project data to improve future estimating accuracy.
• Maintain historical cost and productivity databases.
• Record lessons learned from successful and unsuccessful tenders.
• Monitor market movements in labour, materials, plant and subcontractor costs.

10. Team leadership

• Supervise and mentor estimators, junior estimators and measurement personnel.
• Allocate pricing packages and monitor their completion.
• Review all work prepared by junior team members.
• Establish standard estimating procedures, rate-build-up templates and approval controls.
• Promote accuracy, accountability, confidentiality and timely delivery within the department.

Minimum Qualifications

The preferred candidate should have:

• A bachelor’s degree or diploma in Quantity Surveying, Civil Engineering, Construction Management or a related discipline.
• Professional registration, or eligibility for registration, with the relevant quantity-surveying, engineering or construction professional body.
• Formal training in estimating, contract administration or commercial management.
• Sound knowledge of applicable construction contracts and procurement systems.
• A valid driver’s licence and willingness to attend site inspections and tender briefings.

For South African operations, experience with the relevant professional and contractor-registration environments would be advantageous, including ERB, QCTO/SACQSP/ECSA-type professional structures and public-sector tender requirements.

Relevant Experience Required

Minimum experience

• At least 10 years of relevant construction industry experience.
• A minimum of 5 years in a senior estimating or commercial estimating position.
• Proven experience independently pricing large and complex tenders.
• Experience working for a recognised main contractor, preferably a Grade 8 or Grade 9 construction company.
• Experience managing multiple tenders under strict submission deadlines.
• Evidence of tenders successfully awarded and handed over into construction.

Preferred project experience

The candidate should have strong experience in several of the following areas:

• Roads and earthworks.
• Bridges, culverts and concrete structures.
• Water and wastewater infrastructure.
• Pipelines, pump stations and treatment works.
• Bulk civil engineering services
• Building and associated civil works.
• Rehabilitation and maintenance projects.
• Design-and-build or EPC-type projects.

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