Senior Estimator

Location: Greater London

3 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants

This range is provided by Keyman Personnel. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Delivering commissioning talent across the UK & Europe — engineers, managers, and technical specialists ready for deployment

Location:

London / South East

Start:
January

Overview

Our client, a leading contractor specialising in RC frame, groundworks and complex basement structures, is seeking to appoint an Estimator or Senior Estimator to join their Pre-Construction Commercial team. This is a key strategic hire to replace a senior member of the department in January, with an expectation that the successful individual will quickly take ownership of tenders, support junior staff and develop into a senior presence within the team.

The role is suited to a commercially minded QS/Estimator who can confidently engage with clients, present pricing, challenge assumptions and operate effectively in a fast‑paced tendering environment. This is not a traditional site QS role, it is fully pre‑construction focused, covering tendering, pricing, scope interrogation and package management.

Key Responsibilities Tendering & Pricing

• Lead or support pricing for RC frame, groundworks, basement and temporary works packages.
• Deliver tenders within typical 4‑week cycles, managing up to 10 tenders per month.
• Build and manage pricing spreadsheets, including collating and analysing subcontractor quotations.
• Identify scope gaps, clarifications and commercial or technical risks.
• Produce clear, structured cost breakdowns for internal review and client presentations.

Pre‑Construction & Client Interface

• Attend and contribute to client meetings, explaining pricing rationale and cost drivers.
• Present tender submissions and respond confidently to commercial or technical questions.
• Challenge incomplete tender information and proactively request missing details.

Package & Scope Management

• Manage pricing and scope analysis for packages including scaffolding, piling, RC frame, basements and temporary works.
• Interrogate drawings and specifications to ensure accuracy of pricing.
• Compare, rationalise and negotiate subcontractor prices.
• Maintain clear documentation and pricing audit trails.
• Support and mentor junior estimators where required.
• Take responsibility for tender ownership and task allocation.
• Step into a senior role within the pre‑construction team during the transition period.
• Maintain strong organisation, communication and commercial standards.

Experience Required

• Experience as a QS or Estimator within civils, RC frame, groundworks or structural concrete.
• Strong understanding of slipform, jumpform, basement works, temporary works and concrete structures.
• Proven ability to price RC frame and groundworks packages, someone who understands concrete.
• Confident in client‑facing communication and commercial discussions.
• Ability to discuss methodology, buildability and sequencing at a pre‑construction level.
• Strong Excel and pricing competency.

Attributes & Behaviours

• Confident, articulate communicator as this is a client facing role.
• Comfortable challenging assumptions and asking open questions.
• Commercially aware with a strong pre‑construction mindset.
• Organised, proactive and able to take ownership of workload.
• Professional presence suitable for client meetings and presentations.

What This Role Is Not

• No valuations, monthly applications or site commercial management.
• No requirement for daily site presence.
• This is a pure pre‑construction role focused on pricing, tenders and commercial clarity.

Seniority level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment type

Full‑time

Job function

Quality Assurance and Engineering

Industries

Construction and Civil Engineering

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