Senior Estimator

Senior Estimator

Leading International Engineering Contractor | Nuclear Infrastructure | Workington-based | Staff Role | Competitive Salary 

The Opportunity

We're recruiting a Senior Estimator to prepare detailed and accurate pricing for major tenders and support clients with pricing on early contractor involvement projects. You'll be responsible for comprehensive cost estimation across labour, plant, materials, subcontracts and preliminaries, working closely with bid managers, planners, procurement and technical teams to deliver competitive, robust pricing submissions.

Position Details: Permanent Staff Role | Competitive salary | Based in Workington  | Full-time office based with 1 day per week remote working post-probation | SC clearance required (ability to obtain) | Reports to Head of Bid Management

This is a senior technical role for an experienced estimator with nuclear industry background. You'll manage pricing strategy, develop cost estimates, lead supplier and subcontractor negotiations, and ensure all bids are competitively priced and compliant with client requirements. You'll manage assistant estimators and collaborate across bid management, planning, procurement and operations teams.

What You'll Be Doing

Estimate Preparation & Pricing Strategy

Prepare detailed and accurate pricing for major tenders
Develop cost-effective design options and price alternatives
Ensure company governance procedures and competitive pricing methodologies are followed
Agree estimation methodologies and outputs with planners, bid managers and design teams
Provide cost advice to bid and design managers on value engineering opportunities
Labour Costing

Develop local and build-up rates for self-delivered labour
Ensure compliance with Working Rule Agreements and client-specific requirements 
Prepare scheme-specific labour rate calculations
Coordinate staffing levels and labour programme with operations teams
Manage shift patterns and overtime rates in compliance with Working Time Directive
Plant & Equipment

Develop local and build-up rates for plant and equipment
Liaise with planners to reconcile plant resource levels
Ensure plant requirements are appropriately costed and resourced
Materials & Procurement

Prepare material comparison sheets considering unit rates, wastage, waiting times and part loads
Liaise with procurement to identify and select appropriate suppliers
Review supplier quotations for sufficiency and compliance
Agree material supplier selections with procurement and bid team
Manage material cost management and supplier negotiations
Subcontract Management

Liaise with procurement and bid team to identify and select subcontractors
Review subcontractor quotations for sufficiency and compliance
Prepare subcontractor comparison sheets with rate adjustments/deletions
Agree subcontractor selections with procurement and bid manager
Manage subcontract cost negotiations and inclusions/exclusions
Preliminaries & Temporary Works

Coordinate with planners and temporary works coordinators on extent and cost of temporary works
Agree temporary works costs and methodology
Liaise with planners to determine preliminary duration and overall project timescales
Ensure all client requirements are included (CCS, CEEQUAL, etc.)
Risk & Value Management

Input into tender risk and opportunity registers with bid manager and risk team
Identify and quantify cost risks and opportunities
Contribute to value engineering and cost optimisation discussions
Tender Submission & Settlement

Prepare top-sheet tender summaries and supporting cost build-up sheets
Present pricing build-up at pre-settlement and settlement meetings
Prepare adjustment sheets reflecting settlement decisions
Prepare final pricing documentation ensuring positive cash flow throughout project lifecycle
Coordinate contract data and form of tender documentation with bid manager
Address post-tender clarifications and amendments from clients
Post-Tender Activities

Prepare handover pricing documentation for project managers and commercial managers
Attend handover meetings with bid managers on successful bids
Coordinate bid reviews and feedback analysis on unsuccessful tenders

About You

Essential Qualifications & Experience

Degree in quantity surveying, construction management or related discipline - or equivalent professional qualification
MUST HAVE: Nuclear industry experience - demonstrated background estimating on nuclear or similar regulated infrastructure projects
Minimum 8-10 years' estimating experience on major infrastructure tenders
Proven track record on competitive tenders for Tier 1 or Tier 2 contractors
Expert-level knowledge of:

Labour cost build-ups and compliance (WRA, London Living Wage, etc.)
Plant and equipment costing
Material procurement and supplier management
Subcontract assessment and cost management
Temporary works and preliminaries pricing
Risk identification and quantification

Strong understanding of:

Tender procedures and client requirements
Commercial and contractual matters
Working Time Directive and labour compliance
Cost control and value engineering principles

Proficiency in estimating software - Comapny systems, Excel and cost management tools
Excellent communication skills - confident presenting pricing at settlement meetings and liaising with multiple stakeholders
Collaborative approach - comfortable working across bid teams, procurement, planning and operations
Attention to detail - accuracy essential in cost build-ups and tender documentation
Strategic thinking - ability to develop competitive, risk-aware pricing strategies
Desirable

Chartered Surveyor (RICS) or equivalent professional qualification
Experience managing assistant estimators or junior team members
Familiarity with collaborative working on early contractor involvement projects
Experience on large, complex nuclear or infrastructure projects
Knowledge of client value frameworks (CCS, CEEQUAL, etc.)
Experience with 4D scheduling and time-related cost management
Value engineering and cost optimisation expertise
Security Clearance

You must be able to obtain SC (Security Clearance) to work on nuclear infrastructure projects. BPSS is the minimum starting point.

The Role in Practice

You'll be based in Workington, working as part of the bid management team. You'll report to the Head of Bid Management and manage assistant estimators, collaborating closely with bid managers, planners, procurement teams and operations leads.

This is hands-on estimating work on strategically important nuclear infrastructure tenders. You'll be producing detailed cost estimates, managing supplier and subcontractor negotiations, presenting pricing at settlement meetings, and ensuring bids are competitive and compliant. Your estimating expertise, attention to detail and ability to work collaboratively across multiple functions directly impact bid success and project profitability.

Why This Role

You'll be working for a leading international engineering contractor on major nuclear infrastructure programmes. This is professional estimating work where your expertise in cost analysis, supplier management and value engineering is genuinely valued. You'll be working with experienced bid teams on strategically important, complex tenders where technical accuracy and commercial thinking matter.

The role offers a competitive permanent salary, career development on significant UK nuclear projects, and the opportunity to influence how major infrastructure programmes are costed and delivered