Head of Estimating - Main Contracting

Our client is a well established main contractor who are seeking a Head of Estimating to be based from their office in Loughton. 

The Role

You will report directly to the Managing Director and oversee a team of Estimators in this growing division. You will spearhead the full estimating function for projects across the Education, Leisure, Commercial, Government and Mixed Use Sectors with project values ranging from £500k-£20m

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of six estimators, ensuring high performance and consistent output.
• Allocate workload across the team, balancing resource demands and project deadlines.
• Conduct regular performance reviews, identify training needs, and support professional development.
• Oversee adherence to company procedures, quality standards, and compliance expectations
• Review detailed tender documents, specifications, drawings, and schedules to identify project risks and opportunities.
• Validate and sign off all major estimates, tender submissions, and cost plans prepared by the team.
• Ensure accuracy, competitiveness, and consistency in all pricing strategies and methodologies.
• Lead complex tender submissions, ensuring they are technically sound and commercially robust.
• Coordinate clarifications, RFIs, and technical queries with clients and design teams.
• Participate in pre-tender and post-tender meetings, presentations, and negotiations.
• Maintain tender programme deadlines and ensure timely delivery of all submissions.
• Work with senior leadership to shape pricing strategies and market positioning for fire protection works.
• Contribute to business planning, including forecasting, pipeline tracking, and bid/no-bid decisions.
• Identify commercial risks and mitigation strategies within project scopes.
• Support handover to operations teams, ensuring estimates are fully understood and deliverable.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers and subcontractors in the fire-protection sector.
• Oversee procurement of competitive quotations and ensure technical alignment across bids.
• Negotiate pricing, terms, and preferred supplier agreements to optimise cost efficiency.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives within the estimating department.
• Standardise estimating templates, workflows, and quality control procedures.
• Ensure all estimates comply with industry standards, regulations, and fire-protection codes.
• Introduce digital tools or software enhancements to improve accuracy and efficiency.
• Produce regular reports on tender performance, hit rates, cost trends, and departmental KPIs.
• Communicate effectively with directors, project managers, and external stakeholders.
• Provide strategic advice on project viability, market trends, and cost fluctuations.

The Package

Base Salary up to £130k + Car Allowance + Travel, Pension, Healthcare, Bonus Scheme and more