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Key Responsibilities
The Estimator / Cost Planning Manager assumes commercial and functional management. Key responsibilities include:
- Overseeing the pre-construction cost planning process
- Developing and implementing best-practice estimation methodologies
- Driving value engineering initiatives
- Managing commercial risk registers on major tenders
- Responsible for tender sign-off and bid strategy alignment
- Engaging in client negotiation on project costs
- Acting as a commercial liaison for external stakeholders
Cost Planning
- Utilise and support the development of the company’s preferred cost planning software and tools
- Be proficient in taking off quantities using the Bovis measurement software
- Collaborate with the commercial team to secure market prices for trade packages and analyse these against cost plan allowances
- Prepare, review, and analyse preliminaries for first and second stage bids, including producing standard preliminaries aligned with the proposed bid strategy
- Incorporate programming requirements, methodology, phasing, and associated implications into cost plans and preliminaries
- Accurately quantify and price cost plans from Development Brief / Feasibility stage through to Contract Price with the preferred contractor
- Ability to build rates from first principles (labour, plant, and materials) is desirable but not essential
- Accurate forecasting (inflation) of current trade rates
- Manage external consultants (EQ Bill of Quants Consultancy), including initial engagement, appointment, issue of information, quality control, and ensuring submission and return in line with the programme
- Be able to assess sub-contractor proposals
- Prepare design fees with support from the relevant Design Manager
- Prepare tender documentation for submission
- Prepare cost plan commentary and supply key information to Bid Managers to support technical and written responses within tender submissions
- Ensure that scope, assumptions, and pricing are clearly documented throughout all cost planning stages
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Design and Cost Control
- Support project teams with change control and major variations during conversion and delivery stages
- Support project and design teams in producing a design that meets cost plan requirements. Continuously analyse the design against cost plan assumptions, design briefs/target metrics, and benchmark project
Bidding and Strategy
- Lead or support a bid as a Cost Planner either independently or as part of a team, depending on project scale and complexity
- Support compliance of the cost plan with brief, authority, financiers’, and customer requirements during the conversion stage
Data / Analytics
- Support the updating of design and cost KPIs
- Support benchmarking data and workstreams (cost / design / programme), ensuring data is captured and maintained
- Support an initiative for the development of benchmarking systems
- Contribute to the development of best practices, standards, knowledge bases, sector expertise, industry trends, yardsticks, and benchmarks
- Produce written narratives outlining key insights derived from cost and benchmarking analysis, including justification of the cost plan within the context of these findings
Credentials
- Maintain CSCS card for the role
- Currently holding, or working towards a related Chartership such as MRICS / MCIOB
Essential Skills, Knowledge, Experience & Behaviours
Skills
- Ability to influence and lead teams
- Ability to read drawings and construction design information
- Data analysis and data analytics including use of PowerBI
- Document control
- Negotiation
- Presentation skills
- Problem solving
- Process compliance
- Quantity take-off
- Strong Commercial acumen
- Tendering subcontract works packages of medium to high value
- Time management and prioritising tasks in order to meet deadlines
- Value engineering
- Written and verbal communication to influence and build relationships with various stakeholders
Knowledge
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- Ability to contribute to value engineering as part of the design process
- Allocation of scope to trade packages
- Be able to produce detailed prelim forecasts
- Understand and apply cost planning & financial procedures and reporting tools
- Understanding of various procurement routes, including the RIBA design processes
Experience
- Proven track record of working on various bid stages included Stage 1 (initial tender) and Stage 2 (Conversion into contract / PCSA)
- Reviewing subcontractor tender offers and subcontractor tender analysis produced by the commercial team to ensure a robust cost position
- Building inflation models / calculations
- Coordinating multiple trade packages into a master cost plan / bill of quantities to ensure all scope gaps are found, priced, and any duplication is removed
- Coordinating resources internally to ensure deliverables are met
- Preparing cost plans at various RIBA stages
- Presenting to stakeholders
- Understanding, building, and using benchmarking data for use at reviews, and for use externally with clients / consultants
Behaviours
- Flexibility and openness of approach and willingness to work as a team player
- Has a great attention to detail and thoroughness in all of the work they produce
- Is analytical thinking
- Taken ownership of Reporting, including populating all key templates and documents for reviews
- Provides constructive challenge and feedback to others within the team
We will provide:
- Car allowance
- Flexible and hybrid work options
- Up to 10% employer pension contribution
- Private medical health benefit
- Life assurance
- 25 days annual leave with the option to buy or sell additional days
- 3 days wellbeing leave in addition to annual leave
- Health and wellbeing support and initiatives
- 24/7 confidential Employee Assistance Programme including direct access to Talking Therapies and Coaching services
- Discounted gym membership to over 2,500 gyms nationwide
- Industry leading parental leave
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Skills
Cost Planning
Estimation
Value Engineering
Commercial Risk Management
Quantity Take-off
Tendering
Data Analysis
Power BI
Negotiation
Subcontractor Management
Financial Reporting
Procurement Routes
RIBA Design Processes
Project Management
Problem Solving
Communication
Location