Estimating Lead - Water Infrastructure

Saltire Infrastructure®; Australia; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Saltire Infrastructure is seeking an experienced Estimating Lead to own and advance the estimating function across water, utilities and pipeline projects in Australia. You will lead tenders from review to handover, develop first-principles estimates, and challenge methodologies to drive commercial strength.

You will work closely with Directors and Operations, maintaining high-quality estimates while mentoring the team and building strong supplier relationships.

Qualifications

• Significant estimating and tender management experience in civil water infrastructure.
• Experience leading an estimating team with senior accountability for the estimating function.
• Ability to build estimates from first principles and assess commercial risk.

Responsibilities

• Lead tenders from initial review through to submission, negotiation and handover.
• Develop and review first-principles estimates across labour, plant, materials, productivity and subcontracted works.
• Review drawings, specifications, scopes and contracts to identify risk, opportunity and tender requirements.
• Develop construction methodologies and challenge productivity and pricing assumptions.
• Obtain, assess and negotiate supplier and subcontractor pricing.
• Provide clear commercial recommendations and support bid/no-bid decisions.
• Manage estimating priorities, tender workload and deadlines across the function.
• Maintain and improve estimating systems, benchmarking and historical rates.

Skills

Tender management

First principles estimating

Civil water infrastructure

Leadership of estimating team

Commercial and financial judgement

Vendor/supplier negotiation

Communication to senior management

Drawing/specs interpretation

Education

Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying or related discipline

Job description

Saltire Infrastructure is a civil infrastructure contractor specialising in water, utilities and pipeline projects across Australia.

We’re looking for an experienced Estimating Lead to take ownership of our estimating function and play a key role in securing the next stage of Saltire’s growth.

This isn’t a role for someone who has moved completely away from estimating into bid coordination or people management. We need someone who can lead the function and still get into the detail - building and reviewing estimates, challenging methodology and productivity assumptions, assessing commercial risk and taking tenders from opportunity through to submission and handover.

The role

Working closely with our Directors, Pre-Contracts and Operations teams, you’ll be responsible for the quality, consistency and commercial strength of Saltire’s estimating and tendering function.

You’ll:

• Lead tenders from initial review through to submission, negotiation and handover.
• Develop and review first-principles estimates across labour, plant, materials, productivity and subcontracted works.
• Review drawings, specifications, scopes and contracts to identify risk, opportunity and tender requirements.
• Develop construction methodologies and challenge productivity and pricing assumptions.
• Obtain, assess and negotiate supplier and subcontractor pricing.
• Provide clear commercial recommendations and support bid/no-bid and tender review decisions.
• Manage estimating priorities, tender workload and deadlines across the function.
• Review estimates prepared by others and provide guidance, challenge and quality assurance.
• Maintain and improve estimating systems, benchmarking, historical rates and processes.
• Build strong relationships with clients, suppliers, subcontractors and internal delivery teams.
• Ensure successful tenders are handed over to Operations with clear assumptions, methodologies, build-ups and commercial risks.

What we’re looking for

You’ll already have strong estimating experience within civil water infrastructure and be comfortable operating with a high level of autonomy.

You’ll bring:

• Significant construction estimating and tender management experience.
• Strong experience across water, wastewater, pipelines, utilities and associated civil works.
• Demonstrated ability to build estimates from first principles rather than simply coordinate pricing inputs.
• Experience taking ownership of complex tenders from commencement through to submission.
• Strong commercial and financial judgement, including risk, contingency and contract considerations.
• Experience leading an estimating team
• Experience taking senior accountability for an estimating function.
• Strong supplier and subcontractor negotiation capability.
• The confidence to challenge methodology, productivity assumptions and commercial decisions where required.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to present clear recommendations to senior management.
• Ability to interpret drawings, specifications and contractual documentation.
• Relevant tertiary qualification in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying or a related discipline.
• Current Australian Driver’s Licence.

Experience with:

• Water Corporation projects and tender requirements.
• Developing estimating standards, rate libraries and tender governance processes.
• Relevant professional or industry memberships.

Why Saltire?

This is an opportunity to step into a role with genuine ownership.

You won’t simply inherit a title — you’ll have the scope to shape how the estimating function operates, strengthen our tendering capability and work directly with the people making commercial and operational decisions.

For someone who enjoys both hands-on estimating and leadership, there is plenty of opportunity to make the role your own.