Pre-Contracts Manager

Foundation Recruitment & Contracting Australia; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Foundation Recruitment & Contracting Australia seeks an experienced Pre-Contracts Manager to lead national tendering across major building and construction projects. You will shape growth, manage the full bid lifecycle, and ensure high-quality submissions with robust commercial management.

Reporting to the CEO, you will coordinate across operations, engineering, estimating and procurement, lead client negotiations, and drive lessons learned for continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Degree-qualified in Engineering, Construction Management, QS or related discipline.
• Extensive experience in major building/construction bids.
• Strong leadership and commercial judgement.

Responsibilities

• Lead tendering from EOI to award and handover.
• Develop bid strategies and manage pursuit budgets.
• Coordinate inputs across technical, commercial, procurement and HSEQ teams.
• Drive risk management, governance and continuous improvement in tendering.

Skills

Leadership

Bid management

Commercial acumen

Stakeholder engagement

Negotiation

Education

Engineering

Construction Management

Quantity Surveying

Related discipline

Job description

• Lead Major Project Pursuits.
• Shape Growth Strategy Across the Building & Civil Businesses.
• Play a Key Role On Critical, National Security Infrastructure Projects

We are seeking an experienced and commercially astute Pre-Contracts Manager to lead our national tendering and pursuit activities across major building and construction projects.

Reporting directly to the CEO, this executive leadership role is responsible for overseeing the full bid lifecycle, from opportunity identification and bid strategy through to contract award and project handover. The successful candidate will play a critical role in driving business growth, building client relationships, managing risk, and securing profitable work aligned with the company's strategic objectives.

About the Role

As Pre-Contracts Manager, you will lead and coordinate all aspects of the tendering function, ensuring high-quality submissions, robust commercial management, and effective collaboration across operations, commercial, engineering, estimating, procurement and HSEQ teams.

You will provide strategic leadership in identifying future opportunities, developing pursuit strategies, and ensuring successful transition of awarded projects into delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all tender and bid activities from EOI through to RFP submission, negotiations and project award.
• Develop and implement winning bid and pursuit strategies.
• Manage pursuit budgets and bid resources across multiple opportunities.
• Coordinate technical, operational, commercial, procurement and HSEQ inputs into submissions.
• Facilitate bid reviews, governance processes and executive approvals.
• Drive continual improvement across tendering and estimation processes.
• Assess commercial risks, contractual obligations and project opportunities.
• Lead development of Risk & Opportunity Registers for major opportunities.
• Work closely with commercial teams to develop negotiation strategies.
• Participate in client negotiations and post-submission presentations.

Business Development & Growth

• Identify and pursue opportunities aligned with the company's strategic growth objectives.
• Maintain strong relationships with clients, consultants and key stakeholders.
• Monitor market conditions, competitor activity and industry trends.
• Contribute to marketing, business development and long-term growth initiatives.

Project Handover & Post Award

• Contribute to project mobilisation and startup activities.
• Ensure effective handover of tender information to delivery teams.
• Support commercial teams with subcontract negotiations and contract implementation.
• Champion lessons learned and continuous improvement initiatives.

About You

You are a highly accomplished construction executive with extensive experience leading major bids and delivering successful outcomes within the construction industry.

You possess strong commercial acumen, exceptional leadership skills and a proven ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.

• Degree qualified in Engineering, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying or a related discipline.
• Minimum 15-20 years' experience within the construction industry.
• Significant senior‑level experience delivering major building and construction projects.
• Demonstrated success leading complex tender and pursuit activities.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement, presentation and communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail and sound commercial judgement.
• Why Join Our Client ?Executive leadership role reporting directly to the CEO.
• Opportunity to influence the strategic direction and growth of a leading construction business.
• Work on major and iconic projects across diverse market sectors.
• Collaborative and high‑performing team environment.