Senior Estimator

Davies Stewart; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Davies Stewart, a South Australian recruitment and advisory specialist, partners with a leading contractor to recruit a Senior Civil Estimator in Adelaide. You will own end-to-end tenders for multi-million dollar civil projects, driving competitive pricing and strong win-rates.

You will lead digital estimating initiatives, mentor cadet estimators, and collaborate with operations, engineering, and planning to align pricing with site realities and risk management.

Qualifications

• 7–10 years of dedicated estimating experience within Australian civil construction and infrastructure.
• Proven track record as lead estimator on medium to large civil tenders (earthworks, pavements, utilities, structural civil).
• Tertiary qualification in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or Quantity Surveying; advanced Excel; proficiency in Expert Estimation, Candy, B2W.

Responsibilities

• Direct the complete estimating lifecycle from bid kick-off to submission, covering labour, plant, materials, and preliminaries.
• Identify, quantify, and price complex delivery risks with legal/commercial teams to set robust contingency margins.
• Coordinate RFQ processes, normalise subcontractor submissions, and negotiate terms with suppliers and trade partners.
• Collaborate with operations, engineering and planning to ensure pricing aligns with site sequences, productivity, and logistics.
• Utilise advanced estimating software and digital take-off tools; contribute to cost databases and productivity benchmarks.
• Prepare tender handover packs and lead alignment meetings with project delivery teams for site mobilisation.

Skills

First-principles pricing

Commercial judgement

Leadership

Education

Civil Engineering

Construction Management

Quantity Surveying

Tools

Expert Estimation

Candy

B2W

Job description

Complex infrastructure delivery begins with precision planning, commercial foresight, and first-principles pricing. Secure a high-impact leadership position with an industry-leading tier-one contractor, steering major civil tenders.

The Opportunity

Davies Stewart is partnering with a key client, an undisputed leader in the Australian construction, engineering, and infrastructure delivery market, renowned for handling large-scale, complex civil engineering challenges.

Operating out of Adelaide, South Australia, the Civil & Infrastructure precontracts division is expanding its capacity to meet a robust pipeline of upcoming state and national projects.

As a Senior Civil Estimator, you will step into a pivotal technical leadership role where you will directly influence the commercial trajectory and win-rates of the business. This position is crafted for an estimating professional who wants to lead end-to-end multi-million dollar tenders, mentor emerging talent, and drive cutting-edge digital estimating methodologies.

• High-Impact Portfolio: Take charge as lead estimator on substantial, high-visibility civil and infrastructure tenders ranging from $5 million to $100 million.
• Technological Innovation: Leverage advanced digital estimating platforms, BIM models, and modern engineering outputs to optimize quantity surveying and risk evaluation.
• Mentorship & Legacy: Shape the future of the profession by providing technical guidance, coaching, and quality reviews to Estimators and Cadet Estimators.
• Executive Visibility: Partner directly with General Managers, Precontracts leadership, and Executive teams during critical tender reviews and commercial strategy sessions.

The Role

Reporting directly to the Estimating Manager, you will own the end-to-end preparation of competitive, risk-adjusted tenders across earthworks, roads, drainage, utilities, and associated civil scopes.

• Direct the complete estimating lifecycle from bid kick-off through to submission, developing accurate first-principles pricing structures covering labour, plant, materials, and preliminaries.
• Identify, quantify, and price complex delivery risks, working alongside legal and commercial teams to review contract conditions and establish robust contingency margins.
• Coordinate request-for-quote (RFQ) processes, normalise subcontractor submissions, and negotiate commercial terms with key suppliers and trade partners.
• Collaborate closely with operations, engineering, and planning teams to ensure pricing aligns seamlessly with practical site sequences, plant productivity, and logistic strategies.
• Utilise advanced estimating software and digital take-off tools, contributing to the ongoing refinement of cost databases, unit rate libraries, and productivity benchmarks.
• Prepare comprehensive tender handover packs and lead alignment meetings with project delivery teams to ensure successful site mobilisation.

About You

You are a seasoned estimating specialist who pairs strong first-principles pricing capability with exceptional commercial judgement and a collaborative leadership style.

• A minimum of 7 to 10 years of dedicated estimating experience within the Australian civil construction and infrastructure sector.
• A proven track record acting as lead estimator on medium to large civil tenders covering bulk earthworks, pavements, utilities, and structural civil scopes.
• A tertiary qualification in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or Quantity Surveying is preferred, complemented by advanced Microsoft Excel capability and software proficiency (e.g., Expert Estimation, Candy, B2W).
• A solid understanding of common Australian construction contracting frameworks (e.g., AS 2124, AS 4000, D&C forms).
• A visible commitment to safety leadership, professional integrity, and high-performance execution.
• A current driver's licence, full work rights in Australia, and the readiness to undertake necessary site inspections.

Davies Stewart - Celebrating 17 years as a 100% South Australian owned and operated recruitment and business consultancy.