Senior Estimator

Fortis Talent; North Sydney; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Fortis Talent, LLC is seeking a Senior Estimator to own tenders from review through submission, with autonomy to influence methodology, procurement strategy and commercial outcomes across workplace, commercial, industrial, government, medical, retail and hospitality projects.

You will diversify the pipeline, challenge pricing, interrogate briefs, and leverage strong subcontractor relationships and market knowledge in Sydney.

Qualifications

• Experience in commercial fit-out or D&C head contractor roles.
• Strong take-off and cost-planning abilities across trades.
• Ability to interrogate briefs, identify risks and value-engineer tenders.
• Excellent market knowledge of Sydney subcontractor landscape and procurement.

Responsibilities

• Review tender documentation, drawings and specifications.
• Complete detailed quantity take-offs and cost plans.
• Prepare comprehensive trade packages and scopes of work.
• Source, assess and negotiate subcontractor and supplier pricing.
• Analyse quotes, exclusions and commercial risk.
• Develop accurate tender estimates and bid submissions.
• Identify value engineering opportunities and alternative methodologies.
• Lead tender reviews and contribute to bid strategy.
• Manage post-tender clarifications, negotiations and revisions.
• Support client presentations and commercial discussions as required.

Skills

Estimating

Tendering

Cost planning

Take-offs

Bid strategy

Tools

Bluebeam

CostX

Job description

If you’re an accomplished commercial fit-out Estimator who knows how to win work, not simply price it, this one is worth a look.

Our client is an established Tier 2 Design & Construct head contractor delivering high-quality fit-out, refurbishment and construction projects across Sydney.

With more than 15 years in the market, around 40 employees, a strong portfolio of repeat clients and an experienced in-house team, they have built an excellent reputation around quality delivery, long-standing relationships and doing things properly.

They are now looking for an exceptional Senior Estimator to join the business and take genuine ownership across the front end of projects.

This is not a role for someone who simply measures drawings and compiles a number.

They want someone commercially sharp, technically strong and highly connected to the subcontractor market - someone who understands how to interrogate a brief, identify risk, challenge pricing, find value and ultimately put together a tender that gives the business the best possible chance of winning.

About the Opportunity

You’ll work closely with the Managing Director, pre-construction, design and delivery teams across a diverse pipeline of commercial projects.

You’ll take ownership of tenders from initial review through to submission, negotiation and handover, with the autonomy to influence methodology, procurement strategy, value engineering and commercial outcomes.

The business delivers across a broad mix of workplace, commercial, industrial, government, medical, retail and hospitality projects, so you’ll gain variety rather than pricing the same type of project repeatedly.

You’ll also be joining a business where estimating is genuinely valued as part of the wider project strategy - not treated as a back-office function.

• Strong repeat-client base and consistent project pipeline
• Direct access to senior leadership and key decision-makers
• Integrated design, pre-construction and delivery capability in-house
• Genuine ownership of tenders and input into bid strategy
• Broad commercial project exposure across multiple sectors
• Stable team with strong staff retention and long-term tenure
• Modern North Sydney office and a collaborative, down-to-earth culture

The Role

You’ll take ownership of the estimating process across commercial fit-out, refurbishment and construction opportunities, including:

• Reviewing tender documentation, drawings, specifications and scopes
• Completing detailed quantity take-offs and cost plans
• Preparing comprehensive trade packages and scopes of work
• Sourcing, assessing and negotiating subcontractor and supplier pricing
• Analysing quotes, exclusions, qualifications and commercial riskDeveloping accurate tender estimates and bid submissions
• Identifying value engineering opportunities and alternative methodologies
• Working closely with design and delivery teams around buildability and programme
• Leading tender reviews and contributing to bid strategy
• Managing post-tender clarifications, negotiations and revisions
• Supporting client presentations and commercial discussions where required
• Ensuring a thorough handover to the project delivery team following award

About You

You’ll already be an experienced Senior Estimator within a commercial fit-out / D&C head contractor and have a strong understanding of the Sydney subcontractor and supplier market.

You’ll be comfortable taking full ownership of tenders and confident working across both the detail and the bigger commercial picture.

You’ll bring strong construction knowledge, excellent subcontractor relationships and the ability to quickly identify where the risks, opportunities and pressure points sit within a tender.

You’ll also need to be highly proficient with Bluebeam and/or CostX, with strong digital take-off and estimating capability.

Most importantly, they’re looking for someone who is commercially sharp, proactive and genuinely good at what they do - an estimator who can challenge assumptions, negotiate hard, think strategically and consistently produce high-quality submissions.