Cost Estimator

Dalkia UK; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity awaits in a growing team as a Project Estimator, where you'll play a pivotal role in delivering competitive tender pricing for engineering services. This position offers the chance to innovate and streamline cost planning processes while collaborating with a dynamic team. Your expertise will be crucial in managing project pipelines, conducting site surveys, and ensuring compliance with safety regulations. Join a forward-thinking company that values initiative and offers a supportive environment for professional growth, making a significant impact in the engineering and facilities services sector.

Qualifications

• Experience in cost estimating for M&E building services installations.
• Proficient in MS Office, especially Excel.

Responsibilities

• Produce pre-contract cost estimates for tenders and manage project pipelines.
• Assess contract conditions and provide risk quantification.

Skills

Cost Estimating

Problem-Solving

Commercial Awareness

Communication Skills

Project Management

Education

Membership in CIOB/RICS

Relevant Qualifications in Engineering

Tools

MS Office

Constructionline

SPONS

BCIS

Job description

Dalkia UK have a great opportunity for a Project Estimator to join our Team. You will be based out of our Manchester office but may also be working on site and from home as the role requires.

Hours of work:

· 37.5 Hours Monday to Friday

The Role:

As a Projects Estimator with Dalkia Facilities Services you will produce the pre-contract cost estimates for tenders, for delivery by our inhouse engineering team. This will include overseeing the scoping, specification and tendering of works.

As a relatively new and growing team, your role will help steer and develop new, efficient ways of working, building robust cost planning and estimating solutions across our target market base. You will create and manage the projects ‘pipeline’, using platforms such as Constructionline and other local government portals to identify opportunities suited to the business strategy.

· Pull together and submit fully costed solutions based on design briefs from the client.

· Undertake project surveys to capture information, confirm design and work scope.

• Identify site based hazards and risks
• Identify engineering constraints and solutions to overcome them.

Responsibilities:

· Assess contract conditions, provide advice on and quantify the risk to all relevant parties and offer solutions where required.

· Develop awareness of clients’ processes and procedures for bid evaluation.

· Effectively plan tenders to ensure timely and accurate preparation of tenders. Ensure tenders are effectively produced - enquiries are sent to supply chain in a timely manner, supply chain quotations are compared accurately and ensure compliance; prelim costs are prepared accurately; risks are identified and escalated; constraints are identified, communicated and managed etc.

· Contribute to effective team collaboration within the wider business, communicating regularly with operations and commercial teams.

· Prepare tender submissions from architect’s drawings, specifications, bill of quantities, pre-priced schedule of rates supplied by the client, including detailing materials necessary for the contract to achieve specification.

· Identify project risks, develop and produce a risk register to assist in the decision making and cost management process to facilitate calculation of contingency amount.

· Understand business development and the bidding market place including competitor environment and market forces (regional variation).

· Compile and present statistical data for pricing/bid analysis, interpretation and explanation of data.

· Understand labour productivity measured as output per worker and output per labour hour including productivity increasing/improvement techniques.

· Attend meetings such as handover meetings, design meetings, bid meetings etc. and assist in preparation of contract mobilisation plans and provide insight into the details of the tender.

· Ensures tender programmes and specific methods of construction are developed with the technical and operations teams.

· Supporting the reactive assessment and selection of products and offerings made by the suppliers for incorporation into commercial bid models.

· Manage tender process to seek and establish project prices from sub-contractors including terms for works to be carried out under the contract.

· Evaluate, engage and negotiate on price documents, assess for accuracy and confirm best value on price and service quality.

· Pull together documentation and pricing information resulting in a quality submission.

Requirements:

The knowledge, skills, qualifications and experience relevant to the position are:

· A successful background in cost estimating on M&E building services installations.

· Able to produce competitive tender pricing for an inhouse engineering team.

· Preferably a member of a recognized body (CIOB/RICS).

· Knowledge of relevant costing standards/systems/platforms e.g. SPONS, BCIS etc.

· Track record of delivering cost control and commercial service to projects.

· IT literate and proficient in MS Office with competence in using Excel.

· Strong commercial knowledge and excellent problem-solving skills.

· Working knowledge of various forms of construction contracts, e.g. JCT, NEC.

· Understanding of current building safety & compliance and health and safety regulations including CDM and duty holder responsibilities.

· Excellent written and verbal skills.

· Self-starter and proactive, with the ability to work independently.

· Full, clean driving license.

· The role will be subject to satisfactory enhanced DBS checks.

· Previous experience in the Education sector.

This role is subject to an Enhanced DBS check, the cost of which will be funded by the Company. Applicants who are shortlisted will be required to complete an application form prior to interview.

Seniority level

• Associate

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Engineering Services and Facilities Services