Cost Planner

Bovis; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible and hybrid work options

Up to 10% employer pension contribute

Private medical health benefit

Life assurance

25 days annual leave (+ buy/sell)

Job summary

Bovis is seeking an Estimator / Cost Planning Manager to lead pre-construction cost planning, tender strategy and commercial risk management on major tenders in the UK. You will drive value engineering, develop estimation methodologies and act as a commercial liaison with external stakeholders.

This role requires strong experience in cost planning across Development Brief to Contract Price, ability to read drawings, manage data analytics (PowerBI) and coordinate with the design and commercial

Qualifications

• Ability to influence and lead teams and drive collaboration across disciplines.
• Strong understanding of cost planning, procurement routes and design processes.
• Experience with value engineering and benchmarking activities.
• Proven ability to read drawings and interpret construction information.
• Experience preparing cost plans from development through to contract price.
• Excellent negotiation and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee pre-construction cost planning and develop best-practice estimation methods.
• Drive value engineering initiatives and manage commercial risk on tenders.
• Lead tender sign-off, bid strategy and client negotiations on project costs.
• Act as commercial liaison with external stakeholders and consultants.
• Prepare cost plans from Development Brief / Feasibility to Contract Price with the preferred contractor.
• Quantify and price cost plans, ensuring scope and pricing are well documented.
• Coordinate with design and commercial teams to meet cost plan requirements.
• Manage external consultants and ensure timely submission and quality control.
• Support change control and variations during delivery stages.

Skills

Influence & leadership

Reading drawings

Negotiation

Problem solving

Data analysis

Document control

Time management

Written & verbal communication

Tendering subcontract packages

Commercial acumen

Education

MRICS / MCIOB

CSCS card

Tools

PowerBI

Bovis measurement software

Cost planning software

Job description

The Estimator / Cost Planning Manager assumes commercial and functional management. Key responsibilities include overseeing the pre-construction cost planning process, developing and implementing best-practice estimation methodologies, driving value engineering initiatives and managing commercial risk registers on major tenders. This role is responsible for tender sign-off and bid strategy alignment, engaging in client negotiation on project costs, and acting as a commercial liaison for external stakeholders.

Cost Planning:

• Utilise and support the development of the company’s preferred cost planning software and tools.
• Be proficient in taking off quantities using the Bovis measurement software.
• Collaborate with the commercial team to secure market prices for trade packages and analyse these against cost plan allowances.
• Prepare, review, and analyse preliminaries for first and second stage bids, including producing standard preliminaries aligned with the proposed bid strategy.
• Incorporate programming requirements, methodology, phasing, and associated implications into cost plans and preliminaries.
• Accurately quantify and price cost plans from Development Brief / Feasibility stage through to Contract Price with the preferred contractor.
• Ability to build rates from first principles (labour, plant, and materials) is desirable but not essential.
• Accurate forecasting (inflation) of current trade rates.
• Manage external consultants (EQ Bill of Quants Consultancy), including initial engagement, appointment, issue of information, quality control, and ensuring submission and return in line with the programme.
• Be able to assess sub-contractor proposals.
• Prepare design fees with support from the relevant Design Manager.
• Prepare cost plan commentary and supply key information to Bid Managers to support technical and written responses within tender submissions.
• Ensure that scope, assumptions, and pricing are clearly documented throughout all cost planning stages.

Design and Cost Control:

• Support project teams with change control and major variations during conversion and delivery stages.
• Support project and design teams in producing a design that meets cost plan requirements. Continuously analyse the design against cost plan assumptions, design briefs/target metrics, and benchmark projects.

Bidding and Strategy:

• Lead or support a bid as a Cost Planner either independently or as part of a team, depending on project scale and complexity.
• Support compliance of the cost plan with brief, authority, financiers’, and customer requirements during the conversion stage.

Data / Analytics:

• Support the updating of design and cost KPI's.
• Support benchmarking data and workstreams (cost / design / programme), ensuring data is captured and maintained. And support an initiative for the development of benchmarking systems.
• Contribute to the development of best practices, standards, knowledge bases, sector expertise, industry trends, yardsticks, and benchmarks.
• Produce written narratives outlining key insights derived from cost and benchmarking analysis, including justification of the cost plan within the context of these findings.

Credentials

Maintain CSCS card for the role

• Currently holding, or working towards a related Chartership such as MRICS / MCIOB

Essential Skills, Knowledge, Experience & Behaviours

Skills

Ability to influence and lead teams

Ability to read drawings and construction design information

Data analysis and data analytics including use of PowerBI

Document control

Negotiation

Problem solving

Process compliance

Quantity take-off

Strong Commercial acumen

Tendering subcontract works packages of medium to high value

Time management and prioritising tasks in order to meet deadlines

• Written and verbal communication to influence and build relationships with various stakeholders

Knowledge

Ability to contribute to value engineering as part of the design process

Allocation of scope to trade packages

Be able to produce detailed prelim forecasts.

Understand and apply cost planning & financial procedures and reporting tools

• Understanding of various procurement routes, including the RIBA design processes.

Experience

Proven track record of working on various bid stages included Stage 1 (initial tender) and Stage 2 (Conversion into contract / PCSA).Reviewing subcontractor tender offers and subcontractor tender analysis produced by the commercial team to ensure a robust cost position.

Coordinating multiple trade packages into a master cost plan / bill of quantities to ensure all scope gaps are found, priced, and any duplication is removed.

Coordinating resources internally to ensure deliverables are met.

Preparing cost plans at various RIBA stages.

Presenting to stakeholders

• Understanding, building, and using benchmarking data for use at reviews, and for use externally with clients / consultants.

Behaviours

Flexibility and openness of approach and willingness to work as a team player

Has a great attention to detail and thoroughness in all of the work they produce

Is analytical thinking

Taken ownership of Reporting, including populating all key templates and documents for reviews.

Provides constructive challenge and feedback to others within the team.

We will provide:

• Flexible and hybrid work options
• Up to 10% employer pension contribution
• Private medical health benefit
• Life assurance
• 25 days annual leave with the option to buy or sell additional days
• 3 days wellbeing leave in addition to annual leave
• Health and wellbeing support and initiatives
• 24/7 confidential Employee Assistance Programme including direct access to Talking Therapies and Coaching services
• Discounted gym membership to over 2,500 gym’s nation wide