Estimating Director

The Highfield Company; South Yorkshire; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading construction firm in South Yorkshire seeks an Estimating Director to lead their estimating and tendering function. The role involves high-level decision-making, team management, and strategic alignment. Ideal candidates should have significant experience in structural steel or architectural metalwork contracting, strong leadership skills, and a commercial mindset. Competitive salary up to £100,000 plus bonuses offered.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Performance-related bonus

Long-term career potential

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years' experience in structural steel or architectural metalwork contracting.
• Proven track record in estimating at senior or director level with high-value projects.
• Strong leadership skills with experience managing high-performing teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead, manage, and develop the estimating team.
• Oversee collaboration with the Business Development Director.
• Develop and implement estimating systems for consistent tendering.

Skills

Leadership

Estimating

Negotiation

Commercial Strategy

Tools

Estimating software

Job description

Overview

Job Title: Estimating Director

Location: South Yorkshire

Sector: Structural Steel & Architectural Metalwork

Salary: Up to £100,000 + Performance related Bonus

We are working in partnership with a market-leading specialist in structural steel and architectural metalwork to appoint an Estimating Director to lead and evolve their pre-construction and tendering function.

This is a senior leadership role with board-level visibility and a direct influence on the company's strategic direction. The successful candidate will be responsible for building a high-performing estimating and business development function, aligning commercial pricing strategies with operational delivery and market growth.

This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of a well-established, high-performing contractor with a strong reputation for delivering technically complex and architecturally significant projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, manage, and develop the estimating team, instilling best practices, efficiency, and accuracy across all tenders
• Oversee and collaborate with the Business Development Director to ensure bid alignment with the company's strategic and financial objectives
• Develop and implement estimating systems, procedures, and controls to support consistent, scalable tendering across multiple workstreams
• Assess and manage tender risk, build-ups, and pricing methodologies in relation to design, scope, and buildability
• Lead on value engineering initiatives and post-tender negotiations as required
• Collaborate with operations and commercial departments to ensure successful project handovers and alignment between estimating and delivery
• Provide accurate forecasting, performance tracking, and pipeline reporting to the Board
• Drive innovation and continuous improvement within the estimating and pre-construction function

Key Requirements

• Minimum 10 years' experience in structural steel or architectural metalwork contracting
• Proven track record in estimating at senior or director level, ideally including high-value and complex projects (£5m+)
• Deep understanding of estimating software, pricing structures, fabrication processes, and installation methods
• Strong leadership skills with experience managing and developing high-performing teams
• Commercially strategic mindset, able to see the bigger picture and influence business decisions
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to lead client conversations and internal strategy discussions
• Ambitious, organised, and collaborative, capable of working at both operational and strategic levels

Why Join

• Join a respected market leader with a strong reputation, robust pipeline, and growth ambitions
• Play a critical role in shaping how the business prices, wins, and delivers work
• Competitive salary, performance-based bonus, and long-term career potential at board level
• Work within a collaborative, progressive leadership team who value innovation and continuous improvement

Application Process

This is a retained and exclusive opportunity managed by Sharon O'Donnell at The Highfield Company. For a confidential conversation, please contact Sharon