Head of Estimating

Mears Group PLC; Gloucester; Hybrid; GBP 95,400 - 116,600; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Family private medical

Generous Pension Scheme and sick pay

Employee Assistance Programme

Annual Fun Day events

Volunteering Leave

Job summary

Mears Group is seeking a Head of Estimating to drive the commercial estimating and tendering functions across the organization. This senior leadership role offers the opportunity to shape pricing strategy and engage with senior leadership teams.

The ideal candidate should have extensive experience in social housing estimating, strong leadership skills, and a track record in delivering value engineering solutions. The position is home-based with required travel across the UK.

Qualifications

• Expert knowledge of NHF Schedule of Rates.
• Demonstrable ability to develop pricing strategies.
• Ability to manage multiple bids under deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Lead the commercial estimating function across the organisation.
• Engage with stakeholders to present commercial proposals.
• Champion learning and performance management within the Estimating Team.

Skills

Extensive experience in social housing estimating

Strong track record in post-tender negotiations

Strong commercial influence

Leadership experience

Excellent communication skills

Strategic commercial thinking

Education

Professional qualification in Quantity Surveying or Construction Management

Tools

Sector-standard estimating systems and analytical tools

Job description

Annual salary: up to £106,000.00, plus £6,900 car allowance. Location: Homebased – Remote, with UK travel. Contract: Full-time, Permanent. Hours: 40 per week, Monday to Friday.

About the Role

Head of Estimating – a senior leadership position responsible for driving the commercial estimating and tendering function across the organisation. Shaping pricing, winning strategy and mobilisation of major contracts, and influencing senior decision‑making across Business Development, Operations and Legal teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Commercial Leadership – lead creation of high‑quality commercial proposals, build cost models from first principles, drive pricing strategy and value engineering, and provide senior leadership with clear commercial analysis and risk recommendations.
• Tender Governance & Risk Management – ensure all submissions are compliant, well‑documented and commercially sound; lead competitive dialogue, clarifications, RFIs and post‑tender negotiations; oversee commercial review of contracts and legal documentation; enhance estimating methodologies, tools, templates and documentation standards.
• Stakeholder Engagement – present commercial proposals to Directors and the Senior Management Team, embed tender assumptions into mobilisation and operational teams, and engage with supply chain partners to secure competitive pricing.
• Mobilisation & Continuous Improvement – play a key role in mobilisation of successful tenders, challenge assumptions to drive profitability, translate estimating assumptions into operational cost monitoring and analyse outturn performance to inform future bids.
• People Leadership – lead, mentor and develop the Estimating Team, identify capability gaps, champion learning, systems improvement and performance management.

Essential Experience

• Extensive experience in social housing estimating, including expert knowledge of NHF Schedule of Rates.
• Proven ability to develop pricing strategies and deliver value engineering solutions.
• Strong track record in post‑tender negotiations and contract award processes.
• End‑to‑end tender lifecycle experience, from pricing to mobilisation.
• Strong working knowledge of standard forms of contract.
• Experience presenting commercial proposals at senior leadership level.
• Ability to manage multiple bids under demanding deadlines.
• Demonstrable leadership experience in building high‑performing teams.

Desirable Experience

• Head of / Senior Manager experience within a large contracting or housing services organisation.
• Familiarity with sector‑standard estimating systems and analytical tools.
• Professional qualification in Quantity Surveying or Construction Management.

Key Skills & Attributes

• Strategic commercial thinker with strong influencing capability.
• Excellent communicator, able to simplify complex commercial reasoning.
• High numerical accuracy and attention to detail.
• Proactive problem solver committed to continuous improvement.
• Collaborative leader with a passion for developing people.

Benefits

• Family friendly policies, including enhanced maternity/paternity leave.
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Life assurance – 3 x.
• Family private medical.
• Car allowance – £6,900.
• Generous Pension Scheme and sick pay.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Mears Rewards – discount voucher scheme.
• Excellent training and development opportunities.
• Annual Fun Day events at venues such as Alton Towers, Drayton Manor.
• Volunteering Leave – two days per year to support community volunteering.

All applicants must be entitled to work in the UK. No visa sponsorship is offered. Vehicle driving requirements: age over 21, licence held for over 3 months, less than 9 points. Background, Identity & Security checks apply before commencement.

We are an equal opportunities employer and a Disability Confident workplace. We support the Armed Forces Covenant and hold the Gold Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme. We encourage social mobility and offer a Social Mobility Index for voluntary background information, which is optional.