Lawford Bespoke Joinery - Estimator - Commercial Leadership Pathway

Stepnell; Rugby; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

7% pension contribution

Annual leave increases with service

Health coverage

Job summary

Lawford Bespoke Joinery, a division of Stepnell Group, seeks an ambitious Estimator with a clear path to commercial leadership. You will learn bespoke joinery pricing, collaborate across procurement, QS, and post-contract management, and grow within a well-funded, growth-focused business.

Join a company backed by Stepnell’s extensive resources, with training and mentorship through Investors in People - Gold.

Qualifications

• Background in estimating or commercial roles within bespoke joinery, interior fit-out, or main contracting.
• Ability to read architectural drawings, interpret specs, and work from first principles.
• Strong understanding of supply chains, cost structures, and commercial dynamics.

Responsibilities

• Prepare accurate cost estimates and cost plans from first principles across project values and contracts.
• Develop and execute tender strategies addressing client needs while maximizing value.
• Engage with suppliers, sub-contractors, and delivery teams to secure competitive pricing.
• Maintain risk and opportunity registers for tenders and ensure quality pricing at adjudication.
• Support post-tender handover to project delivery teams and assist in negotiations.
• Collaborate with senior leadership as commercial scope expands to procurement and QS.
• Gain exposure to post-award finances, variations, valuations, budgets, and final accounts.
• benefit from structured mentorship and professional development programs.

Skills

Tendering

Cost Estimation

Bid Strategy

Supply Chain

Risk Management

Client Liaison

Commercial Leadership

Financial Management

Mentorship

Tools

Estimating software

Job description

Are you an ambitious estimator looking for a role with virtually no ceiling on your career progression?

Lawford Bespoke Joinery (a division of Stepnell Group) is seeking a motivated Estimator with the ambition to grow into a Commercial Leadership role.

This isn't just a standard estimating role. Very few comparable opportunities exist in the industry today: a well-funded, highly ambitious business with a proven commitment to growth, backed by a major construction group (Stepnell) that provides world-class technical infrastructure, training, and backing.

Gaining a solid grounding in estimating before expanding into full commercial management—encompassing procurement, quantity surveying, and commercial leadership—gold dust in the construction and joinery sectors. You will gain a deep technical understanding of how bespoke joinery is priced, manufactured, and delivered, positioning you at the forefront of our business’s future.

What the Role Entails

• Tendering & Costing: Prepare accurate, detailed, and competitive cost estimates and cost plans from first principles across varied project values and contract types (new build and refurbishment).
• Bid Strategy: Help develop and execute winning tender strategies that address client needs while optimising commercial value.
• Supply Chain Engagement: Liaise with suppliers, local sub-contractors, and internal delivery teams to secure competitive pricing, drive innovation, and deliver the best net price.
• Risk & Opportunity Management: Build and maintain risk and opportunity registers for tenders, ensuring rigorous quality package pricing at the adjudication stage.
• Client Handover: Participate in post-tender presentations and negotiations, facilitating a smooth commercial handover to project delivery teams upon award.
• Commercial Expansion: Work alongside senior leadership as our commercial mandate expands to include procurement, Quantity Surveying (QS), and broader post-contract commercial management.
• Cost & Financial Management: Gain hands‑on exposure to post‑award contract finances, variations, valuations, budget monitoring, cash flow forecasting, and final accounts.
• Structured Mentorship: Access comprehensive training, mentorship, and professional development backed by Stepnell’s award‑winning people development programs (Investors in People - Gold).

What We Are Looking For

• Experience: Background in estimating or commercial roles within bespoke joinery, interior fit-out, or main contracting.
• Technical & Numerical Skills: Ability to work from first principles, read architectural drawings, interpret technical specifications, and utilise modern estimating software.
• Commercial Mindset: Strong understanding of supply chains, cost structures, risk mitigation, and commercial dynamics.
• Ambition & Drive: A desire to progress beyond pre‑construction estimating into full commercial leadership as the business expands.
• Communication: Clear, confident communicator capable of building strong relationships with clients, suppliers, and internal teams.

Why Join Us?

• Career Growth Without Limits: Clear pathway to develop from an Estimator into Quantity Surveying and broader Commercial Leadership as our business rapidly expands.
• Best of Both Worlds: Enjoy the agility, quality focus, and close-knit culture of a specialist joinery business at our Somers Road facility, supported by the stability, resources, and technical expertise of Stepnell.

Why Stepnell

At Stepnell, we’re passionate about empowering our people to thrive. We believe in building fulfilling and rewarding careers by investing in talent, nurturing growth, and inspiring innovation. With the prestigious Investors in People Gold accreditation, we’re proud to place our people at the heart of everything we do. Every team member is valued, and curiosity and collaboration are central to our team culture. We’re committed to enabling our people to make a real impact and drive meaningful change throughout our business.

To show our appreciation, we offer generous and competitive benefits including, an enhanced pension scheme with a Stepnell contribution of 7% to help secure your financial future, annual leave that increases with service and the flexibility to purchase more, a market leading employee referral scheme, and for eligible roles comprehensive health coverage, adjustable start and finish times and a car allowance or company car.

Join us in a collaborative and inclusive environment where your well-being is our priority, and your contributions are truly valued.

About Stepnell

As a family-owned business with over 159 years of history, Stepnell is built on stability, trust, and long-term thinking. We make decisions with the future in mind for our people, our clients and our communities.

Our capabilities span construction, property, development, energy solutions, bespoke joinery and concrete repair, allowing us to offer services that meet a wide range of client needs. Operating through eight regional offices in Rugby, Nottingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Wantage, Bristol, Southampton, and Exeter and across three core business units, we maintain a strong local presence while delivering consistently high standards.

Today, repeat clients account for 75% of our turnover a testament to our reliability and the quality of our relationships.