Preconstruction Director - Engineering Led Contractor

Zinc Ten; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Zinc Ten, a London-based contractor, is seeking a senior leader to move beyond functional leadership and shape the strategic direction of the business. This role leads the Win It function, working closely with Find It and Deliver It to secure complex, high-value bids.

You will guide a multidisciplinary pre-construction team, drive the win strategy, and build strong relationships with clients and their professional teams.

Qualifications

• This role requires 20+ years of industry experience with an operational background.
• Strong delivery background to understand how projects are built, delivered and priced.
• Proven ability to lead high-stakes bid submissions and shape winning solutions.
• Excellent stakeholder management and client engagement skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Win It strategy and interface Find it and Deliver it within the senior leadership team.
• Provide direction across method, technical solution, programme and pricing for bids.
• Develop client relationships and lead early engagement to articulate value proposition.
• Contribute to overall business strategy as a board member and mentor the leadership team.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Client relationships

Pre-construction

Bid strategy

Job description

This is a rare opportunity to move beyond functional leadership and to influence the strategic direction of the business.

The Context

The projects this London based contractor deliver are always complex – clients choose them specifically for this reason. This complexity enables the business to differentiate itself by delivering high-value solutions. It’s a core part of their DNA and not something they are willing to compromise on, as this value-led approach underpins their continued success. Because their projects are complex and require integrated, specialist engineering expertise, they adopt a consistent, method-led approach to work winning.

This approach requries highly experienced and balanced leadership accross a wide breadth of operational, technical and commercial disciplines to bring together winning submissions.

Role Overview

• Reporting to the Group MD and forming a key part of the senior leadership team, you will holistically lead the “Win it” part of the business strategy with an important interface with both "Find it" and “Deliver it".
• Providing strategic leadership to a multidisciplinary pre-construction team, you will set and drive the win strategy, providing leadership, direction and constructive challenge across method, technical solution, programme and pricing to ensure successful bid submissions that are deliverable and commercially viable.
• As a key part of the role, you will develop and maintain strong relationships with clients and their professional teams - leading on early client engagement, credibly aligning and articlating the value proposition.
• Additionally, as a member of the board you will contribute to the overall business strategy as well as providing constructive challenge and support to the wider leadership team.
• This role is part of a planned succession plan

About You

• You will have at least 20 yrs + experience in the industry and with an operational background (commercial, engineering or operations)
• A strong delivery or operational background is essential - so you understand first hand how projects are built, delivered and priced, enabling you to credibly challenge, shape solutions and articulate the value the business brings as a partner.
• You may already be in a dedicated work-winning or preconstruction role, but we're equally keen to speak to experienced senior operational or commercial leaders, looking to redirect their years of operational and delivery experience into a new dedicated preconstruction role.
• You will be conversant in a range of construction methodologies and innovations in urban areas - complex civil engineering, temporary works, groundworks, substructures, superstructures, cut and carve and deconstruction.
• You will be motivated by a value-led approach, and maintaining a reputation for technically strong submissions - excited by schemes that stretch your thinking.
• Articulate, credible and confident in negotiations – you will be driven to understand client drivers and to give the client what they want, whilst protecting margins.
• You will have a sound understanding of contract terms and commercial risk, ensuring bids are both competitive and commercially robust – balancing risk and reward.
• Your background could be with a main contractor or specialist contractor.
• You bring solid leadership experience
• You enjoy proactively building authentic relationships with clients and their professional teams and working collaboratively with clients to shape solutions.
• This is a high-impact role for a leader that knows the detail but equally sees the big picture and provides their team with clarity of what’s expected and empowers them to deliver against the plan.