Senior Project Manager (Preconstruction)

Willmott Dixon; Weybridge; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Job summary

Willmott Dixon seeks a Senior Project Manager (Preconstruction) to lead the preconstruction bid process across multiple Southern regional offices (Weybridge, Dartford, Southampton). Hybrid work model with three days in office and two at home per week is supported.

Reporting to a Preconstruction Manager, you will shape schemes, manage design and pricing, and guide projects from tender to signed contract, coordinating a multi-disciplinary team and stakeholders to ensure profitable delivery.

Qualifications

• Experience leading preconstruction and two-stage tender processes.
• Strong background in commercial management, design management, project management or related discipline.
• Proven ability to coordinate multi-disciplinary teams.
• Confident communicator with experience handling challenging client conversations.
• MRICS or MCIOB certifications are advantageous.
• Bachelor-level construction degree required.

Responsibilities

• Lead the full two-stage and negotiated tender process from tender phase through to construction contract.
• Coordinate the core preconstruction team (Planner, Estimator, Design Manager, MEP Manager) to ensure projects are robust and well-coordinated.
• Present schemes to the board, ensuring proposals meet profitability expectations and quality standards.
• Oversee design development during preconstruction, ensuring compliance with design process requirements.
• Shape solutions and challenge assumptions to ensure bids are competitive, deliverable and aligned with programme and budget.
• Bring a commercial mindset to all stages, supporting informed decision-making throughout.
• Work with customers, consultants and partners to develop clear briefs and realistic expectations.
• Navigate cost, programme or design constraint conversations when required.
• Maintain strong communication with PCM colleagues, senior operational leaders and commercial managers.

Skills

Project leadership

Two-stage tender

Stakeholder management

Client communication

Commercial mindset

Preconstruction

Education

Bachelor of Construction Management (Honours) or Bachelor of Construction Economics / Quantity Surveying

Job description

We’re looking for a Senior Project Manager (Preconstruction) to join our Southern regional team, based in either our Weybridge, Dartford or Southampton offices. We support hybrid working with three days in the office and two days at home each week, depending on team needs.

Reporting to a Preconstruction Manager, you’ll lead the entire preconstruction bid process, managing internal and external partners to develop high-quality, well-coordinated projects that meet our customer expectations and support profitable project delivery. Working across sectors including Education, Leisure, Health, Blue Light, Defence, Transport and Science and Tech, you’ll shape solutions, manage the design and pricing process, and guide projects from successful tender stage to signed construction contract.

This is a highly influential role where your leadership will help deliver major projects into the business, while ensuring our customers feel supported, informed and confident throughout project development.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead the Preconstruction Process

• Manage the full two-stage and negotiated tender process from successful tender phase through to construction contract.
• Coordinate the core preconstruction team (Planner, Estimator, Design Manager, MEP Manager) to ensure projects are robust, well-coordinated and aligned to customer priorities.
• Present schemes to the board, ensuring proposals meet profitability expectations and quality standards.

Drive Quality & Commercial Outcomes

• Oversee design development during preconstruction, ensuring compliance with design process requirements.
• Shape solutions and challenge assumptions to ensure bids are competitive, deliverable and aligned with programme and budget expectations.
• Bring a commercial mindset to all stages, supporting informed decision-making throughout.
• Work collaboratively with customers, consultants and partners to develop clear briefs and realistic expectations.
• Navigate challenging conversations around cost, programme or design constraints when required.
• Maintain strong communication with PCM colleagues, senior operational leaders and commercial managers.
• Proven experience leading preconstruction and two-stage tender processes.
• Strong background in commercial management, design management, project management or a related discipline.
• Proven ability to coordinate multi-disciplinary teams.
• Confident communicator with experience handling challenging client conversations.
• Accreditation with APM or PRINCE is advantageous.
• Bachelor of Construction Management (Honours) or Bachelor of Construction Economics / Quantity Surveying
• Hold either MRICS or MCIOB certifications

About Us

With over 170 years of rich history, Willmott Dixon’s purpose is beyond profit; delivering brilliant buildings, transforming lives, strengthening communities and enhancing the environment so our world is fit for future generations. Ensuring that we add lasting value to the neighbourhoods we work in; our values, people, innovation, partnerships and focus on sustainability has allowed us to build a successful and solid privately owned business where our people can thrive.

Willmott Dixon was recognised by The Sunday Times as one of the Top 10 "Big" Companies to Work For in 2025, named among the Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality in 2024, and ranked in the Top Five of Europe’s 1,000 best workplaces by the Financial Times in 2025.

Willmott Dixon is also the first major contractor and developer to win a King's Award for Enterprise in the category of sustainable development.