Senior Estimator

John Sisk & Son Ltd; Dublin; On-site; EUR 65,000 - 92,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

26 days annual leave

Pension scheme

Health, wellbeing & lifestyle supports

Career development opportunities

Total Rewards programme

Job summary

John Sisk & Son Ltd. in Ireland seeks a Senior Estimator to lead costings for civil projects with strong estimating and on-site delivery insight. You will support tender submissions, material and subcontractor enquiries, and BOM production to ensure competitive bids.

The role requires 5+ years in estimating, familiarity with Design & Build, and knowledge of Public Works contracts including FIDIC/NEC. Audit-ready records and proactive bid reviews are essential.

Qualifications

• Proven working experience in Civil Engineering or Construction, with at least 5 years in an estimating role.
• Strong understanding of onsite operations, construction sequencing, resources, and real-world delivery challenges, preferably with experience as a Project Manager or equivalent.
• Experience on civil engineering projects; direct site experience is an advantage.
• Proven track record in preparing tenders and leading submissions.
• Experience participating in estimate reviews and adjudication processes.
• Familiarity with the Public Works Contract, FIDIC, NEC, and related forms of contract.
• Experience working on Design & Build projects is advantageous.
• Knowledge of the Irish civil engineering/construction supply chain is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Log, track, and manage tender documentation including addendums and client correspondence.
• Prepare subcontractor enquiry schedules from tender team input.
• Issue subcontract enquiries with clear scopes of work.
• Issue material enquiries and benchmark against market conditions.
• Organise the production of Bills of Quantities and carry out spot checks for accuracy.
• Follow up tender returns, raise queries, and maintain live schedules.
• Review design information on Design & Build tenders for value engineering.
• Compile clarifications and maintain audit-ready records.
• Incorporate late tender amendments into costings and submissions.
• Contribute to risk and value engineering schedules and bid budgets.

Skills

Onsite construction experience

Tendering

Cost analysis

Subcontractor enquiries

Bills of Quantities

Project management background

FIDIC/NEC familiarity

Education

Degree in Civil or Structural Engineering, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying

Valid CSCS card

Professional body membership desirable

Evidence of ongoing professional development in estimating/pre-construction/commercial management

Job description

Overview

At John Sisk & Son, we’re more than a construction company, we’re a family-owned business with a global reach, committed to building excellence in every project. We deliver trust, certainty and value to our clients while embracing innovation and shaping the future of construction.

At John Sisk & Son, we’re more than a construction company, we’re a family-owned business with a global reach, committed to building excellence in every project. We deliver trust, certainty and value to our clients while embracing innovation and shaping the future of construction.

The Senior Estimator plays a critical role in accurately determining project costs and providing clear, consistent, and robust estimates that reflect real-world construction methods and conditions. This position is ideal for an experienced construction professional—such as an ex–Project Manager or someone with strong onsite experience—who understands how projects are delivered, the resources required, and the risks involved. With over 10 years of experience in the construction industry, the Senior Estimator will bring technical expertise, sound commercial judgement, and a deep understanding of civil engineering processes to support competitive, compliant, and well‑structured tender submissions.

Responsibilities

Management

• Support the training and professional development of Estimators, Assistant Estimators, and Graduate Estimators.
• Assist in creating and implementing personal development plans for direct reports and follow up on agreed actions.

General

• Log, track, and manage all tender documentation, including addendums and client correspondence, ensuring timely distribution to relevant team members.
• Prepare subcontractor enquiry schedules based on input from the tender team and procurement.
• Issue subcontract enquiries with clear scopes of work and attendance requirements.
• Issue material enquiries, assess supplier responses, and benchmark against current market conditions.
• Organise the production of Bills of Quantities and carry out spot checks for accuracy.
• Follow up on tender returns, raise queries, and maintain live enquiry schedules.
• Review design information on Design & Build tenders to identify value engineering opportunities.
• Compile clarifications, estimator notes, and maintain accurate records for audit and file purposes.
• Incorporate late tender amendments into costings and submissions.
• Contribute to tender risk and opportunity assessments and support the development of risk and value engineering schedules.

Tendering and Cost Analysis

• Maintain and regularly review risk registers for bids.
• Lead tender reviews, implementing corrective actions where required.
• Analyse subcontractor tender packages and prepare comparative analysis schedules for adjudication.
• Assess package requirements for fixed prices and contingency allocations.
• Prepare documentation for tender settlement, clearly presenting net costs, risks, and opportunities.
• Complete tender sum analysis, including cash flow forecasts, for approval and adjudication.
• Attend adjudication meetings and apply resulting amendments.
• Prepare client pricing documents, including Forms of Tender, Contract Sum Analyses, and preliminaries breakdowns.
• Develop cash flow models for bids and support the management of bid budgets within agreed limits.

Experience

• Proven working experience in Civil Engineering or Construction, with at least 5 years in an estimating role.
• Strong understanding of onsite operations, construction sequencing, resources, and real‑world delivery challenges, preferably with experience as a Project Manager or equivalent.
• Experience on civil engineering projects; direct site experience is an advantage.
• Proven track record in preparing tenders and leading submissions.
• Experience participating in estimate reviews and adjudication processes.
• Familiarity with the Public Works Contract, FIDIC, NEC, and related forms of contract.
• Experience working on Design & Build projects is advantageous.
• Knowledge of the Irish civil engineering/construction supply chain is beneficial.

Qualifications

• Degree in Civil or Structural Engineering, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, or equivalent relevant qualification.
• Valid CSCS card.
• Membership of a recognised professional body (or working toward it) is desirable.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development in estimating, pre‑construction, or commercial management is an advantage.

Additional Information

What We Offer

At Sisk, your rewards package goes far beyond your salary. Our most valued benefits include:

• Competitive salary
• 26 days annual leave
• Pension scheme
• Comprehensive health, wellbeing and lifestyle supports
• Career development opportunities
• And much more as part of our Total Rewards programme

Our People & Recruitment Commitment

At Sisk, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We offer the opportunity to work with purpose, grow a career without limits and be part of a supportive, collaborative team.

All vacancies are managed directly by our Internal Recruitment Team. Unsolicited CVs or speculative contact from unapproved agencies are not accepted, and no fees will be payable.

Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility

We are an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, family status or any other protected characteristic. We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process to support all candidates.

Encouraging All Talent to Apply

We understand that the confidence gap or imposter syndrome can discourage great people from applying. Even if you don’t meet every requirement, we encourage you to express your interest — your skills, experience and potential are what matter.

Compliance & Transparency

All recruitment materials are designed to meet or exceed legal and regulatory requirements, including the Irish and UK Equality Acts and the EU Pay Transparency Directive, ensuring fairness, transparency and equal access for every applicant.