Senior Estimator

SISK Group; Dublin; On-site; EUR 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

26 days annual leave

Pension scheme

Health & wellbeing supports

Career development opportunities

Total Rewards programme

Job summary

John Sisk & Son is seeking a Senior Estimator in Ireland to lead tender costings for civil projects. The role requires deep onsite insight, strong estimating experience, and delivery of robust, compliant submissions.

Ideal candidates will have 5+ years in estimating, familiarity with major contract forms, and CSCS certification, with a track record of value engineering and risk assessment across D&B schemes.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years in estimating roles within civil engineering or construction.
• Strong understanding of onsite operations, sequencing, and delivery challenges.
• Familiarity with Public Works Contract, FIDIC, NEC and related forms.
• CSCS card holder; professional body membership desirable.

Responsibilities

• Log, track and manage tender documentation and client correspondence.
• Prepare subcontractor and material enquiry schedules.
• Issue enquiries with clear scopes and attendance requirements.
• Organise Bills of Quantities and perform spot checks.
• Follow up tender returns, raise queries and maintain enquiry schedules.
• Review design information for value engineering opportunities.
• Develop risk and value engineering schedules; contribute to tender risk assessments.
• Lead tender reviews and prepare client pricing documents.
• Develop cash flow models for bids and manage bid budgets.
• Analyse subcontractor tender packages and prepare comparative analyses.

Skills

Estimating

Tendering

Cost analysis

Civil/Construction knowledge

Education

Civil Engineering degree

Construction Management degree

Quantity Surveying degree

Job description

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.

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.
• 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.
• 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.

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.