Senior Estimator & Procurement Manager

We are seeking a commercially astute and experienced Estimator & Procurement professional to support estimating, pre-construction, procurement strategy, and project setup for a growing South Australian commercial construction business.

This role goes beyond traditional estimating and high-volume tendering. It offers broader ownership across cost planning, tender preparation, subcontractor engagement, procurement strategy, value management, commercial risk assessment, and project handover.

The successful candidate will prepare accurate and commercially sound estimates, review construction documentation, identify scope gaps and pricing risks, engage suppliers and subcontractors, and contribute to early project planning and buildability discussions. They will also help ensure projects are properly scoped, priced, procured, and handed over before moving into delivery.

This position is suited to someone with strong estimating fundamentals, commercial awareness, autonomy, and the confidence to ask the right questions. The ideal candidate will be comfortable working with clients, consultants, architects, engineers, subcontractors, and internal teams while contributing to improved systems, processes, and commercial outcomes.

• Prepare detailed cost estimates, cost plans, trade breakdowns, and tender submissions for commercial construction projects.
• Review drawings, specifications, schedules, contracts, and tender documentation to identify scope gaps, exclusions, risks, and opportunities.
• Assess cost per square metre, project feasibility, and commercial viability during early project stages.
• Identify ambiguities or inconsistencies in documentation and clarify them with relevant stakeholders.
• Manage pricing processes with a focus on accuracy, competitiveness, and project deliverability.
• Support selective tendering by evaluating suitable project opportunities rather than focusing on high-volume submissions.

• Contribute to early-stage project planning, design reviews, buildability assessments, and cost planning.
• Work with clients, architects, consultants, and engineers to develop practical and commercially viable project solutions.
• Identify cost-effective alternatives without compromising quality or client expectations.
• Assist with value management, value engineering, project staging, and early procurement planning.
• Participate in pre-construction meetings and provide commercial input throughout the early project lifecycle.

• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with subcontractors, suppliers, and trade partners.
• Prepare and issue trade packages for pricing, ensuring scopes are clear, complete, and commercially structured.
• Review subcontractor submissions, clarify inclusions and exclusions, and compare pricing.
• Identify opportunities to improve commercial outcomes through effective trade packaging, procurement timing, and subcontractor selection.
• Support the transition from estimating into procurement, project mobilisation, and delivery.

• Identify project risks, scope gaps, cost pressures, exclusions, and opportunities to improve margins.
• Review commercial construction contract requirements, including AS 4000 and ABIC-style agreements.
• Work with internal teams to ensure estimates are realistic, commercially sound, and deliverable.
• Prepare clear project handover documentation for project managers, contract administrators, and site teams.
• Communicate key assumptions, risks, exclusions, subcontractor pricing, and procurement considerations.
• Provide commercial support during early project mobilisation when required.

• Represent the business professionally in discussions with clients, consultants, and subcontractors.
• Build trust through clear communication, practical construction knowledge, and commercial awareness.
• Participate in early discussions involving pricing, feasibility, scope, buildability, and procurement strategy.
• Provide practical, relationship-focused advice aligned with project and business objectives.

• Contribute to improving estimating systems, templates, workflows, and technology use.
• Identify opportunities to improve estimating accuracy, efficiency, and commercial visibility.
• Support the development of pre-construction and procurement processes.
• Explore technology and AI-enabled tools to improve workflow efficiency and accuracy.

• Strong experience in commercial construction estimating, including preparing estimates, cost plans, trade packages, and tender submissions.
• Experience with commercial construction methodology, project sequencing, trade coordination, and procurement.
• Experience reviewing construction drawings, specifications, schedules, contracts, and tender documentation.
• Experience obtaining, reviewing, and comparing subcontractor and supplier quotations.
• Understanding of commercial construction contracts, preferably including AS 4000 and ABIC-style agreements.
• Experience identifying scope gaps, pricing risks, buildability issues, and commercial opportunities.
• Exposure to pre-construction, project setup, procurement, or project handover processes.

• Strong cost estimation, quantity assessment, and tender preparation skills.
• Sound commercial judgment and understanding of construction costs and project feasibility.
• Ability to interpret complex construction documentation and identify discrepancies.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and risk assessment capabilities.
• Excellent attention to detail, accuracy, and organisational skills.
• Effective communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to work autonomously, take accountability, and manage competing priorities.
• Confidence in asking questions, challenging assumptions, and recommending practical solutions.
• Ability to balance urgency with accuracy and commercial care.

• Experience with multi-storey residential projects in a commercial construction environment.
• Exposure to complex trade packages, including off-form concrete, piling, civil works, lift cores, precast, structural packages, building services coordination, and technically complex fit-outs.
• Experience across design and construct, construction management, pre-construction, or early contractor involvement environments.
• Broader involvement in estimating, procurement, value management, and early project setup.
• Experience with commercial new builds, refurbishments, childcare centres, healthcare facilities, hospitality venues, office fit-outs, industrial facilities, council projects, and public realm works.
• Experience improving estimating systems, implementing technology, or exploring AI-enabled tools.
• Experience working in a growing construction business where systems and processes are continuing to develop.
• Strong client-facing experience and the ability to contribute to early commercial discussions.

• A qualification in Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Civil Engineering, Building, or a related field is desirable.
• Relevant commercial construction estimating and procurement experience will also be considered.
• Additional training or certifications in estimating, contract administration, construction management, or procurement would be advantageous.