Estimating Manager – Retail Display / Fitout / POS
Glencourt Associates are delighted to partner with a reputable retail fitout company in their search for an Estimating Manager. This role offers the flexibility of hybrid working, combining the convenience of remote work with engaging in a vibrant team environment.
Position Overview
The Estimating Manager will play a strategic role in delivering revenue and margin targets, ensuring sustainable growth and financial success. You will lead the tender estimation process, ensuring all submissions are commercially robust, technically accurate, and aligned with company objectives. This position calls for an experienced professional with a background in retail display / fitout estimation, tendering, and commercial analysis.
Key Responsibilities
- Leading Tender Processes: Oversee the full tender lifecycle from receipt of documentation to final submission and approval.
- Commercial Control: Maintain control of cost and margins across projects, developing strategies that support profitable growth.
- Technical & Commercial Analysis: Review, interpret, and challenge tender documents, including specifications, drawings, and pricing schedules.
- Pricing & Supplier Engagement: Challenge and validate supplier and vendor pricing, comparing UK, EU, and Far East options to ensure competitiveness and accuracy.
- Collaboration: Work closely with cross-functional teams, including Account Managers, Design, Operations, Finance, and Procurement, to gather inputs and align tender strategies.
- Risk & Opportunity Assessment: Identify and highlight risks, assumptions, exclusions, and opportunities within tenders, presenting clear recommendations for senior management.
- Post-Submission & Continuous Improvement: Participate in review processes, lessons learned, and process enhancements.
- Bid Management: Act as Bid Manager on pre-qualified opportunities, ensuring customer requirements are fully integrated and risks mitigated.
- Reporting & Stock Management: Conduct monthly reviews on stock, revenue, and margin metrics, sharing insights with leadership.
- Health & Safety: Promote safe working practices and highlight departmental safety risks.
Essential Experience & Skills
- Proven estimating, tendering, or commercial analysis experience within retail equipment, shop fitting, or related project environments.
- Strong commercial judgement, with the ability to assess price, margin, risk, and value rapidly and effectively.
- Excellent understanding of tender processes, pricing schedules, and contractual risks.
- Experience reading and challenging technical drawings, specifications, and scopes of work.
- High levels of accuracy, analytical ability, and data confidence, particularly within Excel and relevant estimating software.
- Exceptional communication skills, capable of presenting complex data clearly to stakeholders at all levels.
- Capacity to manage multiple tenders and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
- Good vendor sourcing, lead time, freight, quality, and commercial driver knowledge.
Candidate DNA
We seek a commercially sharp, evidence-led professional with the confidence to challenge assumptions and prices, organised and deadline-focused with excellent communication skills. A team player with resilience under pressure, proactive in risk and opportunity identification, and committed to continuous process improvement.
Package & Benefits
Based on experience, the role offers a competitive salary range. The role's structure and company size position it as an excellent opportunity for a committed professional looking to make a substantial impact within a growing organisation. If you meet the criteria and are interested in this strategic leadership role, we welcome your application.