MEZ CONSTRUCTION (UK) LTD — SENIOR ESTIMATOR & PROCUREMENT MANAGER
Location: Rayners Lane, Pinner / Projects across London
Reporting to: Managing Director
Employment: Permanent, full-time
MEZ Construction is seeking an exceptional construction professional to take ownership of estimating and project procurement across our residential and commercial portfolio.
This is not a traditional purchasing role and it is not a desk-based QS position. We require an experienced, commercially strong construction professional who genuinely understands how buildings are priced and built.
The successful person will take projects from initial enquiry and tender documentation through detailed estimating, subcontract and supplier enquiries, tender submission and project handover, before supporting the procurement of materials and packages on secured projects.
Core responsibilities
Prepare accurate construction estimates from architectural drawings, structural drawings, specifications, schedules and site information.
Complete detailed quantity take-offs covering labour, plant, materials and subcontract packages.
Build rates from first principles and maintain reliable benchmarking and historical cost data.
Prepare clear, professional client quotations including assumptions, exclusions, preliminaries, overheads, profit and risk allowances.
Obtain, level and interrogate subcontractor quotations rather than simply selecting the lowest return.
Source materials and packages from suitable suppliers and subcontractors and negotiate commercially strong pricing, payment terms and delivery arrangements.
Develop and maintain high-quality relationships with merchants, manufacturers, subcontractors and specialist suppliers.
Identify design, scope, commercial and programme risks during the tender process.
Identify sensible value-engineering opportunities without compromising specification, quality or programme.
Understand long-lead procurement requirements and ensure buying decisions support the construction programme.
Provide a structured commercial handover when a tender becomes a live project.
Track procurement against the approved tender allowance and clearly identify buy-out gains and losses.
Work closely with the Managing Director, site managers and project teams to protect project margins.
Help MEZ develop a professional estimating database, supplier database, subcontractor database, purchasing controls and tender-review process.
Experience we are looking for
Strong UK construction estimating experience, ideally gained within a main contractor or privately owned general building contractor.
Demonstrable experience across residential refurbishment, extensions, new build and/or commercial refurbishment and fit-out.
Evidence of personally pricing complete projects rather than solely estimating one specialist trade.
Strong experience procuring construction materials and obtaining and negotiating supplier quotations.
Strong knowledge of subcontract tendering and subcontract quotation analysis.
Excellent understanding of labour productivity, material costs, plant, preliminaries, overheads, profit, contingency and construction risk.
Ability to interpret architectural and structural drawings confidently.
Commercial understanding of JCT-style construction projects.
Strong Excel capability and experience with construction estimating or digital take-off software.
Knowledge of RICS NRM measurement principles is desirable.
RICS/CIOB/CIPS or relevant construction/commercial qualifications are advantageous but practical competence and proven experience are more important than letters after a candidate's name.
Ideal profile
We are particularly interested in individuals who have worked in hands-on commercial roles within established privately owned contractors, where they have been responsible for both winning work and ensuring it can subsequently be bought and delivered profitably.
The right person will understand construction at a practical level, know the London supply chain, challenge incomplete information, protect margin, negotiate confidently and take personal ownership of their numbers.
This is a senior, high-trust appointment and MEZ will wait for the right person rather than compromise on quality.
Recruitment process
Candidates will complete an initial experience interview followed by a structured technical assessment based on a historical construction project. References and right-to-work verification will be completed before appointment.
Pay: £45,000.00-£60,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
