Civil Estimator - Lead or Manager

Our client is a well-established Sydney civil contractor delivering self-performed civil, enabling and complex site works across brownfield, industrial and urban environments. They run their own gear, employ their own people, and deliver projects ranging from tight inner-city sites to large-scale earthworks, which means when you price a job, you're pricing work the company actually knows how to do, with plant and crews you can walk out and look at.

It's a business where safety isn't a poster in the lunchroom. Risk is assessed before a price is ever put to paper, and everyone, from the yard to the boardroom, is expected to own it. The culture is collaborative and direct: estimators sit close to the project managers and engineers who'll deliver what you price, so your numbers get pressure-tested by people who've stood on the sites, and your wins become the whole team's pipeline.

Projects include those with internationally recognised Tier 1 contractors, and generally range from $10M - $30M.

Indigenous Business Growth (IBG) is a majority Indigenous-owned recruitment business registered with Supply Nation, specialising in civil engineering, infrastructure, construction and major project recruitment. We partner closely with contractors, engineering consultancies and delivery organisations to place high-quality technical professionals. Our approach is relationship-led and commercially grounded, built on practical industry experience and a clear understanding of how complex projects are delivered.

The role

As Lead Estimator, you'll own the estimating function end to end:

• Review project specifications and drawings, and perform detailed quantity take-offs for excavation and civil packages
• Build accurate, defensible cost estimates and put together tender submissions that win work at margins worth winning
• Solicit and evaluate subcontractor and supplier quotations, and keep a sharp eye on market pricing trends
• Work shoulder-to-shoulder with project managers, engineers and procurement to refine budgets, assess risk and shape bid strategy
• Maintain and improve the estimating database, tools and processes, leaving the function better than you found it
• You'll estimate packages involving bulk earthworks, detail cut and fill, site preparation and associated civil works.
• Run multiple concurrent bids without letting the detail slip

This is an on-site, office-based role, just on the SE of Sydney CBD. Estimating here isn't done at arm's length from delivery; it's done in the room with the people who make the projects happen.

About you

• Strong civil construction estimating experience; quantity take-offs, cost analysis and tender preparation across demolition, remediation and/or excavation projects
• Confident with estimating platforms, spreadsheets and scheduling tools, backed by solid numerical and analytical skills
• Sound knowledge of construction methodologies, local codes, safety standards and civil-works best practice
• A collaborator by nature; you communicate clearly with PMs, engineers, suppliers and subbies, and you'd rather ask the hard question at tender stage than discover it at delivery
• Proven ability to juggle concurrent bids, prioritise, hit deadlines and stay accurate under pressure
• Tertiary qualification in civil engineering, construction management or quantity surveying (or the practical experience that speaks for itself)
• Previous senior or lead estimating experience in civil construction
• A fantastic NSW network of clients, suppliers and subcontractors with some Queensland connections

What's on offer

• A lead seat at an established contractor with a full order book and its own plant fleet
• Real influence — your estimates shape which projects the business chases and how it grows
• A stable, professional team environment focused on quality, collaboration and long-term project success
• A package discussed clearly with me, and includes a vehicle. It's very healthy - you'll be pleasantly surprised that superannuation is on top of this figure. 

Apply — in confidence

This search is being handled exclusively and confidentially by an external recruiter. For a discreet conversation about the role and the business behind it, contact Jeremy.