Senior Estimator Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

Senior Estimator Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

This post provides complete information on the job description of a senior estimator to increase your knowledge of what the role does.

It presents the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities that commonly make up the senior estimator work description.

This article also shows the requirements that recruiters will want applicants for the senior estimator position to meet to qualify for hiring.

Please, continue reading to learn more about the senior estimator career:

What Does a Senior Estimator Do?

A senior estimator is responsible for assisting in completing construction projects by providing cost estimates.

His/her job description entails procuring competitive projects, cooperating with subcontractors, and training and assisting estimating staff; seeking key information from subcontractors and participating in periodic reviews.

In other words, a senior estimator is responsible for evaluating bid specifications and drawings, ensuring that the organization or client is fully aware of the necessary tools or information required to successfully bid and acquire a project.

It is the duty of the senior estimator to liaise and follow up with subcontractors in order to ensure that bids are received, while also working with project management teams in order to follow up on bids and budgets to close the business.

A senior estimator is expected to carry out several important tasks which may include being responsible for overseeing and leading the estimating process on specified bids, leading, supporting, and mentoring junior members of the estimating team, and implementing pricing strategies; assisting and participating in the tender review process and implementing contract feedbacks into future bids.

Other duties that are carried out by a senior estimator include preparing or coordinating full estimates on complex and large projects as required by client or customer’s documents, attending departmental meetings on time and as required, and reviewing construction documents and understanding the scope of work to bid; obtaining bids from subcontractors, obtaining best prices for materials, and ensuring correctness and accuracy by reviewing estimates; and ensuring proper bid administration by preparing full estimates on complex work, estimating the time, materials, and equipment that are required for job completion.

The senior estimator work description also entails preparing detailed analytical tenders, maintaining a library of pricing and outputs data, and assisting with the management of production, and negotiating estimates and tenders.

Becoming a Senior Estimator

Becoming a senior estimator requires an individual to possess certain skills, characteristics, and abilities, such as good project management skills, particular attention to details, and construction expertise; good mathematical or numeracy skills, stamina, and availability for travel; good knowledge of Microsoft Office products, especially Excel and Word, and the ability to communicate complex issues to senior management.

In terms of academic qualifications, individuals interested in the senior estimator career is required to possess a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or Construction Management, or in any other related field.

Most employers also demand several years of work experience as an assistant or junior estimator, or in a significant position in a similar industry.

Senior Estimator Job Description Example/Sample/Template

Senior estimators perform various functions in providing accurate cost estimates.

The type of duties, tasks, and responsibilities commonly performed by senior estimators are shown in the job description example below:

• Overseeing and managing the estimating department and creating complete mechanical estimates for large and complex projects
• Setting up cost monitoring principles or procedures and reporting systems and procedures to upper management
• Identifying and reviewing material and labor requirements in order to determine which is more cost-effective in producing components or purchasing components
• Estimating the time, materials, or equipment that are required to complete a job or project
• Creating, analyzing, and maintaining correct and accurate quantities and thorough take-offs from plans
• Ensuring that the organization or client have the proper coverage from subcontractors on bid day
• Showing creativity and resourcefulness in order to gain the best pricing from subcontractors
• Maintaining and updating correct and accurate records of tenders
• Ensuring that estimating procedures are strictly followed in the production of tenders
• Acting as bid manager when and where required depending on the value and complexity of the tender
• Assisting with operational projects when required.

Senior Estimator Job Description for Resume

If you have worked before as a senior estimator or are presently holding the position and are making a resume for a new job, you can apply the duties in the sample job description above in completing the professional experience portion of your resume.

You need to add the professional or work experience section to your resume if you have some work experience relevant to the position you are looking for; it gives you the opportunity to show the duties and responsibilities you have successfully performed or are performing as a senior estimator.

The sample job description shown above provides the duties of the senior estimator role that you can apply to make a captivating and convincing work experience section for your resume.

Senior Estimator Requirements – Skills, Abilities, and Knowledge for Career Success

If you are seeking the job of a senior estimator, it is important to know that recruiters may want you to meet certain requirements to qualify for hiring.

Shown below are major requirements you may be expected to meet if you are applying for the senior estimator role:

• Several years of proven work experience as an assistant or junior estimator
• Excellent oral and written communication skills which enable a senior estimator to effectively liaise with clients, other departments within the organization, and subcontractors, and also report directly to the senior management
• Familiarity with software such as Microsoft Office Word and Excel
• Availability for travel, as a senior estimator is required to visit several project sites
• Particular attention to details, good project management skills, and sound mathematical and numeracy skills, with the ability to solve problems analytically
• A Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management or any other related or relevant field.

Conclusion

If you are a recruiter or HR manager needing to hire for a senior estimator position in your organization, you can make a good description of the role by applying the job description example above as a template.

By publishing a detailed description of the available senior estimator in your organization, you will be able to find the best people for the job who have what it takes to succeed on the job.

This post is also helpful to individuals who are interested in the senior estimator career to increase their knowledge of what the role does.