Senior Estimator

About the Role

Craft Group is seeking a Senior Estimation Engineer to lead the preparation and review of major construction tenders in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This full-time role requires extensive experience in pricing complex projects, a strong understanding of construction methods, subcontractor markets, commercial risks, and tender strategy. The position is critical for ensuring accurate and competitive project pricing.

Key Responsibilities

• Review tender drawings, specifications, Bills of Quantities (BOQs), contract conditions, and other tender documents.
• Identify scope gaps, discrepancies, exclusions, qualifications, and key commercial or technical risks.
• Prepare and review detailed quantity take-offs, cost estimates, and rate build-ups.
• Develop complete project pricing, including materials, labor, equipment, subcontractors, preliminaries, logistics, temporary works, testing and commissioning, overheads, risk, and profit.
• Issue Requests for Quotation (RFQs) and obtain competitive quotations from subcontractors and suppliers.
• Review and normalize quotations, ensuring pricing is based on realistic market rates and complete scope.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of Saudi market prices, subcontractor rates, labor productivity, and material costs.
• Coordinate with Procurement, Technical, Planning, Commercial, and Construction teams during tender preparation.
• Review project duration, manpower, productivity, construction methodology, and logistics assumptions, ensuring proper reflection in the estimate.
• Identify value engineering opportunities and provide clear cost comparisons for proposed alternatives.
• Review contractual and commercial risks such as Liquidated Damages (LDs), bonds, retention, payment terms, design responsibility, warranties, and long-lead items.
• Prepare the tender cost summary and supporting information for management review and final price approval.
• Support post-tender clarifications, negotiations, and commercial discussions with the client.
• Upon award, complete a proper handover of the estimate, quotations, assumptions, risks, and agreed commercial position to the project and commercial teams.
• Review the work of junior estimators and support the development of consistent estimation practices and cost databases.

Required Experience and Qualifications

• Minimum of 15 years of relevant estimation and tendering experience with a main contractor or established construction company.
• Strong GCC experience, with good knowledge of the Saudi construction market preferred.
• Previous responsibility for major tenders, preferably projects in the range of SAR 100 million and above.
• Proven experience in preparing complete estimates rather than only quantity take-offs or individual packages.
• A good track record in competitive tenders and awarded projects.
• Experience in complex construction, fit-out, cultural, hospitality, public building, or similar multidisciplinary projects is preferred.

Track Record Requirements

Shortlisted candidates will be required to provide details of the main tenders they have personally handled, including project, client, location, scope, tender value, role/responsibility, tender result, and award value where applicable. During the interview, candidates should be prepared to discuss at least three major tenders in detail, covering price build-up, key subcontract packages, major risks, value engineering, pricing strategy, and final tender outcome.

Role Expectations

This position requires an individual who can independently prepare, review, and defend the complete estimate of a major project. The Senior Estimation Engineer will provide management with a reliable basis for final tender decisions.

Work Environment

This is a full-time position based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, within a dynamic construction environment focused on major multidisciplinary projects.