Cost Estimator

A Cost Estimator with Canadian PR, Citizenship or transferable work permit in Canada is needed to join a dynamic construction project management and engineering consultancy. 

The Cost Estimator job role is to to work with a range of new and repeat clients to price up and set indicative construction budgets for highway, bridge and related civil engineering infrastructure projects to be constructed in Vancouver and around British Columbia, Canada.

This exciting new Estimator / Cost Estimator job will be based in Vancouver to work on fast moving $20m-$200m range civil engineering projects to provide cost estimating and scheduling input.

Project Details

As Cost Estimator, you will be based in Vancouver and will work on a number of projects to be constructed in the greater Vancouver / Lower Mainland part of Canada.  Projects include a range of civil engineering infrastructure, highway and transportation projects within Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. 

The main focus of the Estimating role will be to provide cost estimating and cost input and scheduling advice for an exciting range of highway, road, bridge and bridge rehabilitation projects.

The Estimator employed will need experience and an understanding of building up estimates, cost plans and schedules of work on civil engineering projects, and experience of projects in the $20m-$200m range would be ideal.

The Cost Estimating work completed in this job role will allow contractors interested in tendering for the work and subsequently doing the construction work, to be able to price the project in meaningful and logical sections of work. This will allow projects to be managed using a logical cost monitoring system and program management schedule throughout the project construction phase.

Responsibilities and Duties

This new Cost Estimator job has core duties that include:

• Cost estimating and pricing of projects using a methodology familiar to contractor experienced Cost Estimators
• Advising clients on budgets and in due course helping them to manage their cost management systems. 
• Working within a team of technical advisors and cost estimators
• Commercial management duties
• Live client interface responsibilities 
• Working successfully in a team environment
• Understanding and working to manage project risks
• Costing jobs from drawings using real world experience rather than a purely theoretical approach
• Ability to review tender documents, geotechnical reports and construction drawings and be able to determine project cost estimates
• Able to understand and use HSS, HeavyBid, Bid2Win or other comparable construction sector pricing software 

This Cost Estimator job role requires a proactive and cerebral candidate that is seeking to make a impact on how costs and construction schedules and tenders are compiled and managed throughout the full project lifecycle from pre-construction right to completion.

Desired Skills and Experience

• Around 7 or more years of experience in a similar construction cost estimating job role is expected to be adequate for this challenging role, but it will depend on the quality and background of the applicant's experience gained in their career so far
• Previous Cost estimating experience gained on highways, roads, bridges and bridge rehabilitation projects would be ideal. Alternatively estimating experience on civil engineering infrastructure or transportation projects would also be valuable
• Construction contracting experience is essential, ideally on projects of between $20m-$200m in value.  
• Design & Build (D&B) type of construction experience is desirable to fit with project work to be undertaken
• Some experience of costing civil / structural projects will be helpful
• Experience of advising clients on budgets and managing cost systems is highly desirable
• Experience of working in Canada on civil engineering infrastructure or rail projects is desirable although good quality international experience is also acceptable
• Commercial management experience
• Client interface experience
• Experienced in working in a team environment
• Demonstrable understanding of managing project risks is essential; schedule of rates experience only is not sufficient.
• Hands on experience of using HSS, HeavyBid, Bid2Win or other comparable construction sector pricing software is expected

Previous construction project estimating experience needs to demonstrate the above capabilities and be able to evidence a proactive and innovative approach to the estimating and project costing process and an interest in ensuring that cost systems are set up appropriately to be able to allow costs to be managed throughout the construction process.

Qualifications/Educational Requirements

• A professional qualification in construction is highly desirable although hands on cost estimating and commercial management experience is most critical.
• Canadian Citizenship or the current right to work in Canada is an ESSENTIAL criteria for consideration for this role.

Employing Company Overview and Profile

This employer is a highly regarded specialist project management, engineering, cost and risk management consultancy based in Vancouver, Canada.

They benefit from having an excellent reputation and forward order book of confirmed work on a range of infrastructure, transportation, civil engineering, road,  highway, bridge and rail projects in Canada.

In Vancouver, British Columbia, they have exciting and challenging live work commissions with a number of premium public and private organisations.

A full client profile will be provided to applicants shortlisted for interview.

Additional Benefits Package and Incentives

• Generous salary of around CAD$130k 
• Annual Bonus