- JOB PURPOSE
The Chief Estimator is responsible for the strategic leadership and operational oversight of the Estimating Department. The primary purpose is to ensure the submission of commercially competitive, technically accurate, and meticulously detailed tenders for large-scale civil engineering projects.
A core mandate of this role is to drive the company’s expansion into the civil construction in the Mining Sector market.
The incumbent will leverage extensive industry contacts to identify private-sector mining opportunities, lead the pre-qualification processes for major mining houses, and oversee the production of complex estimates that account for the unique safety, quality, and logistical rigors of the mining environment.
- KEY JOB OUTPUTS AND ELEMENTS
Output 1: Departmental Leadership & Quality Governance
Lead and professionalize the Johannesburg-based estimating team to meet the highest standards of accuracy.
• Team Management: Oversee a team of Senior and Junior Estimators, ensuring optimal resource allocation across concurrent high-value tenders.
• Standardization: Develop and enforce a “Gold Standard” for tender submissions, including uniform pricing structures, standardized indirect-cost calculations, and rigorous document control.
• Accuracy Oversight: Review all final estimate outputs for arithmetic precision, ensuring that the requirements are met with zero-error reporting.
• Mentorship: Actively develop the technical skills of the team in “First Principles” estimating and the use of CCS software.
Output 2: Mining Sector Market Entry & Origination
Act as the primary catalyst for securing civil construction work within the mining industry.
• Relationship Management: Leverage an existing network of “Decision Makers” (Project Directors, Procurement Heads) within major mining houses (e.g., Anglo American, Glencore, Impala Platinum, Sibanye-Stillwater).
• Work Acquisition: Identify and bring in tender invitations for mining-specific civil works, including tailings storage facilities (TSF), haul roads, plant foundations, and earthworks.
• Sector-Specific Pricing: Develop a library of “Mining-Ready” rates that account for Mine Health and Safety Act (MHSA) compliance, site-specific inductions, and high-spec PPE requirements.
• Strategic Partnerships: Identify potential JV partners or specialist sub-contractors that enhance the firm’s credibility in the mining space.
Output 3: Senior-Level Tender Strategy & Submission
Lead the “Big Picture” strategy for multi-billion Rand infrastructure and mining tenders.
• First Principles Estimating: Lead the preparation of major tenders from first principles, ensuring a deep understanding of resource outputs, plant cycles, and labour productivity.
• Go/No-Go Leadership: Provide the Tender Committee with data-driven recommendations on whether to pursue specific tenders based on risk, resource availability, and margin potential.
• Adjudication Management: Lead the formal tender adjudication meetings, presenting final margins and risk allowances.
• Value Engineering: Identify alternative designs or construction methodologies that provide a competitive edge while maintaining structural integrity.
Output 4: Risk Analysis & Commercial Mitigation
Meticulously identify and price project risks to protect the company’s margins.
• Risk Matrix Development: Create detailed risk registers for every major bid, quantifying geological, weather, currency, and labour-related risks.
• Contractual Review: Work with the legal team to analyse the commercial impact of contract conditions (FIDIC, NEC3/4, or Mining-House specific bespoke contracts).
• Escalation & Currency: Manage complex escalation formulas and multi-currency pricing for regional projects involving imported components.
- MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS (EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE)
Education
• Primary Degree: B.Sc. or B.Tech in Quantity Surveying, Civil Engineering, or Construction Management.
• Professional Registration: Professional registration with SACQSP (South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession) or ECSA (Engineering Council of South Africa) is highly preferred.
Experience
• Total Career: Minimum of 20 years in the civil engineering construction industry.
• Estimating Expertise: At least 10 years in a Lead Estimator or Chief Estimator capacity, managing tenders in excess of R500 million to R2 billion+.
• Mining Sector: Proven track record (minimum 5-7 years) specifically estimating and winning mining-related civil construction projects.
• Geographical Knowledge: Extensive experience in the South African and SADC construction markets.
- CORE COMPETENCIES & TECHNICAL SKILLS
Technical Skills
• Software Mastery: Expert-level proficiency in RIB CCS (Candy) is mandatory.
• First Principles: Expert knowledge of earthworks, concrete, and infrastructure production rates.
• Mining Standards: Deep understanding of the Mine Health and Safety Act (MHSA) and its cost implications.
• Reporting: Ability to produce “Executive-Ready” tender summary reports that satisfy a detail-oriented leadership style.
Behavioural Competencies
• Meticulous Attention to Detail: A refusal to accept “rounded numbers”; an obsession with the precision of calculations and the clarity of tender qualifications.
• Strategic Networking: The “gravitas” to walk into a mining house and secure a seat at the pre-tender table.
• Leadership & Influence: The ability to command respect from a technical team while navigating the pressures of tight tender deadlines.
• Commercial Acumen: A sharp eye for “where the money is” in a bill of quantities—identifying opportunities for front-loading or claims mitigation.
- KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPIs)
- Tender Hit Rate: Achieving a predefined win ratio for targeted civil and mining tenders.
- Mining Pipeline Growth: Introduction of at least 3–5 qualified mining tender opportunities within the first 6 months.
- Submission Quality: Zero late submissions and zero disqualifications due to administrative or technical non-compliance.
- Departmental Efficiency: Meeting all internal “Tender Milestone” deadlines to allow for adequate Executive review before submission.