Pre-Construction Manager
* Established Main Contractor
* Head Office Based Location Kent
* Salary £100,000 - £110,000 Basic + Package
An excellent opportunity has arisen for an experienced Pre-Construction Project Manager to join a successful and growing principal contractor. This is a key role within the pre-construction team, focused predominantly on single-stage tender opportunities. The successful candidate will lead the pre-construction process, ensuring tender programmes, methodology, buildability, risk, commercial strategy and cost submissions are fully aligned before submission. Working closely with the Head of Pre-Construction, estimating, design and supply chain teams, you will help deliver technically robust, commercially viable and competitive tender submissions.
The Role
As Pre-Construction Project Manager, you will take ownership of the planning, coordination and technical development of tender submissions. You will review tender information, assess project constraints, challenge design and methodology, and develop programmes and preliminaries that support successful bid outcomes. This position would suit someone with strong buildability knowledge, excellent planning capability and the confidence to work with both internal teams and external clients during the tender process.
Key Responsibilities
You will be responsible for:
* Analysing tender documentation, Employer’s Requirements, design information and site constraints
* Producing detailed tender programmes, including sequencing, critical path, float, resources, plant, procurement lead times, logistics and trade interfaces
* Reviewing construction methodology and design information to improve buildability, reduce risk and optimise time and cost outcomes
* Developing and costing construction preliminaries, including site setup, temporary works, scaffolding, welfare and site management
* Engaging with consultants, supply chain partners and internal teams to validate methodology, durations and programme assumptions
* Carrying out site visits to assess logistics, access, sequencing challenges and existing conditions
* Attending project briefings, tender interviews, presentations and negotiations
* Producing tender deliverables, including programmes, graphical timelines, narrative phasing drawings, prelims breakdowns, risk registers and tender responses
* Presenting programme, methodology, buildability reviews and risk analysis during internal reviews and tender sign-offs
* Maintaining clear records of assumptions, constraints, dependencies and key inputs
* Supporting lessons learned and continuous improvement across pre-construction processes, tools and templates
The Candidate
* The successful candidate will have a strong background in pre-construction, planning, project management or construction delivery, ideally gained with a main contractor or principal contractor.
* You will be confident analysing tender documentation, developing programmes and challenging methodology to improve project outcomes. Strong commercial awareness is essential, along with the ability to balance risk, cost, time and buildability.
* You should also be comfortable presenting to senior stakeholders, engaging with clients and supply chain partners, and managing multiple tenders under tight deadlines.
* Experience using Asta Powerproject would be highly beneficial.
Key Requirements
* Strong buildability awareness
* Excellent communication, presentation and stakeholder management skills
* Strong planning and sequencing capability
* Proficiency in planning software, ideally Asta Powerproject
* Good commercial awareness
* Ability to assess risk, constraints and opportunities
* Strong leadership and coordination skills
* Professional and credible approach with clients, consultants and internal teams
* Ability to manage multiple tenders and deadlines
* Willingness to travel to sites and client offices when required
Package
A competitive salary and benefits package will be offered to the successful candidate, dependent on experience. This is an excellent opportunity to join a growing contractor in a pivotal pre-construction role, with the chance to influence tender strategy, improve buildability and support the continued success of the business