Pre Constrcution Manager

Pre-Construction Manager - Main Contractor (Design & Build)
Location: Preston, Lancashire (covering the North West)
Salary/Package: -65,000 - -85,000 + Package
Job Type: Permanent

About the Company
Our client is a well-established, family-founded main contractor with more than a century of history in the construction industry and a reputation built firmly in the North West.

Operating from offices in Lancashire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester, the business delivers new build, refurbishment, extension and fit-out projects. It is supported by its own maintenance, joinery manufacturing and electrical divisions, along with a large directly employed trades workforce.

The business works across the education, health, commercial, industrial, retail, residential, and sports and leisure sectors. Its portfolio includes university buildings, hospital and healthcare schemes, distribution facilities, heritage refurbishments and student accommodation.

Known for working closely with clients and their consultant teams, and with a strong commitment to health and safety, training and in-house skills, the business continues to secure a healthy pipeline of negotiated, framework and two-stage work.

Due to continued growth, they are looking to appoint a Pre-Construction Manager to lead and develop the pre-construction function across the region.

The Role
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Pre-Construction Manager to take ownership of a varied portfolio of schemes from early engagement through to contract award and handover to the delivery team.

The successful candidate will manage projects through RIBA Stages 0-4, with a strong focus on two-stage Design & Build procurement. They will make sure each scheme is commercially viable, technically sound and properly de-risked before it reaches site.

This is a client-facing, hands-on leadership position. You will work closely with clients, consultants, design teams, the supply chain and internal estimating, commercial and operations teams, and report to the Directors on commercial risk and opportunity.

The role would suit a Pre-Construction Manager, Senior Pre-Construction Coordinator, Design Manager or Senior Estimator with main contractor experience who is ready to take the next step in a business that values pre-construction as a key driver of project success.

Key Responsibilities

Pre-Construction & Design Management

• Leading the pre-construction process across RIBA Stages 0-4 on two-stage Design & Build and negotiated projects.
• Managing consultant appointments, scopes of service, BIM requirements and design deliverable schedules.
• Coordinating multidisciplinary design teams and chairing design reviews and buildability workshops.
• Carrying out information gap analyses and arranging specialist surveys and investigations.
• Identifying technical deficiencies, construction constraints and statutory or compliance requirements early.
• Developing and managing pre-construction programmes, milestones and dependencies.
• Producing a robust, well-coordinated handover package for the delivery team.

Commercial & Cost Management

• Developing and monitoring project budgets and NRM-aligned cost plans.
• Overseeing estimating, Bills of Quantities, market testing and subcontractor procurement.
• Leading structured value engineering exercises, challenging specification, design and scope.
• Maintaining risk and opportunity registers and reporting commercial exposure to the Directors.
• Reviewing contract conditions and amendments under NEC and JCT forms with legal advisors.
• Agreeing the second-stage contract sum and ensuring commercial viability at contract award.

Bidding, Clients & Team Leadership

• Supporting two-stage and framework tender submissions, including qualitative and quantitative responses.
• Chairing client-facing progress meetings, design workshops and commercial discussions.
• Building strong long-term relationships with clients, consultants and the supply chain.
• Leading, mentoring and developing pre-construction and estimating staff.
• Driving continuous improvement, standard processes and digital ways of working across the department.

About You

• Proven experience in a pre-construction, design management or senior estimating role with a main contractor.
• Strong background in two-stage Design & Build procurement across RIBA Stages 0-4.
• Experience on new build, refurbishment and fit-out projects in sectors such as education, health, commercial or public sector.
• Sound knowledge of NEC and JCT contracts and framework procurement.
• Confident preparing NRM-aligned cost plans, managing budgets and leading value engineering.
• Experienced in managing consultant teams, design coordination and subcontractor procurement.
• Commercially astute, with a strong understanding of contractual and commercial risk.
• Proficient in estimating and programming software such as ConQuest, Bluebeam, Asta Powerproject or MS Project.
• Excellent communication, presentation and stakeholder management skills.
• A relevant degree or professional qualification (MCIOB, RICS, APM or similar) would be beneficial.
• Full UK driving licence.

What''s on Offer?

• Salary of -65,000 - -85,000, depending on experience.
• Additional package.
• Permanent opportunity with a long-established and highly respected North West main contractor.
• A varied pipeline of education, health, commercial and residential projects.
• Genuine ownership of, and influence over, the pre-construction function.
• A stable, family-founded business with a strong commitment to training and development.
• Long-term career progression within a growing business.

Apply Today
This is a fantastic opportunity for a commercially minded Pre-Construction Manager who wants to lead the pre-construction process on high-quality Design & Build projects across the North West.

If you have experience in two-stage Design & Build, design management, cost planning or pre-construction with a main contractor, we would be keen to hear from you.

Please get in touch today with our Commercial Specialist, Mark Harris, at Building Careers UK for a confidential discussion.

Building Careers UK specialises in Construction and Property recruitment and serves as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and an employment business for the supply of temporary workers. By applying for this job, you accept the Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimers which can be found on our website.

Building Careers UK is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

Please Note: Due to the high volume of applicants, only those shortlisted will be contacted.

INDCOM