Applicant MUST:
- Have experience within bespoke joinery or high end metalwork trades
- Be able to solicit enquiries of the highest level
- Be able to carry out estimating themselves as and when necessary
- Be able to create business development opportunities
The job holder is ultimately responsible for obtaining orders for the business. This covers the following functions and activities.
- Management of sales and advertising function and obtaining enquiries of the correct quality to maintain full production load.
- Business Development role within Business Strategy determined by Directors.
- Management of Estimating Department for workload and resources and staff processes.
- Input into tender policy discussions in conjunction with the Directors.
- Follow up of tenders issued with further negotiations as required.
- Liaison with Contracts team where enquiries have originated from their contacts to identify approach to pricing.
- Estimating activities when required (e.g. sub-contract enquiries).
- Collation of order list & management of enquiry/past contracts databases.
- The job holder may also manage contracts direct where deemed appropriate.
Responsibilities
The job holder will be a member of the Management Council and will be expected to support other members of the Management team.
Where the job holder does manage contracts, they should ensure that the Commercial Manager is kept abreast of developments on the contract, so that support can be given as required. This is not a pre-requisite of the role but has been done on occasions by previous incumbents.
RESPONSIBLE FOR
Estimating department. A Senior Estimator is present in the Department who will supervise day to day resourcing and technical support to other estimators although the job holder is responsible for all personnel activities to all staff and for ensuring control on the department is maintained.
Responsible for ensuring that Estimating Junior (if present) receives appropriate training to develop estimating skills
Management of Sales Activities
Controls structured system to manage sales leads and obtains enquiries and orders of correct nature. Ensures that estimating department are fully loaded servicing these enquiries.
Completes advertising activities as required in line with budgets.
Compiles order projections and orders achieved per month.
There may be occasions where the Contracts team support the Sales function by following up sales leads. However the overall responsibility for this activity will remain with the job holder.
Management of Estimating Function
Manages department to ensure that tenders are submitted to requirements.
Identifies areas of competitive advantage within tenders.
Reviews tender pricing with estimators to ensure most competitive approach.
Arranges for sub-contract enquiries if required.
Collates bills for tender submission if required.
Ensures order targets are produced for manufacturing / procurement function.
Manages system for follow up of tenders submitted.
Liaison with Contracts Managers
There will be occasions where enquiries have originated from contacts made by the Contracts Team. The job holder is responsible for promoting discussion with the Contracts Team regarding these enquiries so that the best approach can be made in terms of policy and contact etc. The full responsibility for estimating these enquiries however will remain with the Estimating Team.
Management of Contracts
There may be occasions where the job holder manages selected contracts (in discussion with the Directors). In this event the job holder is to ensure that the day to day operation of the estimating and sales functions are not affected.
In the event that a contracts manager from the Contracts Team works for the job holder on a contract the overall responsibility for that contract will remain with the job holder (as the lead on the contract). The job holder is responsible to ensure that the Commercial Manager is kept informed of progress on these contracts so that issues can be identified and rectified before they become a problem.
Other systems that are pertinent to this role are as follows:
- Shopfitter Estimating system
- Target hours production
- Internal orders and Order Confirmation
- Distribution of Estimate Figures
- Accounts & overhead recovery
- Manufacturing methods and policies