Head of Pre-Construction
Salary: Competitive + Performance Bonus + Car Allowance/Company Car + Private Healthcare
Are you a commercially driven Pre-Construction leader looking to shape the future of a growing Design & Build contractor?
We’re partnering with an established commercial fit-out specialist seeking an experienced Head of Pre-Construction to lead its front-end delivery function. This is a key leadership role with significant influence over commercial strategy, profitability, bid quality and business growth.
The Role
Reporting into the senior leadership team, you’ll take ownership of the entire pre-construction process—from early client engagement through to contract award—ensuring projects are commercially robust, competitively priced and successfully handed over for delivery.
This is an opportunity to lead a high-performing team while working closely with clients, consultants and internal stakeholders on major commercial Design & Build projects.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the pre-construction function across multiple commercial fit-out projects.
- Develop bid strategies, pricing, risk allowances and margin targets.
- Own client presentations, pitches and commercial negotiations.
- Manage estimating, cost planning, feasibility studies and pre-construction programmes.
- Ensure designs are commercially viable and buildable.
- Validate cost plans, programmes and assumptions with operational teams.
- Drive value engineering while protecting quality and profitability.
- Oversee commercial governance, contracts, change control and cash flow.
- Build and mentor a high-performing pre-construction team.
- Act as the senior commercial point of contact for clients, consultants and supply chain partners.
About You
You’ll ideally bring:
- Proven experience leading Pre-Construction or Commercial teams within a Design & Build contractor.
- Strong experience pricing and delivering projects valued at £5m+.
- Excellent knowledge of commercial office fit-out and wider commercial property sectors.
- Strong commercial acumen with excellent risk management skills.
- Experience leading client negotiations and presenting at senior stakeholder level.
- Previous experience managing and developing teams.
- Strong knowledge of JCT contracts and commercial governance.
- Excellent communication, negotiation and leadership skills.
What’s on Offer
- Competitive salary (DOE)
- Performance-related bonus
- Company car or car allowance
- Private healthcare
- Pension scheme
- Opportunity to shape commercial strategy within a growing business
- Work on flagship commercial Design & Build projects valued between £1m–£10m
- Genuine long-term leadership opportunity with significant influence across the business.