Job Description

At Unita, we build spaces where people love to work, shop, stay and connect – from high-end retail and hospitality, to health and commercial fitouts across Australia. But great spaces don’t build themselves. Great teams do.

People have always been at the heart of what we do. From humble beginnings to national growth, our ambition has never outweighed our values. We’re fuelled by a shared passion to build better, together.

We’re looking for a Pre-Construction & Estimation Manager to lead and integrate our front-end commercial engine – shaping, pricing and positioning projects to win while remaining hands-on in estimating delivery

This is a key leadership role responsible for protecting revenue, margin and reputation, while ensuring projects transition cleanly and confidently into Delivery.

The role

As Pre-Construction & Estimation Manager, you’ll sit at the intersection of strategy, commercial discipline and technical excellence.

You’ll lead estimation and pre-construction as one integrated function – ensuring opportunities are assessed strategically, tenders are commercially sharp, risks are identified and managed, and Delivery teams receive structured, confident handovers.

You’ll partner closely with the GM and Delivery team, providing commercial insight, pipeline clarity and disciplined win strategies that align with BU revenue and GP targets.

What you’ll be responsible for

• Leading and prioritising tender pipeline aligned to revenue and GP targets
• Developing clear win strategies and assessing tenders for strategic fit and risk exposure
• Protecting margin through disciplined pricing, subcontractor vetting and scope clarity
• Integrating design, pricing and buildability thinking early
• Owning risk identification, documentation and contractual review processes
• Stepping into complex or high-risk tenders as lead estimator
• Delivering clean, complete handovers with clear assumptions and risk registers
• Maintaining accurate WIP reporting and pipeline forecasting
• Building, coaching and leading a high-performing estimation team

What great looks like

• Pipeline is intentional, prioritised and commercially aligned
• Tenders are competitive, professionally presented and margin-protected
• Risk is identified early, challenged constructively and never carried silently into Delivery
• Estimation and pre-construction operate with rhythm, structure and accountability
• Delivery receives complete, confident handovers
• The estimation team is engaged, accountable and consistently improving

Who this role suits

This role suits a commercially astute leader who brings structure to complexity and discipline to opportunity.

You’re likely someone who is:

• Commercially sharp – you protect margin and understand risk deeply
• Structured and accountable – you create rhythm, clarity and ownership
• Decisive under pressure – you make informed calls in tight tender timeframes
• Collaborative and influential – you align GM, SPM, Delivery and consultants
• Detail-driven but strategic – you can zoom in on scope and zoom out to pipeline impact
• Naturally aligned to the Unita Way – you take responsibility, work well with others, and look for better ways of doing things

Experience we’re looking for

• Strong experience in commercial fit-out/construction estimating and pre-construction
• Demonstrated experience managing tenders across varied project values and complexity
• Proven people leadership or mentoring capability
• Strong commercial, contractual and financial acumen
• Relevant tertiary qualification in Construction, Quantity Surveying or similar (preferred)
• Driver’s licence (mandatory)

What’s next

If this opportunity has your name written all over it, we’d love to hear from you.

Submit your application and tell us a little about why you’d be a great addition to the team.

At Unita, every team member shapes our culture in their own unique way. We value different backgrounds, perspectives and experiences, and we’re committed to creating a workplace where people feel safe, respected and able to do their best work. If this role excites you but you don’t tick every box, we still welcome your application.

PS - we’re handling this one in-house, no recruitment agencies please.