Job Description:

Pre-Contracts Manager – Hospitality Fit Out

Salary and Package

£45,000 - £55,000 OTE, depending on experience, plus performance-related bonus.

Benefits: hybrid and flexible working, paid travel, company pension, life insurance, Employee Assistance Programme, competitive holiday allowance including Bank Holidays, laptop and mobile technology, regular team lunches and events, and the opportunity to experience completed hospitality venues.

Location

Stevenage, Hertfordshire (Hybrid Working)

Full-time, Permanent Position

An excellent opportunity has arisen for a Pre-Contracts Manager to join a well-established specialist fit-out business. This Pre-Contracts Manager role sits at the centre of the commercial function, coordinating projects from initial enquiry through to confirmed order. The successful Pre-Contracts Manager will work closely with sales, design, procurement, and delivery teams, ensuring tenders are commercially robust and accurately costed. This Pre-Contracts Manager position offers a varied workload across projects of differing sizes and complexity, making it ideal for an experienced commercial professional looking to take ownership of the pre-contract process. The Pre-Contracts Manager will also play an important role in supporting team development and maintaining high standards across all tender submissions.

About the Company

This established business has been delivering specialist commercial fit-out projects across the hospitality and foodservice sectors for decades. With in-house design, manufacturing, procurement, and project delivery capabilities, the company provides complete turnkey solutions and has developed a strong reputation for quality, reliability, and technical expertise.

Why Join Them

This is a stable and growing business with a healthy pipeline of work and a collaborative team culture. You'll work alongside experienced professionals across commercial, design, and project delivery functions while enjoying genuine autonomy within your role. The position offers exposure to a wide range of projects, opportunities for progression as the commercial team expands, and the support needed to perform at a high level.

About the Role

This office-based role is responsible for managing the pre-contract process from enquiry through to project handover. Projects range from smaller fit-out packages to larger contracts valued up to £1.5 million.

Key responsibilities include:

• Reviewing tender documents, drawings, specifications, and project requirements
• Producing accurate quotations, estimates, and project costings
• Managing the full tendering and pre-contract process through to order placement
• Applying commercial awareness, risk management, and value engineering principles
• Building and maintaining strong supplier relationships to support competitive pricing
• Reviewing contract documentation, including JCT and other standard forms where applicable
• Raising and managing purchase orders and procurement schedules
• Coordinating suppliers and monitoring delivery programmes
• Managing project variations, change control, and re-costing activities
• Preparing structured handovers for project delivery teams
• Line-managing and supporting up to two sales and project support team members
• Monitoring workload, quality standards, and deadlines across the team
• Working closely with design, sales, and project management colleagues
• Maintaining clear communication with customers, consultants, and stakeholders throughout the pre-contract stage

To be considered, you should have:

• Previous experience in estimating, pre-contracts, commercial management, or a similar role
• Strong commercial awareness and excellent attention to detail
• Experience managing multiple tenders and project deadlines simultaneously
• The ability to communicate effectively across different departments and stakeholders
• Previous experience supervising or managing team members
• Strong organisational and planning skills

The following would be advantageous:

• Experience within catering equipment, commercial kitchens, hospitality fit-out, specialist subcontracting, M&E, or related sectors
• Ability to interpret technical drawings and specifications
• Knowledge of JCT or other standard construction contracts
• Experience using project programming software such as MS Project, Smartsheet, or similar
• Strong Excel skills for pricing, scheduling, and project tracking

Summary

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced commercial professional to join a respected and expanding business in a key position. Offering a varied project portfolio, strong team support, hybrid working, and clear progression opportunities, the role provides both responsibility and long-term career potential.

Contact Jack at Up Front Recruitment for more information.