Head of Estimating

Forza | Make Your Career Count

Job Description

Are you a commercially minded estimating leader who knows how to turn operational challenges into measurable business improvement?

Forza is looking for a Head of Estimating to lead the next stage in the development of our estimating function. This is an opportunity to take ownership, challenge established ways of working and build a high-performing, customer-focused operation that supports our continued growth.

We’re looking for someone who combines strong commercial judgement with a passion for process improvement, customer service and developing people. Someone who can see the bigger picture, get into the detail and turn ideas into results.

The opportunity

Working closely with our Managing Director and senior leadership team, you’ll take ownership of the estimating function, strengthening its performance, developing its people and improving how we work across Sales, Production, Finance, Operations and Marketing.

You’ll have the opportunity to shape processes, improve systems, develop team capability and influence how we deliver for our customers. Your impact will be visible across the business, from the speed and accuracy of quotations to customer satisfaction, conversion rates and commercial performance.

What you’ll be responsible for

· Transforming estimating performance: Review and improve processes, workflows and ways of working to create an efficient, responsive and consistent function.

· Leading day-to-day estimating delivery: Ensure quotations are accurate, competitive and delivered within agreed timescales, with clear priorities, accountability and effective workload management across the team.

· Improving commercial outcomes: Increase quote conversion, strengthen pricing discipline and protect sustainable margins.

· Putting customers first: Improve quotation turnaround, reduce order alterations and ensure customer requirements are translated into accurate, commercially viable solutions.

· Building strong partnerships: Work collaboratively with Sales, Production, Finance, Operations and Marketing to align customer expectations with manufacturing capabilities.

· Developing people and performance: Lead, motivate and develop the estimating team, establishing clear accountability, meaningful KPIs and a culture of continuous improvement.

· Improving systems and processes: Introduce consistent estimating standards, effective controls and clear reporting, using data, technology and structured problem-solving to improve accuracy, productivity and visibility of performance.

· Supporting business strategy: Partner with the leadership team to identify opportunities, manage commercial risk and contribute to Forza’s longer-term ambitions.

What success looks like

You’ll join with a clear mandate to make a difference. Success will be measured through tangible improvements in quotation turnaround, estimating accuracy, conversion rates, commercial margins and team performance. You’ll establish clear baselines, agree measurable objectives and build sustainable improvements that benefit customers and the wider business.

Beyond the numbers, success means building a stronger team, better processes and a more customer-focused estimating operation.

What you’ll bring

We’re looking for a proven estimating leader who combines technical understanding and strong commercial judgement with strategic thinking and hands-on delivery.

You’ll ideally bring:

• Proven experience leading an estimating or technically focused commercial function within manufacturing, construction products, specialist joinery or a related sector.
• Strong knowledge of technical quotations, costing, pricing and margin management, with experience leading or significantly improving an estimating function.
• A track record of developing teams and delivering measurable improvements in business performance.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including pricing, margin management, forecasting and performance analysis.
• Excellent leadership, communication, influencing and stakeholder-management skills.
• A structured, analytical approach to problem-solving and continuous improvement.
• Experience using CRM and estimating software.

Experience in doors, specialist joinery, passive fire protection or related manufacturing processes would be a distinct advantage. We also welcome candidates from adjacent technical manufacturing or construction-product sectors who can demonstrate relevant transferable experience.

The person we’re looking for

You’re commercially astute, curious and pragmatic. You’re comfortable challenging the status quo, but you bring people with you. You use evidence to make decisions, take ownership of outcomes and understand that great estimating is about more than producing a price: it’s about winning the right business, delivering for customers and protecting profitability.

Above all, you want to make a tangible difference.

Why Forza?

At Forza, we make careers count. We’re a growing UK manufacturer with ambitious plans and a practical, customer-focused approach to how we work. Our values - Make Sure, Make Customers Happy, Make it Work and Make Your Mark - guide how we work together and deliver for customers.

This is an opportunity to make a genuine difference, with the autonomy to shape a critical function, develop a capable team and influence performance across the business.

Ready to make your mark?

If you’re an experienced estimating leader looking for a role where you can combine technical expertise, commercial impact, operational improvement and people leadership, we’d like to hear from you.

Join Forza and make your career count.

Forza is committed to attracting talented people who can bring new perspectives, challenge constructively and help us build for the future.

If this role is of interest to you and you would like a confidential discussion please contact Diane Ward (dianeward@forza-doors.com) with a CV.

Pay: £75,000.00-£90,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Flexitime
• Free parking
• Health & wellbeing programme
• Life insurance
• On-site parking
• Referral programme

Work Location: In person