Chief Estimator

Job Description

The Chief Estimator (MEI) leads the mechanical, electrical, instrumentation and control estimating function for EPC / EPCC tenders for oil & gas, refinery, petrochemical and gas-processing projects across the Middle East and North Africa. The role is accountable for the accuracy, competitiveness and consistency of all MEI estimates, and for reviewing and signing them off before submission.

• Lead, allocate and review the work of the mechanical, piping and E&I estimating team across several tenders running at the same time; set priorities and internal deadlines.
• Review and sign off quantities, unit rates, productivity norms, subcontract prices and the basis-of-estimate before submission.
• Set the estimating strategy for each tender with Construction and Planning – self-perform vs. subcontract, prefabrication / modularisation and construction methodology.
• Oversee & deliver the estimates for:
  • Mechanical – static and rotating equipment installation, storage tanks and packaged units
  • Piping – shop / yard prefabrication, field erection, supports, NDT, PWHT, painting and insulation
  • Flowlines and pipelines – welding, coating, lowering-in and tie-ins
  • Electrical – transformers, switchgear, MCCs, cabling, containment, earthing and lighting
  • Instrumentation & control – field instruments, hook-ups, DCS, ESD / SIS, F&G, PLC, SCADA and telecoms
  • Hydrotesting, pre-commissioning, loop checks, mechanical completion and commissioning support
• Own the MEI cost database, productivity norms and benchmarks; set estimating standards and templates for the team.
• Validate estimates against benchmarks, ratios and awarded-project data; challenge quantity and rate assumptions.
• Lead the MEI input to risk & opportunity, contingency, escalation and value-engineering alternatives.
• Present and defend estimates at tender review and management approval meetings; support negotiations and post-bid client clarifications.
• Develop strategic relationships with fabrication yards, E&I subcontractors and equipment vendors across the GCC.
• Mentor and train estimators, assess performance and support recruitment; capture lessons learned from awarded projects.
• Delivering several large tenders at once with a limited team, without losing quality.
• Balancing competitiveness against risk when FEED is limited and piping, cable and instrument quantities are uncertain.
• Volatile steel, alloy and copper prices and long lead times for major equipment and control systems.
• Complex scope splits between vendor packages, client free-issue items and contractor scope; heavy-lift logistics.
• Keeping estimates consistent across three disciplines, clients and countries.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical or Instrumentation Engineering (mandatory).
• 10–15 years of estimating experience with EPC contractors on oil & gas, refinery, petrochemical or gas-processing projects in the Middle East, including at least 5 years leading the MEI discipline.

Additional Information

Depending on the nature of the position and its associated compliance risk level, a background check on your profile may be carried out.