Project Manager (Pre Contracts)

If you're looking to bring your site-based experience into a new environment where you can apply your skills in a strategic and collaborative setting, this could be the ideal next step in your career.

We’re seeking an experienced Project Manager with a strong background in delivering civil and large infrastructure projects and a hunger for winning work. This role offers a unique chance to pivot your career while staying close to the action, contributing to major projects from a strategic vantage point.

Reporting to the Pre-Contracts Manager, you’ll take the lead as Bid Manager, steering the bid process from concept to submission. You’ll be responsible for crafting high-quality proposals that reflect our capabilities and vision, working closely with a team of passionate professionals to gather insights, data, and technical input.

This position represents a significant professional transition. It offers the opportunity to leverage your site-based project delivery experience within a strategic, office-based environment. While the role remains fast-paced and demanding, it introduces a new dimension of engagement centered on collaboration, planning, and the pursuit of new business. This is an ideal next step for professionals seeking to broaden their impact and contribute meaningfully to the success of major infrastructure projects from a pre-contracts perspective.

About the Role

• Achieve “Preferred Tenderer” status (or similar) and ultimately contract award for the tender.
• Ensure the bid is prepared in accordance with the MMS, primarily New Business and Strategy Operating Standard
• In conjunction with the Pre Contracts Manager, Estimating Manager and Proposal Manager, determine the resource allocation for the tender and the tender budget.
• Develop a thorough understanding of clients’ requirements and ensure bid documentation is accurate and properly reviewed.
• Ensure bid control mechanisms, bid programme, review schedule, work breakdown structure tender vetting summary, risk register and writing plan are established at the outset of a tender
• Lead the tender kick off meeting, bringing in prepositioning information and assigning tasks and timeframes to the tender team.
• Attend or arrange for representatives to attend site visits. Gain thorough understanding of local conditions.
• Ensure the non price submission conforms to the clients’ requirements and that correct input is sourced from subject matter experts
• Ensure that estimates are compiled to conform to the client specification / design brief.
• Represent the company at site inspections and in pre-award negotiations with clients, suppliers and subcontractors.

About You

To be successful in this role you will have the following skills and experiences :

Don’t tick all the boxes but you’re still excited about this opportunity? We’re dedicated to building a diverse workplace, so we also look at applicants with great transferable skills from similar industries.

If that's you, we encourage you to still apply as you may just be the right candidate for this role or one of our other opportunities.

About Us

McConnell Dowell – Creative Construction

Our purpose is Providing a Better Life. We do that through delivering projects that connect, support and sustain communities, and through providing career opportunities that challenge, reward and grow our people.

From remote major resources and energy projects to city-shaping transport and water infrastructure, we have constructed thousands of high-quality, complex projects for our customers and communities over more than 60 years, in Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and Southeast Asia.

Why join us?

The work you’ll do will have a tangible positive impact on people’s lives, including yours. The diversity of our projects, roles and locations means greater development opportunities. We invest in our people to set and reach personal and professional goals and we have some of the best mentoring minds in the business to help you do that. Because when you grow, we all grow.

McConnell Dowell actively seeks and celebrates diversity, inclusion, and individuality. In a culture low on ego and high on support, we encourage everyone to make an impact. We're big enough to take on community-shaping projects, but agile enough for you to have an influence on how we do things.

So, join us, be you, and help us create better together.  Apply now!

We are an equal opportunity employer. People of all ages, abilities, sexual orientation, gender identities & cultures.

Please note all successful applicants must hold valid work rights for New Zealand and / or Pacific Islands and pass a satisfactory pre-employment medical which includes drug and alcohol checks.

This role is being sourced through McConnell Dowell directly and not accepting applications via external recruitment agencies.