TAG Catering Equipment UK has been designing, supplying, and installing commercial kitchens and bar fit-outs since 1988, working with some of the most respected names across the hospitality and foodservice sectors, from independent operators and Michelin-starred restaurants to five-star hotels and high-profile venue groups.
Our work goes well beyond equipment supply. We design in-house, fabricate bespoke stainless steel, supply extract canopies, and deliver complete turnkey fit-outs across the UK. Our teams of designers, sales specialists, and project managers work closely together from initial enquiry through to installation, ensuring every project is delivered to the standard our clients expect.
We are now seeking a Pre-Contracts Manager to take ownership of the commercial process at the heart of the business. You will be someone who can manage pre-contract activity end-to-end, maintain pricing accuracy and structure, and support the team in winning and delivering work profitably.
The Role
This is a commercially-driven, office-based position that connects our sales, design, and project delivery teams. You’ll take projects from initial enquiry through to confirmed order, managing the full tendering and pre-contract process, producing accurate costings, and ensuring a clean, structured handover into delivery.
You’ll work across a portfolio of projects ranging from smaller fit-out packages to major contracts worth up to £1.5m, tendering both from our direct customer base and in response to consultant-led specifications. You’ll line-manage up to two members of the sales and project support team, taking full responsibility for the quality and timely delivery of tenders and quotes produced by the team.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Pre-Contracts & Commercial
- Reviewing tender documentation, drawings, and specifications
- Preparing and submitting accurate project costings and quotations using our in-house pricing software, and pricing bespoke items separately
- Managing the pre-contract process from initial enquiry through to order placement
- Applying commercial rigour through clear qualifications, value engineering, and risk awareness
- Building and maintaining supplier relationships to support competitive, accurate pricing
- Reviewing contract terms including JCT and other standard forms of contract where applicable
- Project Coordination & Handover
- Raising and managing purchase orders, procurement schedules, and supplier coordination
- Planning and tracking project programmes and delivery timelines
- Working closely with our in-house project management team to ensure a structured, well-documented handover from pre-contract to delivery
- Managing variations, re-costing, and change control throughout the pre-contract phase
- Team & Stakeholder Management
- Line-managing up to two members of the sales and projects support team, with responsibility for their daily workload, deadlines, and quality of output
- Collaborating day-to-day with our design, sales, and project delivery teams
- Communicating clearly with clients and consultants throughout the pre-contract process
The Fit
Essential
- Proven experience in estimating, pre-contracts, or commercial management, ideally in catering equipment, kitchen fit-out, specialist subcontracting, or a related sector
- Strong attention to detail and commercial awareness – you’re confident building and checking costs and you know when something doesn’t add up
- Excellent organisational skills — you can manage multiple tenders and projects simultaneously, maintaining quality and meeting deadlines under pressure
- A natural communicator who can work effectively across design, sales, and delivery teams
- Comfortable line-managing others – you take ownership of your team’s workload and help them deliver to a high standard
Desirable
- Ability to read and interpret technical drawings and specifications
- Familiarity with contract types such as JCT or other standard small works contracts
- Experience using project programming tools such as Smartsheet, MS Project, or similar
- Confident use of Excel for pricing, scheduling, and tracking
- Experience in hospitality, foodservice, or M&E fit-out environments
What We Offer
- Salary of £45,000 – £55,000 OTE, depending on experience
- Performance-related bonus linked to commercial accuracy and margin performance
- A varied, project-based role working across a portfolio of high-profile and prestigious fit-outs for some of the most respected names in hospitality
- A collaborative, experienced team across design, sales, and project delivery
- Clear progression opportunity as the commercial function continues to grow
- Based at our Stevenage office, with occasional site visits as required
- Hybrid and flexible working, with 3 – 4 days in our Stevenage office
- Paid-for travel
- Wellbeing Employee Assistance Programme
- Company pension & life insurance
- Competitive holiday allowance including Bank Holidays
- Regular team lunches and events
- The opportunity to dine for free at our project sites including fine-dining restaurants and 5* hotels
#J-18808-Ljbffr…