Proposal and Estimation Specialist - Tomago
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Varley Group is an Australian company that has a rich history spanning over 138+ years. We have evolved into a highly successful, diverse, and multi-national engineering and manufacturing firm servicing a wide variety of major sectors including emergency service, defence, health care, cyber security, mining, marine, rail and more. Varley Group’s network of subsidiaries includes: Norship, SEM Fire & Rescue, Air Boats International, EMC Electric Vehicles, IDES, Introspectus and Frame Group.
With over 1,200 employees in the Varley Group, our company reputation is built on providing first-class work, manufacturing quality products, and providing unsurpassed service. It is our broad but specialised skills base, and employees that have a passion for doing a good job that gives us a competitive edge.
Here at Varley, we strongly believe in these core values:
Safety - Maintain a safe and healthy workplace for all employees in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
Customer Focus - We provide the best customer service through open and honest relationships.
Quality of Workmanship - We take pride in our work to ensure we provide high quality products, services and employees.
Acceptance of Change - To adapt to changes in customer needs, technology and social media demands.
Success - We secure continuing financial, technical and market success.
The Role :
We are seeking a Proposal and Estimation Specialist to join our Defence team based at our Tomago site. In this role, you will be responsible for preparing and submitting quotations, proposals, and tenders for a variety of Defence-related projects. This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a dynamic and collaborative team delivering mission-critical solutions.
Key Responsibilities:
• Identify and evaluate tender opportunities, maintaining accurate records of all bid-related activities.
• Review and interpret tender documentation to develop and deliver detailed and comprehensive proposals on time.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders across Engineering, Project Management, Operations, Commercial, WHS, and HR to develop compliant tender responses.
• Prepare cost estimates, price strategies, delivery schedules, risk assessments, and competitive proposal documentation.
• Analyse engineering drawings and technical specifications to accurately estimate labour, material, and subcontractor costs.
• Provide insights into value-engineering and cost-saving opportunities.
• Liaise with customers and suppliers to clarify technical and commercial requirements.
• Support negotiation efforts to secure commercially favourable outcomes.
• Drive competitive pricing through data-driven analysis, historical benchmarks, and subject matter input.
• Lead and participate in tender kickoff meetings, bid progress reviews and project handovers.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with customers and suppliers.
Requirements for this role include:
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven experience in a similar role within a manufacturing, engineering or the Defence sector.
• Strong knowledge of Australian and international engineering/manufacturing standards.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced and deadline-driven environment.
• A self-motivated, professional, and solutions-focused approach.
• Demonstrated success in preparing and delivering competitive proposals.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Relevant qualifications in Engineering, Estimating, or Project Management (highly regarded).
• Exposure to contract terms and conditions (advantageous).
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within cross-functional teams.
• Familiarity with CAD systems (e.g., Autodesk Inventor) is desirable.
Why Us:
With over 1,200 employees, our company reputation is built on providing first-class work, manufacturing quality products, and providing unsurpassed service. It is our broad but specialized skills base, and employees that have a passion for doing a good job that gives us a competitive edge. We are looking for employees that want to help us continue on this journey.
Our people matter to us, so we provide:
• Variety of work on innovating and market leading projects.
• Discounted access to the Fitness Passport – giving you access to hundreds of fitness and sporting centres across Australia.
• Opportunity for career development and encouragement to work across teams to build your skills and experience.
• Access to our employee assistance program.
To Apply:
If this sounds like the role you are looking for, please send your resume and a cover letter outlining your experience. As part of the recruitment process for this role, a set of screening questions were emailed via our candidate application platform. These questions are designed to further understand your experience, career goals, and assess how they align with the requirements of the role.
Please note that it is crucial to complete the screening questions to proceed with your application. Applicants who do not complete these questions will regrettably not be considered for further steps in the selection process. We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and look forward to reviewing your responses.
We know that diverse teams are high performing teams. At Varley Group, we welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds, and we are an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. Would you like a copy of the job advertisement in an alternative format or need support with your application? Please contact us via
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