Commercial print estimator (zr-742)

Job Description:

Looking for a Commercial Print Estimator who plays a vital role in analyzing job specifications, calculating precise production costs, and generating competitive, profitable quotes for commercial printing, signage, and marketing materials. Acting as a key technical liaison between Sales, Prepress, and Production teams, this position ensures that project budgets align with customer expectations while maintaining company profitability and manufacturing feasibility.

Key Responsibilities:

• Job Specification Analysis: Evaluate incoming customer requests, RFQs, technical drawings, and artwork to determine the most efficient and economical manufacturing processes across digital, offset, and large-format printing.
• Cost Estimation & Calculations: Calculate comprehensive costs for paper stock, substrates, press run times, ink/toner, bindery, and finishing operations (such as cutting, folding, laminating, saddle stitching, perfect binding, Coil Binding, and die-cutting).
• Proposal & Quote Generation: Prepare and issue accurate, detailed quotes and proposals using print management systems (MIS) and Microsoft Excel.
• Vendor & Material Sourcing: Request, compare, and negotiate pricing for specialized paper stocks, custom hardware, and outsourced vendor services.
• Cross-Department Collaboration: Work closely with Customer Service Representatives (CSRs), Sales, and Production Managers to clarify job requirements, adjust parameters as needed, and evaluate production timelines.
• Cost Variance Analysis: Compare completed job metrics against initial estimates to identify costing variances, analyze profitability, and refine future estimating procedures.
• Pricing System Maintenance: Help maintain and update costing databases, equipment rates, and paper vendor pricing structures within the estimating system.

Qualifications & Requirements:

• Experience: Minimum of 3–5 years of print estimating, pre-production, or purchasing experience in a commercial print shop environment.
• Technical Knowledge: Strong understanding of commercial printing equipment (digital, ink jet printing, wide-format), paper sizing/weights, press imposition, and finishing techniques.
• Software Skills: Proficiency with print management/estimating software (EFI PrintSmith) and PrintSpeak (CRM).
• Core Competencies: Exceptional mathematical, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities with keen attention to detail.
• Communication & Deadline Management: Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to manage tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Other Details:

• Job Timings: On-site (6:00 pm till 3:00 am PKT)
• Office location: Off Shahrah-e-Faisal, PECHS, Karachi.

Required Skills:

• Hardware Estimates
• Calculations
• Variance Analysis
• Print Structures
• Collaboration
• Operations
• Stocks Analysis
• Sourcing
• Timelines
• Purchasing
• CRM
• Metrics
• Manufacturing
• Specifications
• Attention To Detail
• Communication Skills
• Databases
• Materials
• Excel Software
• Microsoft Excel
• Maintenance
• Marketing
• Sales
• Customer Service
• Communication Management