Employee Profile: Katie Walker

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Meet Katie – Assistant Estimator at ODGroup

From theatre school to tender wins, Katie’s career journey is an example of how transferable skills and work ethic can open doors in unexpected industries.

After joining ODGroup in 2017 as a Pre-construction Coordinator, she steadily carved out a path for herself in the estimating world, proving that with curiosity, perseverance, and the right team around you, you can thrive in a completely new industry.

When she returned from maternity leave in June 2021, she stepped into her current role as Assistant Estimator bringing energy, organisation, and a great sense of humour to the pre-construction team.

“My background was in performing, so I’ve learned construction on the job and I’m really thankful to everyone who’s taken the time to answer my questions and help me along the way.”

What Katie does day-to-day.

Estimating is all about the numbers. Katie’s role is to calculate how much it will cost ODGroup to deliver a project.

Working from architectural and Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) drawings, she measures the designs, sends out enquiries to the supply chain, gathers subcontractor quotes, and compiles the final tender submission.

She splits her time between running her own tenders and supporting the wider estimating team on theirs, making sure every cost is accounted for and deadlines are hit.

“That’s it in a nutshell, we price the job, we submit the tender, and ultimately, we want to win.”

Project highlight: Kilburn & Strode

Katie’s proudest project to date is also her most significant: securing the Kilburn & Strode project for ODCreate. It was the first tender she priced independently and we won.

“That win meant a lot. It was a big moment of validation and a huge step forward in my career.”

What motivates Katie?

Katie thrives on pressure and deadlines. While tender periods can be intense, especially in the final days, she keeps her cool by staying positive and focused.

She’s also motivated by the reality of the job: that sometimes you can do everything right and still not win the work. For Katie, resilience is just part of the process.

“It’s important to remember you won’t win them all. But when you do—it’s a great feeling.”

Skills and strengths

• Resilience – Katie handles pressure and setbacks with positivity.
• Attention to detail – essential when working with complex pricing and tight deadlines.
• Communication – she builds great relationships with the supply chain and keeps everyone aligned.
• Stage presence – not many estimators can say they’ve been in Harry Potter, Casualty, and on the West End stage!
• Karaoke queen – she might not perform anymore, but hand her a mic and she’ll steal the show.

Katie is proof that you don’t need a traditional background to progress in a career in construction, just the willingness to learn, work hard, and embrace the challenge.