Chief Estimator

Overview

Salary: $150,000 - $215,000, based on experience

Our client is a well established commercial construction firm in the Northeast, known for combining the personal touch of a family run business with the expertise and scale of a much larger company. Their portfolio spans corporate, hospitality, retail, multiunit, and civic projects, and they have built a strong reputation for client satisfaction and steady growth. Their culture blends serious craftsmanship with a team-first environment that values flexibility, growth opportunities, and pride in work.

• Lead and oversee all estimating and preconstruction activities across the organization.
• Establish estimating standards, procedures, tools, and best practices.
• Manage estimating department staffing, workload, resource allocation, and recruiting efforts.
• Lead the pursuit strategy for major and complex projects.
• Review and approve conceptual budgets, GMPs, negotiated proposals, and final estimates.
• Collaborate with Operations leadership to develop project execution strategies.
• Support business development efforts, client presentations, interviews, and proposal development.
• Develop and maintain relationships with clients, architects, engineers, subcontractors, and suppliers.
• Oversee value engineering, constructability reviews, risk assessments, and logistics planning.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and professional development for Estimators and Senior Estimators.
• Monitor market trends, labor conditions, material pricing, and subcontractor capacity.
• Drive continuous improvement in estimating technology, systems, and processes.
• Participate in strategic planning and contribute to company growth initiatives.

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or a related field preferred.
• 10+ years of commercial construction estimating experience.
• 5+ years of estimating leadership or management experience.
• Strong experience with negotiated work, conceptual estimating, budgeting, and preconstruction services.
• Experience delivering across various contract delivery methods, including stipulated sum, GMP, and cost plus.
• Proven ability to lead large and complex commercial construction pursuits.
• Strong technical understanding of construction means, methods, scheduling, procurement, and project delivery.
• Demonstrated success leading teams and developing estimating talent.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and relationship building skills.
• Proficiency with estimating software, scheduling software, project management platforms, and construction technology tools.

• A leadership seat at the table with Operations, Business Development, and Executive Leadership on every major pursuit.
• The opportunity to build and shape a growing estimating department from the ground up, including hiring, mentoring, and process.
• A leadership role with a well established, growing firm known for steady project flow and a strong reputation in the region.
• 13 paid holidays and five weeks of PTO.
• 401k with company match.
• Full healthcare, vision, and dental coverage.
• Ongoing learning and development training, plus a culture that genuinely celebrates wins, big and small.