Preconstruction Manager - Cleveland

About the Company - Celebrating 100 Years of Building Community & 100% Employee-Owned

Higley Construction has been one of the most experienced and respected construction firms in the region. The company surpassed 100 years in business-a century shaped by an unwavering commitment to its core values of people, ethics, respect, commitment, and excellence. Since its founding in 1925, Higley Construction has partnered with clients to bring their goals and visions to life, consistently guided by honesty, integrity, and mutual respect.

At Higley Construction, we build more than buildings - we build trust, relationships, and communities. From the offices where you work, to the schools where you learn, and the hospitals where you heal, we create environments where people can live, work, and thrive. With every project, we go beyond bricks and mortar to connect people and place, delivering spaces that stand the test of time.

As a 100% Employee-Owned Company, we foster a culture of shared success, job stability, and long-term financial growth for all employees. Within the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), you're building more than a career - you're building ownership.

Position Overview:

Higley Construction is seeking an experienced Preconstruction Manager to oversee and lead the preconstruction process across a diverse range of commercial construction projects. This role is integral to setting projects up for success by a combination of lump sum bidding, quantifying building systems, managing budgets, schedules, constructability, and risk analysis from the earliest stages of development through contract award. The Preconstruction Manager will work closely with owners, architects, engineers, and consultants to ensure design solutions align with project goals and budget constraints.

This position is ideal for an experienced construction professional who thrives on early project involvement, strategy development, and team leadership.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage the entire preconstruction process from project pursuit/bidding through final pricing and contract execution.

• Participate in competitive bidding, GMP development, and contract negotiations, supporting clear scope definitions and pricing strategy.

• Coordinate and manage the design schedule and deliverables, ensuring alignment with project milestones and overall project delivery plans.

• Collaborate with external design teams to ensure that scope, performance, and constructability are integrated into the evolving design.

• Work with internal stakeholders to identify and mitigate project risks during early design phases, including scope gaps, schedule impacts, and budget constraints.

• Manage all estimating functions during the preconstruction phase, including assigning and allocating appropriate resources for project pursuits.

• Oversee and maintain accountability for Estimating staff for assigned projects.

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with clients, architects, the design community, and trade partners to support and enhance future business development opportunities.

• Coordinate, develop, and review General Conditions and General Requirements (GC/GR) estimates to ensure accuracy and consistency with project scope.

• Provide accurate and timely design-phase (Concept, SD, DD, CD) estimates, incorporating allowances where documentation is incomplete.

• Coordinate the efforts of estimators, schedulers, and other support staff to develop complete and consistent preconstruction deliverables.

• Manage preconstruction efforts in strict alignment with the terms and requirements of the owner contract, including scope deliverables, schedule, and communication protocols.

• Provide value engineering input and alternative solutions that meet or exceed the design intent while improving budget, schedule, or operational goals.

• Prepare and deliver preconstruction reports, including cost projections, risk assessments, and timeline forecasts, to clients and senior management.

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with subcontractors and vendors to support market-accurate pricing, scope development, and strategic buyout planning.

• Collaborate closely with the Business Development team to align project strategies with sales objectives and ensure seamless integration with pursuits, interviews, and client-facing deliverables.

• Track and report performance metrics for assigned projects, pursuits, and deliverables to ensure alignment with company goals and continuous improvement efforts.

• Lead preconstruction presentations, cost updates, and strategy meetings with owners, design teams, and internal stakeholders.

• Support the transition from preconstruction to operations, ensuring project intent and deliverables are well-communicated to the project team.

• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Skills and Abilities:

• Proven leadership in guiding complex preconstruction efforts on commercial construction projects.

• Understanding of Subcontractor/Supplier markets including fostering & maintaining relationships to…