Senior Estimating Manager, Solar & BESS

Clayco is a full-service, turnkey real estate development, master planning, architecture, engineering, and construction firm that safely delivers clients across North America the highest quality solutions on time, on budget, and above and beyond expectations. With $8.1 billion in revenue for 2025, Clayco specializes in the "art and science of building," providing fast track, efficient solutions for mission critical, industrial, life sciences, power & energy, aviation, commercial, institutional, residential and sports & entertainment related building projects.

This is a senior leadership role for our preconstruction team. In this role you will be responsible for high level management of design-build project pursuits and preconstruction efforts across business units. You will work collaboratively with the VP of Preconstruction and other Preconstruction team members. You will provide expertise across all Business Units, working with Business Unit Leaders, Project Executives, and Senior Management.

• Work with Business Unit Leaders (Solar, Energy, Industrial) and Project Executives to identify projects to pursue
• Lead cross-functional teams to prepare accurate proposals, complete, and competitive proposals
• Prepare and oversee conceptual, detailed, and self-perform estimates, including labor, material, equipment, subcontractor, and indirect costs
• Develop clear scopes of work and bid packages for each trade
• Solicit, level, and review subcontractor and vendor proposals for scope completeness, exclusions, qualifications, and commercial alignment
• Review scopes with subcontractors
• Oversee subcontractor selection process
• Prepare self-perform estimates.
• Prepare final estimates for owner presentation
• Present estimates, proposal strategies, risks, and recommendations to internal leadership, clients, and owners
• Collaborate with scheduling and operations to develop and validate construction schedules, staffing plans, and execution assumptions
• Review drawings, specifications, geotechnical reports, studies, and other project documents for accuracy, consistency, constructability, risk, and value engineering opportunities
• Train and mentor junior estimating staff
• Maintain master subcontractor/vendor lists by trade
• Assist project managers in negotiation of contracts, change orders, etc.
• Maintain and develop historical data for unit pricing
• Develop general conditions for review with project management
• Perform site visits and coordinate constructability evaluations with clients, subcontractors, engineering, and construction personnel
• Evaluate applicable taxes, labor requirements, permitting, logistics, and other project-specific cost drivers
• Support project teams during handoff and throughout the project lifecycle by communicating estimate assumptions and assisting with procurement, change orders, and cost tracking

• Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture or related

• 7-10 years of preconstruction or estimating experience with utility-scale solar, energy storage, electrical, or related EPC projects; large-project experience preferred
• Demonstrated ability to lead multiple, complex utility-scale solar and renewable energy project pursuits from opportunity review through proposal submission and operational handoff
• Demonstrated knowledge of building construction, materials, systems, market conditions, and trade practices
• Knowledge of estimating and quantity takeoff software
• Experience leading Preconstruction meetings
• Previous supervisory experience managing and mentoring junior staff
• Experience with self-perform estimating.
• Advanced ability to read and interpret civil, structural, electrical, and mechanical drawings, specifications, proposals,…