Director of Preconstruction

Founded in 1999, Innovative Construction Solutions (ICS) is a California-based environmental construction company with 170+ employees across California and Washington. We specialize in environmental remediation, water/wastewater treatment systems, hazardous waste management, and federal contracting. As a Federal Small Business (NAICS 562910) with $175-million bonding capacity and Class A general engineering contractor status, IC delivers projects that protect, remediate, and restore our environment while addressing critical infrastructure challenges.

ICS's Heavy Industrial & Mechanical Construction (HIMC) division self-performs civil construction, structural concrete, structural steel erection, process piping fabrication and installation, process mechanical systems and equipment installation, startup, testing, and commissioning. HIMC has grown from approximately $6 million to approximately $50 million in annual revenue over the past five years and is targeting approximately $100 million in new work won annually, with a growing share delivered through alternative delivery methods including CMAR and Progressive Design-Build.

The Director of Preconstruction directs preconstruction operations for HIMC's water/wastewater projects, from initial pursuit through transition to field construction. This includes both hard-bid and collaborative delivery models, including Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR), Progressive Design-Build (PDB), and fixed-price design-build, for both private and public clients, on projects generally ranging from $1 million to $100 million in value. The role evaluates and prices self-perform scopes, alongside subcontracted and vendor-supplied scopes.

This is a new position  Director of Preconstruction will oversee the HIMC estimating function across both Northern California and Southern California, managing a team currently composed of a Chief Estimator, two Senior Estimators, a Junior Estimating Manager, and an Estimating Coordinator. This is a hands‑on leadership role; the Director is expected to personally lead pursuits and estimates in addition to managing the team.

• Lead responses to Requests for Qualifications (RFQs) and Requests for Proposals (RFPs) across hard-bid, CMAR, and PDB pursuits, for both public and private clients.
• Drive client‑facing pursuit strategy, including go/no‑go decisions based on estimating team bandwidth and operations team bandwidth to execute the work.
• Support business development in identifying and qualifying pursuit opportunities aligned with HIMC's annual sold‑work targets.
• Manage conceptual estimating, detailed hard‑bid estimating, cost modeling, and value engineering across all active pursuits.
• Lead Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) development and negotiation for CMAR and PDB projects.
• Lead bid reviews for hard‑bid pursuits and proposal reviews for private, negotiated pursuits.
• Evaluate and price self‑perform scopes, in coordination with operations leadership.

• Identify project risks during pursuit and estimating, and incorporate appropriate contingency, exclusions, and qualifications into bids and proposals.
• Review constructability of proposed designs and provide input on means, methods, and sequencing during preconstruction.

• Personally lead and/or oversee key preconstruction activities on awarded projects, including development of the initial CPM schedule, Schedule of Values, and project budget.
• Generate and negotiate schedule‑critical subcontracts and purchase orders for long‑lead equipment ahead of project mobilization.
• Own the project hand‑off process from estimating to operations, ensuring the receiving Project Manager and Superintendent have a complete, accurate basis of estimate, budget, schedule, and risk register.
• Act as the central point of coordination between operations, estimating, design management, owners, and trade partners during pursuit and preconstruction.
• Represent IC in client‑facing presentations, interviews, and negotiations at an executive level.
• Manage and develop the HIMC estimating team across Nor Cal and SoCal, including the Chief…