Estimating Manager

Dashiell is a leading national provider of technical services to the electric utility, power generation, industrial, renewable and energy industries. These services include planning and systems studies, design and engineering, maintenance and testing, program management, construction, and turnkey EPC projects.

Estimating Manager

12301 Kurland Drive, Houston, TX 77034

In this role, you’ll lead the day-to-day management of estimates for HV/MV substation EPC projects, ensuring pricing is accurate, competitive, and aligned with our execution strategy.

• Employee may be called upon to perform any or all of the following functions:
• Manage the estimating team’s daily workload, priorities, and deadlines across multiple concurrent bids.
• Review RFQs, drawings, specifications, and commercial documents to define scope, clarify assumptions, and identify risks or gaps.
• Lead the development of detailed estimates for HV/MV substation EPC projects, including labor, materials, equipment, subcontractors, indirects, and contingencies.
• Coordinate with project management, engineering, construction, field services, and sourcing to ensure estimates reflect realistic means, methods, and procurement plans.
• Validate quantities, productivity assumptions, and constructability with field and construction leaders.
• Oversee and improve estimating tools, databases, benchmarks, and historical cost records.
• Conduct internal estimate reviews and present estimate summaries, key assumptions, and risk items to the Director of Estimating and VP of Preconstruction.
• Ensure proposal pricing aligns with strategy, target margins, and risk profile as defined by the Director of Estimating and VP of Preconstruction.
• Support bid clarifications, RFIs, and post-bid negotiations with well-documented estimate breakdowns and rationales.
• Coach, mentor, and develop estimators, helping grow technical depth, consistency, and speed within the team.

• Drive estimating excellence by ensuring estimates are accurate, consistent, and aligned with execution plans and constructability.
• Improve win rate and margin by working closely with the Director of Estimating and VP of Preconstruction to position pricing, alternates, and value engineering ideas that differentiate us.
• Increase throughput by structuring team workflows, standards, and tools that allow more high-quality estimates and proposals to be completed each week.
• Reduce risk by identifying and clearly communicating technical, commercial, and schedule risks in each estimate, so they can be managed and priced appropriately.
• Standardize and modularize by promoting repeatable assemblies, standard BOMs, and template estimates that tie into modular design and construction strategies.
• Build a strong estimating culture focused on accuracy, accountability, speed, and collaboration with engineering, construction, and sourcing.

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Construction Management, or related field (Electrical Engineering strongly preferred).
• 10+ years of experience in estimating within the HV/MV substation EPC business (utility, IPP, industrial, or similar).
• Prior experience leading or mentoring an estimating team is strongly preferred.
• Deep understanding of HV/MV substation design elements, equipment, protection & control systems, and typical construction means and methods.
• Strong proficiency with estimating tools and methods (takeoff, labor/productivity modeling, indirects, contingencies).
• Familiarity with BIM and digital design tools used for quantities, coordination, and constructability (or willingness and aptitude to quickly adopt them).
• Ability to interpret complex technical specifications, one-line diagrams, and construction drawings and convert them into realistic cost and schedule assumptions.
• Proven ability to organize and direct a team to meet tight bid deadlines across multiple opportunities.
• Strong collaborator with engineering, project management, construction, field services, and sourcing to align assumptions and avoid silos.
• Clear, confident communicator who can present estimates,…