Director of Estimating & Pre-construction

• Lead and manage all estimating and pre-construction efforts across civil construction and site development projects
• Oversee junior and senior estimators, including takeoff and support functions
• Evaluate team capacity, workload distribution, and future staffing needs
• Mentor and develop internal talent through coaching, accountability, and performance standards
• Establish a culture of accuracy, professionalism, collaboration, and execution-focused estimating
• Direct all estimating activities from pursuit review through final proposal submission
• Review plans, specifications, and bid documents to ensure complete scope coverage
• Identify constructibility concerns, scope gaps, and design inconsistencies early
• Communicate major risks, assumptions, and cost drivers clearly to senior leadership
• Ensure pricing reflects real-world execution, logistics, and field conditions
• Identify, quantify, and mitigate project risks related to cost, schedule, and constructibility
• Review general conditions, site constraints, phasing, sequencing, and production assumptions
• Partner closely with Operations and Project Management to validate bid strategy and execution plans
• Support value engineering and alternative approaches during pre-construction

• Lead the transition of awarded projects from estimating to execution
• Support job kick-off meetings and alignment on scope, assumptions, and budgets
• Ensure estimates are converted into accurate, cost-code–level project budgets
• Assist with change pricing, scope clarifications, and pre-construction support during execution
• Participate in periodic project reviews and site visits to strengthen feedback loops

• Own estimating systems and continuous improvement initiatives, including HCSS Heavy Bid
• Maintain and enhance production models, labor and equipment costing, and material databases
• Standardize estimating processes, templates, and documentation
• Reduce reliance on fragmented spreadsheets and improve scalability of estimating operations

• Build strong relationships with clients, design teams, subcontractors, and suppliers
• Represent the company professionally within the industry and local community
• Support a reputation built on responsiveness, integrity, and execution excellence

Success in this role will be measured by:

• Estimate accuracy and bid-to-job variance
• Quality of scope capture and risk identification
• Timeliness and consistency of bid execution
• Effectiveness of project turnover and startup alignment
• Adoption and optimization of Heavy Bid systems
• Development and growth of the estimating team
• Contribution to margin protection and predictable project outcomes

• 8+ years of estimating experience in civil construction, heavy earthwork, excavation, or underground utilities
• Demonstrated experience leading estimating teams and takeoff functions
• Proven collaboration with Operations and Project Management teams

• Strong proficiency with estimating platforms, particularly HCSS Heavy Bid
• Deep understanding of construction means, methods, and field execution
• Ability to interpret complex plans, specifications, schedules, and logistics requirements

• Confident, accountable leader with strong judgment and executive-level communication skills
• Ability to work cross-functionally and influence decision-making at the leadership level
• Commitment to values centered on integrity, reputation, and resilience
• Base salary target range: approximately $160,000+, depending on experience
• Flexibility above range may be considered for a highly qualified leader who can fully own and elevate the estimating function
• Opportunity to help shape the future structure and growth of the pre-construction team, with potential to expand leadership capacity as workload increases

This is a cornerstone leadership position within a growing civil construction organization. The Director of Estimating & Preconstruction plays a direct role in determining which projects are pursued, how they are priced, and how successfully they are executed.

For the right leader, this is an opportunity to step into a high-impact, department-owning role with visibility, influence, and long-term growth potential.