Chief Estimator

The Chief Estimator is responsible for leading and overseeing the estimating function, including the development, review, and delivery of accurate and competitive estimates for specialty construction, detention equipment, manufacturing, fabrication, and related project opportunities.

This position provides leadership and technical direction to the estimating team based in San Antonio while maintaining consistent estimating standards, processes, and cost databases. The Chief Estimator will work closely with Preconstruction, Operations, Project Management, Design/Engineering, Procurement, Manufacturing, and executive leadership to evaluate opportunities, identify project risks, develop pricing recommendations, and support successful project awards.

The ideal candidate is an experienced estimator from specialty construction, manufacturing, fabrication, or a related technical environment with strong leadership skills, sound commercial judgment, and the ability to evaluate complex projects from conceptual budgeting through final bid.

• Lead and manage the estimating team and overall estimating workload.
• Assign estimating responsibilities based on project size, complexity, schedule, and estimator experience.
• Establish and maintain consistent estimating procedures, templates, and standards.
• Mentor and develop Estimators and Senior Estimators.
• Review estimates for completeness, accuracy, competitiveness, and compliance with project requirements.
• Lead final technical estimate reviews and ensure required reviews and approvals are completed under established company procedures before bid submission.
• Develop and oversee conceptual, budgetary, design-development, and final estimates for specialty construction and manufacturing projects.
• Review drawings, specifications, scopes of work, contracts, and other bid documents.
• Perform or oversee quantity takeoffs and detailed cost analysis.
• Develop labour, material, equipment, subcontractor, manufacturing, freight, and other project costs.
• Evaluate subcontractor and supplier proposals for scope coverage and pricing.
• Identify scope gaps, exclusions, clarifications, allowances, and assumptions.
• Maintain historical cost information and utilise completed-project data to improve future estimates.
• Support the company’s Go/No-Go evaluation process with preliminary cost, technical, capacity, and risk input for leadership decisions.
• Identify and document project risks, unusual contract requirements, schedule concerns, assumptions, opportunities, and potential cost exposures throughout estimating.
• Recommend appropriate contingencies, escalation, allowances, and pricing strategies.
• Lead technical estimate review meetings and support formal estimating-to-operations handover meetings.
• Recommend final pricing, margins, and competitive strategy to company leadership in accordance with established approval authority.
• Support value engineering and alternative construction or manufacturing approaches.

• Work closely with Preconstruction, Design/Engineering, Operations, Manufacturing, Procurement, and Project Management throughout the estimating process.
• Coordinate with Operations and Manufacturing to validate labour productivity, staffing assumptions, production capacity, schedules, logistics, and execution methods.
• Participate in design reviews to identify cost impacts and value-engineering opportunities.
• Ensure Estimating initiates and completes its responsibilities in the formal handover of awarded projects, including scope, pricing assumptions, exclusions, and identified risks.
• Coordinate estimate-to-actual reviews with Operations and Finance and incorporate lessons learned into future estimates.
• Develop and maintain relationships with subcontractors, suppliers, manufacturers, and trade partners.
• Assist in expanding the company’s subcontractor and vendor network.
• Review subcontractor coverage and identify areas requiring additional competition.
• Work with Procurement to evaluate market pricing, lead times, material availability, and escalation risks.

• Continuously improve estimating systems, procedures, and cost databases within established company processes.
• Develop standardised estimating metrics and reporting.
• Identify recurring estimating variances and recommend corrective actions.
• Support implementation and effective use of estimating and construction management technology.

• 7+ years of relevant estimating experience in specialty…