Preconstruction Lead

Citizen Design Build Inc.
· Victoria, BC
· Full-time

The Preconstruction Lead owns the front end of Citizen's work — sourcing and pricing opportunities, building and tracking project budgets, and carrying the estimate through handover and change management. It's a versatile role on the production team, working closely with the Project Coordinator and reporting to the Production Manager.

Citizen Design Build Inc. is a company focused on working within Indigenous communities, using construction as a mechanism for transformational change. We take a collaborative approach for every project, integrating the client's needs while ensuring we can provide a sustainable, energy-efficient design for each build. This is accomplished by working closely with our skilled team of apprentices, carpenters, site managers, project managers, and designers, while incorporating our Core Values — Care, Culture, Quality, and Cause — into every part of our process.

• Source and qualify new business opportunities — tenders, RFPs, bonded, and commercial work — and manage prequalifications, proposal submissions, and the opportunity pipeline
• Support the owners on relationship-based business development, particularly with First Nations partners, with pricing, proposals, and meetings as needed; the owners continue to lead these relationships

• Lead estimating end to end — quantity takeoffs, subtrade and supplier pricing, and labour and general-conditions build-ups — for relationship-based work and competitive, bonded, and commercial tenders
• Maintain Citizen's cost database and estimating templates, adapting conventional estimating to Citizen's cost model so bids stay both competitive and accurate
• Prepare bid proposals, tender submissions, and pricing narratives, and manage the bid calendar, addenda, and closing requirements
• Own the project budget from award through close-out — keeping estimated-versus-actual tracking current and feeding actual costs back into the estimating database

• Lead the handover from estimate to procurement, working with the Project Coordinator to review subtrade and vendor quotes and align the awarded scope with the estimate
• Manage change orders through construction — identifying scope beyond the estimate, pricing and communicating the cost impact, and supporting the Project Coordinator in coordinating the resulting work
• Take part in internal tactical meetings and, as a versatile member of the production team, support the Project Coordinator on scope management and production needs as they arise
• Ensure that teamwork and our team culture remain paramount in all work decisions — in order for Citizen to continue to be an amazing place to work, we all have to lean in together and give it all we've got

• 5+ years of professional estimating or quantity surveying experience, including some at a commercial level; residential experience is welcome
• A Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors designation (PQS or CEC), or progress toward one, is a strong asset
• A track record of producing complete, accurate estimates and standing behind them, comfortable adapting conventional estimating to a non-standard cost model
• Strong people skills — confident meeting clients, presenting a proposal, and building trust with subtrades and partners; some sales or proposal experience, with clear, jargon-free writing
• Organized and systems-minded, able to keep budgets and tracking current across several projects; strong in Excel, with an interest in AI and other tools, and working knowledge of construction contracts, bonding, and tender processes
• Valid BC driver's licence, with occasional travel to project sites and partner communities; positive attitude, hardworking, reliable, motivated to learn

Full-time, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am–4:00 pm

Citizen Office, Victoria, BC (in-office, with occasional travel)

$48–$60 per hour, based on experience and qualifications

Citizen jobsites have a zero-tolerance policy for unprofessional, discriminatory, aggressive, or demeaning behaviors. You will be expected to act respectfully and cooperatively towards a diverse range of people, and can expect the same courtesy from others in return.