Estimating Manager

Sky Water is partnering with a growing industrial coatings contractor in the Twin Cities to hire an Estimating Manager! Our client installs protective coatings and does surface preparation work for clients across several heavy-industrial sectors. They primarily operate throughout the Central US, and they’re currently in a high growth phase where they’re investing in the people, process, & technology they need to scale.

This is an exciting opportunity to build an estimating function from the ground up while leading a small team of 4 direct reports. We’re looking for an Estimating Manager or Sr. Estimator who can build a cost catalog, define the estimating process, and own the estimating function.

• Own the preparation, review, and quality of estimates across lump-sum, time & material, unit-price, and mixed proposals.
• Select and validate technical system/scope requirements based on substrate, service environment, and specification, translating them into quantified labor, material, and equipment costs.
• Help select and administer estimating/takeoff tools and drive adoption of standardized process and templates.
• Design, build, and own a structured cost catalog and cost assemblies covering labor, material, equipment, overhead/burden, subcontractor, and other costs.
• Build and maintain a library of production rates and keep the catalog current with material pricing, labor rates, and field-validated performance.
• Partner with Operations, Accounting/Finance, and Sales to validate production rates, cost structure, and pursuit strategy.
• Define and track estimating KPIs, including turnaround time, throughput, hit rate, and estimate-to-actual accuracy.
• Recruit, train, supervise, and develop a small team of estimators, setting quality standards and reviewing work product.

• 8+ years of experience in a technical, specialty-contracting industry (industrial coatings, mechanical, HVAC/plumbing, or similar), with substantial time in estimating.
• Deep technical fluency in relevant industry standards, product specifications, and application methods for your trade.
• Experience building or owning cost catalogs, cost assemblies, or production-rate libraries.
• Experience with Procore or a comparable construction ERP/project-management platform.
• People-leadership experience, or clear demonstrated readiness to build and lead a small team.