Estimating Manager

ML6 Search + Talent Advisory; Kitchener, Cambridge, Southwestern Ontario; On-site; CAD 130,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

ML6 Search + Talent Advisory seeks an experienced Manager of Estimating to lead the estimating function across multiple units and opportunities. You will drive conceptual to final submissions with a strong commercial focus, collaborating with operations, finance, procurement and business development to ensure strategically aligned, achievable, and financially sound bids.

The role requires 8+ years in estimating or related commercial functions, 3+ years leading teams, and advanced proficiency

Qualifications

• Post-secondary education in engineering, construction management or related discipline.
• 8+ years in estimating, project management or related commercial function.
• 3+ years leading an estimating team.
• Experience preparing estimates for medium‑ to large‑scale projects.
• Strong understanding of labour, material, equipment, indirect, overhead, escalation, risk and margin development.
• Ability to interpret drawings, specs, schedules, and commercial terms.
• Experience in unionized/industrial environments is a plus.
• Professional designation such as P.Eng, C.E.T., PMP or estimating credential is an asset.
• Advanced proficiency with estimating software and Excel.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee conceptual, budgetary, detailed, and definitive estimating activities across multiple business units and project types.
• Establish and maintain standardized estimating processes, templates, cost structures, and document controls.
• Manage the estimating pipeline and allocate resources based on workload, complexity, and deadlines.
• Review RFPs, tenders, bid invitations, and negotiated opportunities to identify scope, deliverables, and submission requirements.
• Lead bid/no‑bid evaluations with senior leadership to assess strategic fit and profitability.
• Develop estimating plans and submission schedules for major opportunities with clear responsibilities.
• Lead scope reviews to identify gaps, ambiguities, and missing information in drawings and specs.
• Validate labour, crew, methodology, equipment, and material requirements with operations teams.
• Coordinate with procurement to ensure current, complete and comparably priced quotations.
• Conduct estimate review sessions for high‑value or high‑risk opportunities prior to final approval.
• Support customer meetings by providing accurate cost information.
• Develop and maintain estimating databases, labour rates, and historical cost data.
• Monitor estimating performance to improve pricing accuracy and bid quality.
• Mentor estimators and maintain confidentiality of pricing information.

Skills

Estimating

Leadership

Project management

Analytical skills

Education

Engineering or related discipline

P.Eng / PMP asset

Tools

Estimating software

Microsoft Excel

ERP systems

Job description

The Opportunity:

Our client is a well-established organization operating within the infrastructure, industrial, and technical services sector. As part of its continued growth, the organization is seeking an experienced Manager of Estimating to lead its estimating function and strengthen the consistency, accuracy, and commercial effectiveness of its bidding activities.

Reporting to senior leadership, this position will provide strategic and hands‑on leadership across the estimating process, from early opportunity assessment and conceptual pricing through to detailed estimates, proposal development, and final submission.

The successful candidate will bring strong commercial judgment, technical estimating expertise, and the ability to collaborate effectively with operations, finance, procurement, business development, and other stakeholders. This individual will play a key role in ensuring the organization pursues opportunities that are strategically aligned, operationally achievable, and financially sound.

What You'll Be Doing:

• Lead and oversee conceptual, budgetary, detailed, and definitive estimating activities across multiple business units and project types.
• Establish and maintain standardized estimating processes, procedures, templates, cost structures, approval requirements, basis‑of‑estimate standards, and document controls.
• Manage the estimating pipeline and allocate resources based on workload, technical expertise, project complexity, strategic priorities, and submission deadlines.
• Review RFPs, tenders, bid invitations, and negotiated opportunities to identify scope requirements, deliverables, commercial conditions, schedule constraints, and submission requirements.
• Lead bid/no‑bid evaluations in collaboration with senior leadership, business development, and operations, considering strategic fit, execution capacity, technical capability, risk, and anticipated return.
• Develop estimating plans and submission schedules for major or complex opportunities, clearly defining responsibilities, milestones, and internal review requirements.
• Lead scope reviews and identify gaps, ambiguities, conflicts, exclusions, and missing information within drawings, specifications, schedules, customer requirements, and contract documentation.
• Validate labour productivity, crew composition, methodology, equipment requirements, material requirements, and schedule assumptions with operational leaders and technical subject‑matter experts.
• Coordinate with procurement and suppliers to ensure quotations are current, complete, commercially comparable, and appropriately incorporated into estimates.
• Review subcontractor and supplier pricing and ensure key commercial assumptions, exclusions, escalation, lead times, and other pricing considerations are appropriately reflected.li>
• Conduct estimate review and challenge sessions for significant, high‑value, low‑margin, or high‑risk opportunities prior to final approval.
• Support customer meetings, interviews, scope clarification discussions, negotiations, and other commercial activities by providing accurate and defensible cost information.
• Develop and maintain estimating databases, labour rates, productivity assumptions, historical cost information, and other pricing tools.
• Monitor estimating performance and identify opportunities to improve pricing accuracy, turnaround times, consistency, and overall bid quality.
• Mentor, develop, and provide technical guidance to estimators and other members of the estimating team.
• Maintain strict confidentiality and appropriate controls over customer pricing, labour rates, supplier quotations, cost databases, estimates, and other commercially sensitive information.

What You'll Need to Be Successful:

• Post‑secondary education in engineering, construction management, electrical technology, business, quantity surveying, or a related discipline; an equivalent combination of education and substantial industry experience will also be considered.
• 8+ years of progressive experience in estimating, project management, operations, or a related commercial function within infrastructure, construction, industrial services, manufacturing, or another technical project environment.
• 3+ years of experience leading an estimating team or coordinating complex, multidisciplinary estimates.
• Demonstrated experience preparing and reviewing estimates for medium‑to‑large‑scale projects, service work, engineered solutions, or technical equipment.
• Strong understanding of labour, material, equipment, subcontractor, indirect, overhead, escalation, contingency, risk, and margin development.
• Strong ability to interpret technical drawings, specifications, scopes of work, schedules, customer requirements, and commercial terms.
• Demonstrated understanding of project execution methodologies, procurement, scheduling, resource requirements, and construction or production environments.
• Experience working within a unionized, industrial, infrastructure, construction, manufacturing, or technical services environment is considered an asset.
• Professional designation or certification such as P.Eng., C.E.T., Gold Seal, PMP, or a recognized estimating credential is considered an asset.
• Advanced proficiency with estimating software, Microsoft Excel, and related project, financial, ERP, or enterprise systems.
• Strong analytical, organizational, communication, negotiation, and decision‑making skills.
• Ability to balance technical detail with commercial judgment and make sound recommendations regarding risk and profitability.
• Proven ability to work effectively with senior leadership, operations, finance, procurement, business development, and external stakeholders.

Compensation Range:

$130,000-160,000 base salary + discretionary bonus