Senior Building Consultant

J EllisDon Corporation; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

EllisDon is seeking a Senior Building Consultant to lead local market efforts, manage clients, and mentor junior team members on complex loss projects. You will independently evaluate scopes and costs, provide technical guidance, and deliver defensible reports that support remediation and reconstruction strategies.

The role requires 10+ years in construction/restoration, strong cost-management skills, and extensive experience with Xactimate and related tools. Travel to loss sites may be required.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of relevant industry experience in construction, restoration, cost estimating or related fields.
• Experience evaluating complex construction scopes and costs independently.
• Advanced knowledge of building assemblies, restoration methods and cost drivers.
• Strong estimating, surveying, cost-analysis and cost-management capabilities.
• Ability to challenge scopes, quantities and costs with independent judgment.

Responsibilities

• Lead and grow your local area, clients and internal resources.
• Investigate local market and attend business development opportunities.
• Lead complex building and cost consulting assignments on major losses ($2M+).
• Assess damage to commercial, institutional, industrial properties from insured events.
• Develop, review and validate scopes for remediation, repair and reconstruction.
• Prepare detailed, professional reports and defensible recommendations.

Skills

Estimating

Quantity surveying

Cost analysis

Communication

Project leadership

Education

CIQS/PQS credentials

Tools

Xactimate

DocuSketch

Matterport

Job description

We recognize that the construction industry is changing at a rapid pace and we continually strive to be at the forefront. Our core values empower people to deliver great careers to one another and develop creative solutions for complex problems on some of the most exciting projects. It doesn't matter what your expertise and craft is – there are no boundaries. We are a group of professionals with a variety of expertise within pre-construction, construction, and post-construction. To learn more, check out our Cradle to Grave services and hear from our team directly about what a career at EllisDon could look like for you. As you can see, we are a diverse bunch. Above all, we are a group of individuals with unique experiences and at EllisDon, we choose to celebrate the strength in our differences, every day. EllisDon’s commitment to Inclusive Diversity is to work together to create an environment where every employee feels safe to be their true and authentic self. Ultimately, EllisDon’s purpose is to provide people with similar values the opportunity to achieve to their full potential; to deliver that opportunity for great careers to one another; and to contribute meaningfully to the community we share with others. In case you’re curious, here’s what the industry thinks of us and some of the impacts we've made to the communities we work in and our latest Impact Report, highlighting how we're putting our values into practice in areas such as the climate & environment, inclusive diversity, indigenous relations, and health and safety.

Key Responsibilities

• You as a Senior Building Consultant will: Lead and grow your local area, clients and internal resources and provide mentorship to junior team members.
• Investigate and understand local market as well as organize and attend business development opportunities.
• Independently lead building and cost consulting assignments involving major and complex property losses, including losses of $2 million and greater.
• Assess damage to commercial, institutional, industrial, multi-family and other complex properties resulting from fire, water, flood, storm and other insured events.
• Develop, review, challenge and validate scopes for remediation, repair, restoration and reconstruction.
• Prepare and critically analyze construction estimates using Xactimate, quantity surveying principles and recognised estimating methodologies.
• Perform quantity surveying and cost consulting, including measurement, take-offs, cost planning, benchmarking, estimating and cost analysis.
• Analyze and reconcile contractor estimates, quotations, change orders, invoices and supporting documentation.
• Identify gaps in scope, quantities, rates and pricing and provide independent recommendations.
• Advise clients on construction methodology, procurement, constructability, sequencing, schedule, cost and risk.
• Establish independent opinions of repair and reconstruction costs.
• Lead tendering, bid evaluations, contractor pricing reviews and cost-reconciliation exercises when required.
• Monitor major repair and reconstruction programmes to provide ongoing independent cost and technical advice.
• Prepare detailed, professional and defensible reports, assessments and recommendations.
• Lead complex scope and cost discussions with contractors, consultants, insurers, adjusters and property owners.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to Building Consultants and other PA&M team members.
• Lead or support catastrophe assignments involving major losses or portfolios of affected properties.
• Leverage EllisDon’s broader construction platform and technical expertise to develop practical solutions to complex client challenges.

Salary

The salary range for this role is $100,000 - $120,000.

Requirements

• 10+ years of relevant industry experience in construction, restoration, construction estimating, quantity surveying, insurance loss consulting or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience with large commercial property losses and/or major commercial restoration and reconstruction projects.
• Experience independently evaluating complex construction scopes and costs.
• Advanced knowledge of commercial building assemblies, construction methodologies, restoration, sequencing and construction costs.
• Strong estimating, quantity surveying, cost analysis and cost-management capabilities.
• The ability to independently establish, validate and challenge scopes, quantities and costs.
• Strong commercial judgment and the ability to identify scope gaps, pricing issues, cost exposures and constructability challenges.
• The ability to analyse complex issues and provide clear, independent recommendations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to prepare defensible professional reports.
• Confidence advising senior insurers, adjusters, property owners, consultants and other stakeholders.
• The ability to manage multiple complex assignments and provide technical leadership to other consultants.
• A valid driver’s licence and willingness to travel to loss locations when required.

Desired Assets

• Significant property insurance industry or major commercial restoration experience.
• Experience as a Quantity Surveyor, Cost Consultant or Construction Cost Manager.
• Advanced proficiency with Xactimate.
• Experience with DocuSketch, Matterport or similar digital documentation technology.
• IICRC certification(s).
• Professional credentials such as PQS/CIQS, RICS or PMP.
• Experience with commercial, institutional and industrial buildings.
• Catastrophe and major-loss response experience.
• Experience with tendering, procurement, bid evaluation and cost reconciliation.

We are an equal opportunity employer. We welcome people of any age, culture, subculture, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, nationality, ethnicity, race, size, mental or physical status, veteran status, religion, language, political opinion, working-style preference, family status, education, and socio-economic status.

The EllisDon core values of Integrity and Mutual Respect welcomes everyone, at work and in the community, and our value of Mutual Accountability, means that we all have a role to play. As an EllisDon employee, this will ultimately be your commitment to Inclusive Diversity. Accommodation for Applicants with disabilities will be made during the recruitment process when requested. We are committed to providing a positive candidate experience and ensuring timely updates are provided to all candidates. EllisDon uses AI tools to assist in screening and assessing applicants for this position. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. From our employees to clients, subcontractors, partners, and our considerable network of contacts, building strong, resilient relationships is the key to our success. We build on great relationships. We pride ourselves on being great people to work with. Guided by our shared values of trust, complete openness, and mutual respect and accountability, we’ve built a construction services company known for our people and integrity. We exist to provide great careers to one another. With us you can expect to continually evolve your career, benefitting from mentorship at every level and working collaboratively with other teams to expand your knowledge and experience. Values-based leadership. EllisDon’s culture and approach to business is a reflection of our core values and principles: freedom, trust, complete openness, mutual accountability, entrepreneurial enthusiasm, integrity and mutual respect.