Chief Estimator

Equity Construction Solutions; Hilliard (OH); On-site; USD 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Equity ECS seeks a Chief Estimator to lead the estimating department, guide preconstruction strategy, and ensure accurate, competitive bids. You will mentor the team, align estimates with project goals, and collaborate with operations, BD, and leadership to support responsible growth.

This role oversees pricing, bid packages, and process improvements, coordinating with project management and field teams to deliver clear assumptions and well-documented estimates for commercial projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, engineering, or related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
• Proven experience leading estimators and managing complex commercial construction estimates.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop the estimating team with clear expectations and ongoing coaching.
• Assign estimating responsibilities and balance workload by project complexity and deadlines.
• Lead preparation of conceptual, schematic, design-development, GMP, and hard-bid estimates for commercial projects.
• Review drawings, specs, bid documents, and contracts to confirm completeness and identify risks.
• Develop pricing strategies; solicit and evaluate bids for competitive submissions.
• Lead estimate-review meetings, bid-day activities, and executive bid approvals.
• Collaborate with operations, preconstruction, BD, and leadership to align estimates with project strategy.
• Support client engagement and business development through budgeting and pricing input.
• Coordinate handoff from estimating/preconstruction to project management and field teams.
• Maintain historical cost data, market intelligence, and departmental standards.
• Implement estimating processes and tools to improve consistency and forecast accuracy.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Collaboration

Adaptability

Continuous Improvement

Execution

Integrity

Accountability

Education

Bachelor’s degree in construction management or engineering

Job description

The Chief Estimator leads and oversees the estimating department for Equity ECS. This position manages and develops the estimating team, directs estimating and preconstruction strategy, and ensures project estimates and bids are accurate, competitive, complete, and delivered on time. The Chief Estimator partners with operations, business development, preconstruction, and executive leadership to support responsible growth, informed decision-making, and successful project handoffs.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead, mentor, and develop the estimating team; establish clear expectations, provide ongoing coaching, and support professional growth.
• Assign estimating responsibilities and balance team workload based on project complexity, deadlines, and individual capabilities.
• Lead the preparation of conceptual, schematic, design-development, GMP, and detailed hard-bid estimates for commercial construction projects.
• Review drawings, specifications, amendments, bid documents, scopes of work, and contract requirements to confirm completeness and identify risk, exclusions, and scope gaps.
• Review and approve estimates, quantity takeoffs, general conditions, schedules, bid forms, scopes, and subcontractor or supplier proposals for accuracy and completeness.
• Develop pricing strategies; solicit, evaluate, and level subcontractor and supplier bids to support competitive and well-documented submissions.
• Lead estimate-review meetings, bid-day activities, value-analysis discussions, and executive bid approvals.
• Collaborate with operations, preconstruction, business development, and executive leadership to align estimates with project strategy and company goals.
• Support client engagement and business-development efforts through budgeting, pricing strategy, constructability input, value analysis, and clear presentation of estimate assumptions.
• Coordinate project handoff from estimating and preconstruction to project-management and field teams, ensuring key assumptions, commitments, risks, and opportunities are documented.
• Maintain historical cost data, market intelligence, subcontractor relationships, estimating templates, and departmental standards.
• Implement and refine estimating processes, tools, controls, and best practices to improve consistency, transparency, efficiency, and forecast accuracy.
• Monitor estimating performance and communicate significant risks, resource requirements, and bid recommendations to leadership.
• Preform other duties and receptibilities assigned.

Education & Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, Engineering, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
• 10+ years of progressive estimating or preconstruction experience with a commercial general contractor, including design-build delivery methods.
• Demonstrated experience leading estimators and managing complex commercial construction estimates across multiple sectors.
• Experience developing conceptual and detailed estimates and supporting GMP and hard-bid procurement processes.
• Working knowledge of construction means, methods, materials, building systems, sequencing, and subcontractor markets.
• Integrity: Acts ethically, protects confidential information, and supports the company’s reputation.
• Accountability: Owns commitments, decisions, results, and corrective action.
• Leadership: Sets direction, develops others, and creates clarity and consistency across the estimating function.
• Execution: Delivers accurate, complete, and timely work while balancing quality, competitiveness, and risk.
• Communication: Shares information clearly and professionally with internal and external stakeholders.
• Collaboration: Builds productive working relationships across estimating, operations, preconstruction, business development, and leadership.
• Adaptability: Responds effectively to shifting priorities, deadlines, market conditions, and project requirements.
• Continuous Improvement: Identifies and implements practical improvements to processes, tools, standards, and team capability.