Chief Estimator

Insight Global; San Antonio (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Insight Global is seeking a Chief Estimator to lead and manage the estimating department for large-scale heavy industrial construction projects. The role focuses on bid strategy, preconstruction efforts, and ensuring accuracy and quality of all estimates.

Key duties include staffing, workload balancing, go/no-go decisions, and presenting to executive leadership on major pursuits. This role demands strong leadership, risk assessment, and change order negotiation expertise.

Qualifications

• Leadership experience managing estimators and shaping team performance.
• Experience developing bid strategy and pursuit plans for industrial projects.
• Ability to review final estimates for accuracy, completeness and risk.
• Knowledge of contracts, commercial terms, risk assessment and change orders.
• Strong communication, organizational and decision-making skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of estimators, including staffing, workload balancing, performance reviews, and professional development.
• Oversee bid log management, go/no-go decisions, and pursuit strategy for industrial construction opportunities.
• Review and approve final estimate packages for accuracy, completeness, scope coverage, and risk exposure.
• Collaborate with executive leadership, operations, and project teams to develop pricing and estimating strategies.
• Participate in high-level client presentations and bid reviews as needed.
• Provide technical guidance related to contracts, commercial terms, risk assessments, and change order negotiations.
• Drive continuous improvement of estimating processes, procedures, and department standards.
• Support large industrial self-perform construction pursuits from preconstruction through proposal submission.

Skills

Leadership

Bid strategy

Go/no-go decisions

Pricing strategies

Preconstruction leadership

Job description

A top employer in the heavy industrial construction industry is looking for a Chief Estimator to join their team. This individual will lead and manage the estimating department, oversee bid strategy and preconstruction efforts, and ensure the accuracy and quality of all estimates. The Chief Estimator will be responsible for balancing team workloads, allocating estimating resources, making go/no-go bid decisions, reviewing final estimate packages, and supporting executive leadership on major pursuits. This person will play a critical role in driving profitable project selections, mitigating risk, developing pricing strategies, and leading a team of estimators supporting large industrial construction projects across sectors such as power generation, petrochemical/refining, oil & gas, manufacturing, and process plants.

Some responsibilities of the Chief Estimator will include but are not limited to:

• Lead and manage a team of estimators, including staffing, workload balancing, performance reviews, and professional development.
• Oversee bid log management, go/no-go decisions, and pursuit strategy for industrial construction opportunities.
• Review and approve final estimate packages for accuracy, completeness, scope coverage, and risk exposure.
• Collaborate with executive leadership, operations, and project teams to develop pricing and estimating strategies.
• Participate in high-level client presentations and bid reviews as needed.
• Provide technical guidance related to contracts, commercial terms, risk assessments, and change order negotiations.
• Drive continuous improvement of estimating processes, procedures, and department standards.
• Support large industrial self-perform construction pursuits from preconstruction through proposal submission.

Must Have/Requirements:

• Heavy industrial construction estimating experience supporting self-perform projects.
• Experience in self-performance, heavy industrial environments.
• Strong preconstruction leadership experience including bid strategy, go/no-go decisions, and estimate reviews.
• Ability to review and approve final estimate packages for accuracy, completeness, and risk mitigation.
• Strong knowledge of construction contracts, commercial terms, risk assessment, and change order negotiations.
• Excellent leadership, communication, organizational, and decision-making skills.