Director, Estimating & Preconstruction

Australia-Employment; Birmingham (AL); Hybrid; USD 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Flexible Spending Accounts

Paid time off

Short-term disability

Long-term disability

Life insurance

401K plan

Licensing/certifications support

Executive exposure

Job summary

Jobot is seeking a Director of Estimating & Preconstruction in Birmingham, AL. This senior role oversees the entire estimating and preconstruction function across Data Center, Healthcare, Retail, and emerging building types, leading a team of Associate Directors, Managers, and Estimators.

You will own pricing integrity, cost databases, and standards, with final review authority before executive sign-off. Travel up to 35% is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management, Data Analytics, or a related field.
• 12+ years in construction with 6+ years in Preconstruction and Estimating, with leadership experience.
• Accountability for estimating across multiple programs or platforms with >$250M annual pursuit value.
• Proven track record improving estimate-to-actual variance and margin performance.

Responsibilities

• Own the accuracy, integrity, and margin impact of preconstruction estimates across all platform categories.
• Hold final review and approval authority over pursuit pricing and set assumptions, risks, contingencies, and escalation logic.
• Lead cost performance improvements including post-project cost reviews and benchmarks.
• Define and enforce organization-wide estimating standards, templates, and data practices.
• Own the preconstruction relational database and align with ERP actuals.
• Stand up estimating capability for new building types or markets.
• Design and evolve the function's organizational structure and develop leaders.
• Provide go/no-go and pursuit prioritization for margin viability and risk.

Skills

Leadership

Negotiation

Communication

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management, Data Analytics, or a related field

12+ years construction experience with 6+ years in Preconstruction and Estimating

Proven management of estimating leaders

Experience with multi-program/platform pricing >$250M annual pursuit value

Tools

Building Connected

Sage Estimating

Timberline

WinEst

Excel

MS Project

Primavera P6

Smartsheet

Bluebeam

Job description

Director, Estimating & Preconstruction

$200000 - $300000 per year | Birmingham, AL | Hybrid | Permanent

Lead the entire estimating and preconstruction function at a fast-growing modular construction innovator.

A bit about us:

We are revolutionizing the construction industry by integrating advanced manufacturing principles with innovative technology to deliver high-quality, modular building solutions. Our mission is to rethink how buildings are designed, fabricated, and delivered, ensuring efficiency, scalability, and sustainability. Our platform spans Data Center, Healthcare, Retail, and emerging building types, and our Program Management organization acts as the central nervous system of the business. Estimating is where design intent becomes a price and schedule commitment, which makes this function critical to every pursuit we take on.

Why join us?

• Health & Wellness benefits
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Paid time off
• Short-term and long-term disability
• Life insurance
• 401K plan
• Support for employees pursuing licenses and certifications, with clear pathways for skill development and career advancement
• Executive-level visibility, including direct exposure to the C-suite and Board

Job Details

What We Are Looking For:

This role leads our entire estimating and preconstruction function across every platform category (Data Center, Healthcare, Retail, and emerging building types), together with the Associate Directors, Managers, and Estimators who staff it. It owns the accuracy, integrity, and margin impact of every price we put in front of a client, owns the historical cost database and the estimating standards we price from, and holds final pricing review authority prior to executive sign-off. We are seeking a calm, decisive leader who has run estimating organizations (not just estimated), can present and defend pricing and margin performance to the Board, and can build cost models for building types with no historical data. Excellent communication and technology skills are essential, and experience with complex Healthcare, EPC, or Mission Critical (Data Center) projects is a plus. This role reports to the C-suite (VP, Program Management or equivalent), requires up to 35% travel, and must be based in Birmingham, AL.

What You Will Do:

• Own the accuracy, integrity, and margin impact of preconstruction estimates across all platform categories.
• Hold final review and approval authority over pursuit pricing, and set the assumptions, risk registers, contingency, and escalation logic we stand behind.
• Lead estimate-to-actual performance, including post-project cost reviews, corrective action, and improved benchmarks, unit costs, and productivity factors.
• Define and enforce organization-wide estimating standards, templates, Basis of Estimate requirements, and data practices for conceptual, schematic, design development, and GMP estimates.
• Own the preconstruction relational database (historical cost, schedule, and bill of materials) and direct technology and finance investment to keep it reconciled to ERP actuals.
• Stand up estimating capability for new building types, building first-of-a-kind cost models, pricing structures, and schedule baselines.
• Design and evolve the function's organizational structure, and lead, mentor, and develop Associate Directors and Managers.
• Provide go/no-go and pursuit prioritization recommendations covering margin viability, capacity, and risk.
• Lead Value Engineering strategy and subcontractor buyout strategy on the largest and most complex pursuits.
• Ensure clean handoff of budgets, risks, and assumptions to Program Management, Design, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Construction, and Finance.
• Take direct control of pursuits and estimates in serious jeopardy and return them to a defensible, margin-safe state.
• Own C-suite client relationships and long-term commercial positioning, including multi-year pricing agreements and shared-savings frameworks.
• Present and defend pursuit, pricing, hit rate, and margin performance to Executive Leadership and the Board.
• Serve as a credible industry voice on modular cost, productivity, and preconstruction practice.

What We Provide:

• Salaried, $200K - $300K, DOE
• Full-Time
• Full Benefits Package Available

What We Believe

We value the growth of our people and are committed to making employment decisions based on qualifications, performance, and ability to contribute to our team. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law.

What We Require:

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management, Data Analytics, or a related field
• 12+ years of construction industry experience, including 6+ years in Preconstruction and Estimating, with demonstrated leadership of estimating leaders
• Accountability for the estimating and preconstruction function across multiple programs or platform categories totaling more than $250M in annual pursuit value
• Proven track record improving estimate-to-actual variance, hit rate, or margin performance across a portfolio
• C-suite-level client and commercial relationships during pursuit and negotiation
• Proven ability to build, restructure, and right-size a multi-layer estimating organization and develop Manager and Associate Director level leaders
• Experience presenting and defending pricing and margin performance to Executive Leadership and the Board
• Experience establishing company-wide estimating standards and directing the technology investment behind them
• Experience standing up estimating capability for new building types or markets with no historical cost data
• Deep understanding of delivery methods, contract types, procurement strategies, and risk allocation, with strong negotiation and financial acumen
• Advanced proficiency in estimating platforms (Building Connected, Sage Estimating, Timberline, WinEst, or comparable), scheduling tools (MS Project, Primavera P6, Smartsheet), and Excel
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Bluebeam
• Ability to travel up to 35%
• Master's degree, professional license or certification (PE, AIA, PMP, CPE, CCP, LEED AP, ASHE CHC), modular or industrialized construction experience, and working knowledge of Python, SQL, and AI tools preferred

Jobot is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide an inclusive work environment that celebrates diversity and all qualified candidates receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, age (40 and over), disability, military status, genetic information or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Jobot also prohibits harassment of applicants or employees based on any of these protected categories. It is Jobot's policy to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws respecting consideration of unemployment status in making hiring decisions.