Director of Construction Estimating

Goodwin Recruiting; Somerset (Somerset County); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Goodwin Recruiting is seeking a Director of Construction Estimating to lead its estimating department and help guide profitable growth. This senior leadership role combines estimating expertise, business strategy, team development, and project risk management.

You will oversee the estimating process from opportunity evaluation through bid submission, contract award, and project handoff, working with executives to ensure proposals reflect costs, capacity, and profitability goals.

Qualifications

• Significant experience estimating complex construction projects.
• Demonstrated success managing and developing an estimating team.
• Senior estimating leadership experience or equivalent.
• Strong understanding of labor, materials, equipment, subcontracting, and cost development.

Responsibilities

• Lead estimating strategy, departmental priorities, and bid planning.
• Evaluate potential projects and align opportunities with company objectives.
• Oversee major, high-value estimates and participate directly in critical bids.
• Review drawings, specifications, contracts, and scopes to identify risks and gaps.
• Coordinate with operations, engineering, purchasing, and field leadership on plans and cost assumptions.
• Lead formal estimate reviews and establish margins and final pricing strategies.
• Establish estimating procedures, templates, databases, and technology.
• Manage bid schedules, workload, staffing, and post-bid follow-up.
• Lead handoffs of awarded projects to project management and operations.

Skills

Estimating leadership

Team development

Cost analysis

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management/Engineering/Business

Tools

Estimating software

Project management systems

CRM platforms

Job description

Seeking a Director of Construction Estimating to lead its construction estimating department and help guide profitable growth. This senior leadership role combines estimating expertise, business strategy, team development, and project risk management.

You will oversee the estimating process from opportunity evaluation through bid submission, contract award, and project handoff. Working closely with executive leadership and operational teams, you will ensure proposals reflect realistic costs, execution requirements, company capacity, and profitability goals.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead estimating strategy, departmental priorities, and bid planning.
• Evaluate potential projects and recommend which opportunities align with company capabilities, capacity, and business objectives.
• Oversee major, complex, and high-value estimates, participating directly in critical bids.
• Review drawings, specifications, contracts, schedules, and scopes of work to identify requirements, risks, exclusions, and scope gaps.
• Ensure estimates accurately account for labor, materials, equipment, subcontractors, fabrication, engineering, supervision, and general conditions.
• Coordinate with operations, project management, engineering, fabrication, purchasing, and field leadership to validate execution plans and cost assumptions.
• Oversee subcontractor and vendor solicitation to obtain competitive, complete pricing.
• Lead formal estimate reviews and work with executive leadership to establish margins and final pricing strategies.
• Establish consistent estimating procedures, documentation standards, templates, databases, and technology.
• Manage bid schedules, departmental workload, staffing needs, and post-bid follow-up.
• Lead formal handoffs of awarded projects to project management and operations.
• Analyze bid results and estimated versus actual project costs to improve future estimates.
• Track performance measures such as bid volume, win rate, gross margin, estimate accuracy, and turnaround time.
• Support strategic planning, forecasting, customer meetings, negotiations, and business development.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop the estimating team.
• Set clear goals, performance expectations, deadlines, and accountability standards.
• Assign work based on project complexity, team experience, and available resources.
• Review estimates for accuracy, completeness, competitiveness, and consistency.
• Guide estimators through complex projects and technical challenges.
• Support hiring, performance reviews, training, professional development, and succession planning.
• Build a department culture centered on collaboration, sound judgment, continuous improvement, and profitability.

Qualifications

• Significant experience estimating complex construction projects.
• Demonstrated success managing and developing an estimating team.
• Previous experience in senior estimating, estimating management, construction operations, or a comparable leadership role.
• Strong understanding of construction labor, materials, equipment, subcontracting, fabrication, engineering, and project cost development.
• Ability to interpret construction drawings, specifications, bid documents, contracts, schedules, and scopes of work.
• Strong knowledge of project margins, cost controls, construction risk, and estimated versus actual cost analysis.
• Experience developing or improving estimating systems, processes, and standards.
• Experience with construction estimating software, project management systems, and CRM platforms.
• Ability to manage multiple high-value opportunities and competing deadlines.
• Strong communication, negotiation, analytical, and decision-making skills.

Preferred Background

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Business, or a related field. An equivalent combination of education and significant construction experience will be considered.
• Ten or more years of progressive experience in construction estimating, project management, construction operations, or a related discipline.

What Success Looks Like

You will build a consistent, data-driven estimating function that produces accurate, competitive proposals and supports profitable project execution. Success means developing a capable team, strengthening estimating processes, improving cost visibility, and helping leadership pursue opportunities that support the company’s long-term goals.

JOB ID: 182675#post

Brad Knott