Director of Construction Estimating

Jjbodies; Stoystown (PA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Lincoln Contracting & Equipment Co. seeks an experienced Director of Construction Estimating to lead the estimating function and shape pursuit decisions for profitable growth. Collaborating with executives and operations, you will refine bid strategies, assess project risk, and ensure competitive, accurate estimates.

You will guide a team of estimators, standardize processes, and coordinate with engineering, fabrication, and procurement to align costs and schedules with project goals.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in construction estimating or related field.
• Experience leading an estimating team and complex projects.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in CM/Engineering/Business.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and direction for the construction estimating department.
• Establish and maintain consistent estimating processes, standards, procedures, and best practices.
• Lead estimates from initial project review through bid submission and project handoff.
• Evaluate potential projects and make recommendations regarding project pursuit.
• Establish estimating priorities based on project value, strategic importance, resources, capacity, and probability of award.
• Oversee major, complex, and high-value estimates.
• Ensure estimates are accurate, complete, competitive, and profitable.
• Review drawings, specs, scopes of work, schedules, contracts, and project docs.
• Develop and validate labor, material, equipment, subcontractor, fabrication, engineering, supervision, and general-condition costs.
• Establish realistic labor and manpower assumptions based on project requirements and execution conditions.
• Obtain and evaluate subcontractor and vendor pricing.
• Identify project risks, exclusions, assumptions, and potential cost exposures.
• Lead formal estimate review meetings for significant projects.
• Review proposed margins and pricing strategies with executive leadership.
• Balance competitiveness, risk, capacity, and profitability when developing bids.
• Work with operations and project management to develop realistic execution assumptions.
• Coordinate with engineering and fabrication to evaluate capabilities, capacity, schedules, and costs.
• Partner with business development and executive leadership on pursuit strategy.
• Participate in pre-bid meetings and customer meetings.
• Ensure awarded projects are transitioned to project management and operations.

Skills

Leadership

Estimating leadership

Bid strategy

Risk management

Communication

Cross-functional teams

Education

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Business, or related field

Tools

Estimating software

Excel

Cost databases

Job description

Lincoln Contracting & Equipment Co. is seeking an experienced and strategic Director of Construction Estimating to lead our construction estimating function and support the company's continued growth.

This is a key leadership position with responsibility for overseeing the entire estimating process-from evaluating potential projects and developing bid strategies through final proposal submission, contract award, and project handoff.

The ideal candidate is an experienced construction estimating leader who understands that successful estimating is about more than developing numbers. You will help determine which projects we pursue, how we price them, how we manage risk, and how we position the company for profitable growth.

You will work closely with executive leadership, operations, project management, engineering, fabrication, purchasing, field leadership, subcontractors, vendors, and customers.

What You'll Do

Lead the Estimating Function

• Provide overall leadership and direction for the construction estimating department.

• Establish and maintain consistent estimating processes, standards, procedures, and best practices.

• Lead estimates from initial project review through bid submission and project handoff.

• Evaluate potential projects and make recommendations regarding project pursuit.

• Establish estimating priorities based on project value, strategic importance, resources, capacity, and probability of award.

• Oversee major, complex, and high-value estimates.

• Ensure estimates are accurate, complete, competitive, and profitable.

Drive Accurate and Profitable Bids

• Review drawings, specifications, scopes of work, schedules, contracts, and other project documentation.

• Develop and validate labor, material, equipment, subcontractor, fabrication, engineering, supervision, and general-condition costs.

• Establish realistic labor and manpower assumptions based on project requirements and execution conditions.

• Obtain and evaluate subcontractor and vendor pricing.

• Identify project risks, exclusions, assumptions, and potential cost exposures.

• Lead formal estimate review meetings for significant projects.

• Review proposed margins and pricing strategies with executive leadership.

• Balance competitiveness, risk, operational capacity, and profitability when developing bids.

Partner Across the Organization

• Work closely with operations and project management to develop realistic project execution assumptions.

• Coordinate with engineering and fabrication to evaluate internal capabilities, capacity, schedules, and costs.

• Partner with business development and executive leadership on pursuit strategy and market opportunities.

• Participate in pre-bid meetings, customer meetings, job walks, negotiations, and other business development activities.

• Ensure awarded projects are effectively transitioned from estimating to project management and operations.

• Clearly communicate estimate assumptions, scope, pricing, exclusions, risks, and project requirements to the project team.

Lead and Develop the Estimating Team

• Lead, coach, develop, and mentor estimating personnel.

• Establish departmental goals, priorities, performance expectations, and accountability.

• Assign estimates based on project complexity, workload, employee experience, and available resources.

• Review the quality, accuracy, completeness, and competitiveness of estimates prepared by the team.

• Provide guidance on complex estimating issues and project risks.

• Participate in hiring, performance management, compensation recommendations, and professional development.

• Build a culture focused on accountability, teamwork, accuracy, continuous improvement, and profitability.

Improve Estimating Performance

• Establish and monitor estimating performance metrics, including bid volume, win rate, gross margin, estimate accuracy, turnaround time, and estimate-to-actual results.

• Analyze bid results and project performance to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.

• Develop processes to capture actual project costs and use historical data to improve future estimates.

• Compare estimated labor hours, productivity, equipment, subcontractor costs, and other assumptions against actual project results.

• Identify opportunities to improve estimating technology, systems, databases, templates, and processes.

• Stay informed about construction market conditions, labor availability, material pricing, subcontractor markets, and other factors affecting project costs.

What We’re Looking For

Required / Preferred Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in construction estimating, project management, construction operations, or a related field preferred.

• Significant experience estimating complex construction projects.

• Previous experience leading or managing an estimating team.

• Experience in a senior estimating, estimating management, construction operations, or similar leadership role.

• Strong understanding of construction labor, materials, equipment, subcontracting, fabrication, engineering, and project costs.

• Ability to read and interpret construction drawings, specifications, bid documents, contracts, schedules, and scopes of work.

• Strong understanding of construction financials, project margins, cost controls, and estimate-to-actual analysis.

• Experience developing or improving estimating processes, systems, and standards.

• Construction estimating and/or project management software experience.

• Strong project risk assessment and problem-solving skills.

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Business, or a related field preferred. Equivalent combinations of education and significant relevant experience will be considered.