Estimating Manager

The McDonnel Group; Metairie (LA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The McDonnel Group is seeking an Estimating Manager to lead the daily operations of the estimating team, coordinate bid strategies, and ensure timely, accurate project estimates. This role partners with Preconstruction, Operations, and Business Development to support pursuit strategies and successful handoffs.

You will manage workloads, bid calendars, and consultant/vendor outreach, maintain templates and bid packages, and drive high-quality takeoffs and price data.

Responsibilities

• Direct estimating staff on all assignments and ensure accountability with company protocols
• Provide estimating capacity and input on what projects to bid
• Oversee estimating responsibilities for all bids (pre-bid meeting attendance, coordinate subcontractor communications, review quantity takeoffs)
• Bid schedule and resource allocation for all bids
• Maintain working knowledge of major scopes and high risk items for all bids
• Manage internal estimating process from kickoff through submission to ensure a successful bid
• Hit rate tracking and ensuring bids align with revenue targets
• Assist in expanding/vendor databases and maintaining bid coverage efforts
• Attend post-project review meetings and turnover meetings for awarded projects

Job description

Summary

The Estimating Manager is responsible for leading the daily operations of the estimating team and managing the preparation of accurate, competitive, and timely project estimates. This role oversights estimating staff workloads, bid schedules, estimate quality, subcontractor/vendor outreach, and internal coordination throughout the bid process. The Estimating Manager partners closely with the Director of Preconstruction, Operations, and Business Development teams to support project pursuit strategies and successful project handoff.

Essential Job Functions

• Direct estimating staff on all assignments and ensure accountability with company protocols
  • Ensure estimating milestones and deliverables are met.
  • Responsible for training of estimating staff
  • Ensure completeness and quality of work
• Provide estimating capacity and input on what projects to bid
• Provide input on bid strategy
• Oversee estimating responsibilities for all bids
  • Pre-bid meeting attendance
  • Coordinate subcontractor/vendor communications
  • Review quantity takeoffs
  • Scope responsibilities
  • Bid delivery
• Bid schedule and resource allocation for all bids
• Follow the systems/forms used by estimating
  • Master work scopes/tab sheets
  • Estimate templates
  • Estimating programs
    • Takeoff
    • Pricing
    • Vendor database
    • Online plan room / ITB system
• Filing system and organization compliance
• Bonding/insurance company compliance regarding items required for all bids
  • Bid bonds
  • Proper insurance costs included within each estimate
• Verification of all add-on costs used in all estimates
• Maintain working knowledge of major scopes and high risk items for all bids
• Manage internal estimating process from kickoff through submission to ensure a successful bid
  • Estimating coordination meetings
  • Maintain adherence by the bid team to the bid schedule
  • Verification that all bid responsibilities are being performed
  • Review and approval of all takeoff and estimated amounts for all self-performed items
  • Verify bid teams’ knowledge of the assigned scopes of work
  • Verify communication of all addenda / supplemental information to the bid team and bidders
  • Identify coordination items between scopes of work and communicate those items to the bid team
  • Support subcontractor outreach and bid coverage efforts
  • Develop and maintain strong relationships with trade partners and suppliers
  • Assist in expanding and maintaining vendor/subcontractor databases
• Estimate set up
  • General Conditions estimate
    • Determine project duration
    • Special project-specific requirements
  • Bid day/closeout spreadsheet
  • Alternate, unit cost, and bid breakdown set-up
  • Communicate bid day proposal requirements with the bid team
• Bid Day
  • Input of all numbers into the estimate
  • Oversee bid team and review scopes/quotes received
    • Determine when various items need to be input into the estimate
    • Assist in determining the lowest qualified bidder
    • Ensure major manufacturers/suppliers and proprietary item suppliers have been contacted
  • Analyze potential favors/hindrances
  • Prepare bid forms and all required attachments
  • Analyze/estimate competitors' bid amounts
  • Provide input on bid day fee with AM
  • Provide input on final bid amount with AM
  • Collect all bid tab sheets/quotes from the bid team
    • Determine method of organization/filing
  • Ensure bids are added to the bid history log
  • Input bid results within the estimate file
• Hit Rate: Track bid win percentage against annual targets and maintain competitive close ratios.
• Fee Protection: Ensure estimate accuracy and scope alignment to protect planned fee margins.
• No Scope Holes: Verify complete scope coverage across all bids with zero omissions.
• Ability to Meet Revenue Standards: Manage bid pipeline and estimating throughput to support revenue goals.
• Market Awareness / Sub Coverage: Maintain strong market intelligence and adequate subcontractor/vendor coverage for all pursuits.
• Ensure new vendors are identified and added to our vendor database
• Manage all cost savings processes
• Attend all post-project review meetings and implement any required adjustments to future estimates
• Attend all turnover meetings for awarded projects
• Complete all rebuilt estimates
• Coordinate all information required for the bid turnover meeting
  • Rebuilt estimate
  • Cost category summaries
  • Ensure all quantities and self-performed items are clearly communicated to management and field teams in usable formats
  • Ensure the entire bid team’s knowledge of the project is clearly communicated to management and the field
• Perform estimating staff employee reviews
• Positively represents TMG as the most sought-after construction partner and employer of choice within the industry and the community.
• Consistently contributes to and promotes a positive company culture.
• Believes in and exemplifies the TMG Core Values: (1) Work Ethic, (2) Solution Oriented, (3) Project Excellence, (4) Client Centric, (5) Professionalism
• Assists with TMG’s positive revenue and profitability
• Markets the TMG Mission, Vision, and Brand Promise both externally and internally.

Competencies

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