Estimating Manager

Tarlton Corp; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with company match

Paid time off & holidays

Education & professional development

Job summary

Tarlton Corp is seeking an Estimating Manager in St. Louis, MO to lead estimating teams and shape bid strategy for complex projects across the Midwest. You will guide pursuits from kickoff to submission, validate quantities and pricing, and collaborate with operations and leadership to win major bids.

You will also drive go/no-go decisions, mentor staff, and oversee risk, VE, and constructability reviews to ensure safe, timely, and competitive proposals. Full-time, on-site, with travel as needed.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of estimating experience, including 2+ years leading pursuit teams.
• Experience with self-perform pricing, means/methods, and production rates.
• Proven ability to manage bid calendars, Go/No-Go processes, and competitive pricing.

Responsibilities

• Lead bid strategy with operations and leadership.
• Manage bid day and final numbers for pursuits.
• Mentor and develop Senior Estimators and Project Engineers.
• Lead risk reviews, value engineering, and constructability analyses.

Skills

Estimating leadership

Takeoffs

Bid strategy

Cost data

Constructability

Vendor relations

Team development

Education

Bachelors in Engineering

Tools

On-Screen Takeoff

Bluebeam Revu

CostOS

Timberline

WinEst

Job description

Why Tarlton

Tarlton is a St. Louis-based general contractor and construction manager specializing in complex, technically demanding projects across the Midwest. With deep regional roots and a reputation built on trust, teamwork, and repeat clients, we are known for taking on challenging work and delivering it safely, predictably, and with pride. We conduct our business with safety, quality, integrity, and enthusiasm—and our core values include building a safe and caring environment.

Let’s Build!

As Estimating Manager at Tarlton, you’ll lead estimating teams and help decide what we pursue, how we price it, and how we win.

We’re growing, expanding our footprint, and partnering with some of the largest owners in the region, and most of our work comes from repeat clients. Dependable pricing is a big part of the trust behind those relationships.

In this role, you’ll set bid strategy alongside operations and company leadership and guide some of our largest and most complex pursuits from kickoff to submission. You’ll validate the quantities and pricing behind every bid, shape the bid calendar, and grow our estimating teams through hiring, development, and a commitment to quality. We value broad estimating experience across project types and delivery methods, and we’ll give you the support and resources to build teams that consistently deliver.

Your Role

Join a growing business unit and help shape its future as we expand our presence across Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, and Kansas. As part of our Energy, Industrial, and Civil operations team, you’ll pursue a variety of water/wastewater projects, including treatment plants, pump and lift stations, and underground utility work, along with energy, industrial, and civil projects. Our clients include municipalities, sewer and water districts, and consulting engineers. You’ll guide pursuits across a full range of delivery methods and pricing models.

You’ll bring constructability, sequencing, and risk insight into every bid, helping keep the facilities where we work operational throughout construction. Self-perform work is central to what we do, and you’ll lead the estimating teams pricing our civil, concrete, and steel work. Along the way, you’ll build on a strong base of repeat clients while helping bring in new ones that expand our reach, working closely with operations and company leaders to align teams, pursue the right work, and deliver winning proposals.

What You’ll Do

Bid Documents and Pricing

• Execute a complete review of bid documents, and determine what requires clarification on major pursuits.
• Coordinate site visits and review existing conditions, as-built documents, and surveys on renovation work.
• Perform and review takeoffs, ensure consistent methodology and tool use across the team, and validate quantities and pricing prepared by others.
• Develop conceptual budgets from minimal information, documenting assumptions clearly.
• Review area labor agreements for work rules and wage determinations.

Subcontractors and Self-Perform Work

• Lead subcontractor prequalification and vendor relationships, and resolve coverage gaps on critical trades.
• Partner with self-perform leadership on means and methods, production rates, equipment, rate structures, and data quality, and compare self-perform and subcontract pricing.
• Evaluate phasing, logistics, sequencing, and constructability for each estimate.

Estimate Assembly, Risk, and Compliance

• Prepare and review general conditions costs, and maintain templates and standards, including safety planning.
• Set bid strategy with operations and leadership, and lead final bid review.
• Manage the Go/No-Go process and bid calendar with executive leadership, ensure resourcing and on-time delivery, and plan estimating capacity alongside preconstruction work.
• Run bid day on assigned pursuits, negotiate subcontractor and supplier pricing, and determine the final numbers to be carried.
• Lead risk reviews with operations, set contingency, and review escalation and qualifications on major bids.
• Lead value engineering and constructability reviews, weighing cost, schedule, and lifecycle impacts.
• Own the compliance approach on major and public pursuits, including small business participation goals, in coordination with finance and community engagement.

Clients, Pursuits, and Collaboration

• Lead estimating services on hard bid and negotiated pursuits across design-bid-build, CM at Risk, and design-build delivery, using lump sum, unit price, and T&M pricing.
• Represent estimating with clients and in executive settings, including key pursuits, proposals, qualifications packages, interviews, and owner presentations.
• Partner with Business Development and Operations on pipeline, capture plans, and win strategy.
• Build relationships with clients, engineers, subcontractors, and suppliers, strengthening repeat client relationships and helping bring in new ones.
• Report on escalation and market conditions.

Buyout, Turnover, and Cost Data

• Ensure detailed handoffs and turnover discipline on won work, including converting the estimate to cost codes and budget.
• Lead preconstruction through design phases on CM at Risk and design-build projects, including priced value engineering options and alternates.
• Lead the estimate-to-actual feedback loop with operations.
• Contribute to utilization and maintenance of estimating systems including cost data, data governance, training and improvements to estimating processes, policies, and procedures.

Leadership and Development

• Lead, hire, develop, and review the work of Senior Estimators and Estimators, and plan for succession.
• Mentor Estimators and Project Engineers on takeoff, pricing, and constructability.
• Delegate responsibilities and balance workload across pursuits.
• Engage with company leadership and market leaders to guide group decisions and strategy.

Experience

• 8 or more years of estimating experience, including at least 2 years leading pursuit teams or people.
• T rack record owning bids on large or complex projects and managing multiple bids at once.
• Experience leading and developing estimators
• Self-perform pricing experience, including means, methods, and production rates.
• Hard bid and conceptual estimating experience on lump sum, CM at risk, or design-build projects preferred.

Education & Certificatio

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, architecture, construction management, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience or union/trade background considered.
• Industry certifications such as PMP, CPE, or DBIA are a plus.

Tools & Software

• Digital takeoff software (On-Screen Takeoff, Bluebeam Revu, or similar) at an advanced level.
• Standard estimating platforms (CostOS, Timberline, WinEst, or similar) at an advanced level.
• Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.

Tarlton Core Competencies

How we deliver is just as important as what we deliver.

• Gets Things Done: Takes ownership, works through barriers, and delivers results.
• Committed to the Needs of Clients: Listens to understand client needs and delivers responsive service.
• Demonstrates Teamwork with Integrity: Builds trust, collaborates well, and puts team success first.
• Technical & Operational Knowledge – Critical & Analytical Thinking: Applies strong job knowledge and sound judgment, tests assumptions, and spots risks.
• Develops & Adapt: Seeks growth, welcomes feedback, and adapts to change.
• Leadership & Team Development: Sets clear direction, holds others accountable, and develops the team.
• Build a Safe and Caring Environment: Builds safety into every estimate and will not carry a number that depends on unsafe work.

Where You’ll Work

Full-time position based in St. Louis, Missouri, with travel to project sites and client meetings throughout the region.

Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office work environment where the noise level is usually quiet.

If required, the employee may work from a jobsite trailer on occasion or owner-designated office location. The noise level in the work environment can be loud due to heavy equipment, jack hammers, pneumatic tools, etc. These sounds can be non-stop throughout the day.

Physical Requirements

• Limited exposure to physical risk.
• The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to twenty-five pounds.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit, talk, and hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; use hands; reach; and stoop or kneel.
• Specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.

Travel Requirements

• Occasional local or regional travel required for business or community events.
• Travel to project sites, pre-bid meetings, and client meetings within the region as needed.

What We Offer

Tarlton offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k) with company match, paid time off and holidays, life and disability insurance, and support for continuing education and professional development. Compensation is commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Tarlton is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable law. If you require assistance completing this application or need a reasonable accommodation, please contact [e-mail] or 314.633.3300 for support.