Head of Construction Estimating & Bid Strategy

Goodwin Recruiting; Somerset (Somerset County); On-site; USD 160,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Goodwin Recruiting seeks a Director of Construction Estimating to lead the estimating department, shape strategy, and drive profitable growth across projects in the United States. The role combines estimating expertise with business strategy, team development, and risk management.

You will oversee complex bids, set estimating standards, mentor staff, and align cost plans with field execution in collaboration with operations and management.

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 leadership role.
• Strong understanding of construction labor, materials, equipment, subcontracting, fabrication, engineering, and project cost development.
• Ability to interpret drawings, specifications, bid documents, contracts, schedules, and scopes of work.
• Strong knowledge of project margins, cost controls, construction risk, and estimated vs actual cost analysis.

Responsibilities

• Lead estimating strategy, departmental priorities, and bid planning.
• Evaluate potential projects and recommend opportunities aligned with capabilities and objectives.
• Oversee major, complex, high-value estimates and participate directly in critical bids.
• Review drawings, specs, contracts, schedules and scopes to identify requirements, risks, exclusions, and gaps.
• Ensure estimates account for labor, materials, equipment, subcontractors, fabrication, engineering, supervision and GC.
• Coordinate with operations, project management, engineering, fabrication, purchasing and field leadership to validate plans and cost assumptions.
• Oversee subcontractor and vendor solicitation for competitive pricing.
• Lead formal estimate reviews and pricing strategy with executives.
• Establish consistent estimating procedures, templates, databases, and technology.
• Manage bid schedules, workload, staffing, and post-bid follow-up.
• Lead handoffs of awarded projects to PM and operations.
• Analyze bid results and cost variances to improve future estimates.
• Track bid volume, win rate, gross margin, estimate accuracy and turnaround time.

Skills

Estimating leadership

Team development

Construction cost development

Bid analysis

Budgeting and cost controls

Risk management

Job description

Goodwin Recruiting seeks a Director of Construction Estimating to lead the estimating department, shape strategy, and drive profitable growth across projects in the United States. The role combines estimating expertise with business strategy, team development, and risk management.

You will oversee complex bids, set estimating standards, mentor staff, and align cost plans with field execution in collaboration with operations and management.