Pre-Construction Manager

AppleOne Employment Services; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

AppleOne Employment Services seeks an experienced Pre-Construction Manager in Arlington, VA to lead preconstruction for large, technically complex commercial projects with a focus on Mission Critical/Data Center and aviation environments.

You will develop conceptual and detailed estimates, manage risk, and coordinate with owners, design partners, subcontractors, and internal teams to ensure accurate budgets and successful project execution.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of commercial construction and/or preconstruction experience.
• Experience on Mission Critical/Data Center or Aviation projects is required.
• Ability to read architectural, structural, civil, and MEP drawings.
• Strong budgeting, cost planning, and GMP development skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead preconstruction from concept to turnover for large projects.
• Develop budgets, estimates, and cost updates throughout design.
• Coordinate with owners, architects, engineers, and subs.
• Mentor estimators and preconstruction team members.

Skills

Lead preconstruction

Budget development

GMP proposals

Value engineering

MEP coordination

Stakeholder management

Bid leveling

Communication

Team mentoring

Estimating software

Education

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management or related field

Tools

Autodesk platforms

Estimating software

Job description

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Pre-Construction Manager for a direct hire opportunity in Arlington, VA. This role is ideal for a senior commercial construction professional with deep preconstruction expertise and a proven background in Mission Critical/Data Center or Aviation projects.

The Pre-Construction Manager will lead preconstruction efforts for large, technically complex commercial construction projects from early concept through turnover to operations. This position offers the opportunity to work closely with clients, design partners, subcontractors, and internal operations teams to shape project strategy, develop accurate budgets, manage risk, and support successful project execution.

This is a strong opportunity for a construction leader who values collaboration, technical excellence, and long-term career growth. The role offers exposure to high-profile, complex projects, a team-oriented environment, supportive leadership, and the ability to mentor and develop preconstruction professionals while serving as a trusted advisor to clients and project stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead preconstruction activities from conceptual design through construction documents, GMP development, and project turnover.
• Develop conceptual budgets, schematic estimates, design development estimates, detailed construction estimates, and ongoing cost updates.
• Manage value engineering, constructability reviews, project risk analysis, logistics planning, contingencies, allowances, escalation, and general conditions.
• Develop subcontractor bid packages, solicit and evaluate proposals, perform bid leveling, and identify scope gaps, overlaps, exclusions, and pricing discrepancies.
• Coordinate closely with owners, architects, engineers, consultants, trade partners, and operations teams to align budgets, assumptions, schedules, and project deliverables.
• Lead internal and external preconstruction meetings, support project pursuits, and mentor estimators and preconstruction team members.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Lead preconstruction for large, technically complex commercial construction projects.
• Develop conceptual estimates, project budgets, GMP proposals, procurement strategies, and value management solutions.
• Manage subcontractor bidding, scope review, bid leveling, and trade partner coordination.
• Support Mission Critical/Data Center or Aviation construction projects with complex MEP, logistics, and stakeholder requirements.
• 10+ years of commercial construction and/or preconstruction experience.
• Previous Mission Critical/Data Center or Aviation project experience is required.
• Strong experience with conceptual estimating, cost planning, GMP development, value engineering, constructability, procurement, and bid leveling.
• Strong understanding of commercial construction means, methods, sequencing, logistics, operations, and project cost structures.
• Experience developing and managing project budgets through multiple stages of design.
• Knowledge of general conditions, contingencies, allowances, escalation, and long-lead material planning.
• Ability to read and interpret architectural, structural, civil, and MEP drawings and specifications.
• Strong understanding of MEP-intensive and technically complex construction.
• Experience collaborating directly with owners, architects, engineers, consultants, subcontractors, suppliers, and operations teams.
• Strong leadership, communication, negotiation, client-service, organizational, and time-management skills.
• Proficiency with estimating, takeoff, scheduling, and construction management software.
• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or a related discipline preferred; equivalent industry experience may be considered.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Autodesk platforms.
• Strong subcontractor and trade partner relationships in commercial construction.
• Experience mentoring estimators or leading preconstruction team members.
• Mission Critical/Data Center experience involving generators, UPS systems, switchgear, cooling systems, redundancy, controls, commissioning, and long-lead equipment procurement.
• Aviation experience involving airport terminals, aviation facilities, airside/landside construction, phased work in active environments, security requirements, complex MEP systems, and stakeholder coordination.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disabled / Protected Veterans

The Know Your Rights poster is available here: https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12.pdf

The pay transparency policy is available here: https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ofccp/pdf/pay-transp_%20English_formattedESQA508c.pdf

• For temporary assignments lasting 13 weeks or longer, AppleOne is pleased to offer major medical, dental, vision, 401k and any statutory sick pay where required.

We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact your staffing representative who will reach out to our HR team.

AppleOne participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations as required by law. Learn more about the E-Verify program. https://e-verify.uscis.gov/web/media/resourcesContents/E-Verify_Participation_Poster_ES.pdf

We also consider for employment qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements, including, if applicable, the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. Pursuant to applicable state and municipal Fair Chance Laws and Ordinances, we will consider for employment-qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, including, if applicable, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. For Los Angeles, CA applicants: Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.