Pre-Construction Manager - Utility Scale Solar and BESS - Austin

Leap29; Austin (TX); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Leap29 is seeking an experienced Pre-Construction Manager to lead pre-construction for utility-scale solar and BESS projects in Austin. You will own pursuit strategies, pricing, schedules and constructability, coordinating multi-disciplinary teams to deliver competitive, technically compliant proposals and practical delivery plans.

The role requires proactive leadership, rigorous risk assessment and strong negotiation skills, with travel and collaboration across engineering, estimating,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management or related technical discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years' experience in preconstruction, project engineering, estimating or construction management within utility-scale solar or the wider renewable energy sector.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary teams throughout proposal development, project planning and construction preparation.
• Familiarity with renewable energy project delivery, commercial bidding and construction contracting processes.
• PMP certification or equivalent is desirable.
• Willingness to undertake approx. 5–10% domestic travel for customer meetings, site visits and supplier negotiations.
• Must be legally authorised to work in the United States.

Responsibilities

• Pursuit and Proposal Leadership: Manage RFP through construction kick-off with inputs from engineering, estimating, procurement, contracts, legal, risk, tax and operations.
• Design and Constructability Management: Monitor design development and coordinate resolution of cost, programme or constructability issues.
• Schedule and Risk Management: Track deliverables, develop baselines and identify delays and risks.
• Contracts and Commercial Negotiation: Prepare and negotiate contract exhibits, scopes of work and related documents.
• Project Handover and Stakeholder Management: Transition from pre-construction to construction with comprehensive handover.
• Process Improvement and Safety: Improve procedures, stage-gate templates and ensure safety compliance.
• Additional Responsibilities: Reporting and coordination across teams.

Skills

Renewable energy

Project leadership

Cross-functional coordination

Contract negotiation

Risk management

Procore expertise

MS Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

PMP certification desirable

Tools

Procore

SharePoint

Google Earth

PVsyst

AutoCAD

Job description

Pre-Construction Manager – Utility Scale Solar and BESS - Austin

Role Overview

Our client is seeking an experienced Preconstruction Manager to lead pre-construction activities for third-party renewable energy construction projects, from initial opportunity assessment through to construction kick-off.

This role will take ownership of the pursuit and proposal process, coordinating cross-functional teams to develop competitive, technically compliant proposals and practical project delivery strategies. The successful candidate will oversee cost planning, scheduling, constructability, risk management and commercial negotiations, ensuring a smooth transition from initial bid development through contract execution and handover to construction teams.

The position requires a proactive, commercially minded professional who can operate independently, manage competing priorities and drive decisions in a fast-paced project environment.

How We Work

• End-to-End Ownership: Take responsibility for pre-construction outcomes, from pursuit strategy through to construction handover, making informed decisions on cost, schedule and risk.
• Autonomy and Adaptability: Work effectively within a lean, fast-moving environment, responding to evolving project requirements and changing priorities.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Coordinate closely with business development, engineering, estimating, procurement, contracts, legal, risk and construction teams to deliver successful project outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

1. Pursuit and Proposal Leadership

• Manage project progression from Request for Proposal (RFP) through to construction kick-off, coordinating inputs from engineering, estimating, procurement, contracts, legal, risk, tax and operations.
• Lead the development of proposal pricing, project schedules and technical deliverables, including initial construction schedules and cash flow forecasts.
• Drive value engineering initiatives to improve project cost, efficiency and deliverability.
• Maintain project risk and opportunity registers, alongside proposal assumptions, clarifications and exceptions documentation.
• Lead proposal reviews, risk assessments and executive stage-gate meetings, maintaining oversight of pursuit timelines and stakeholder commitments.

2. Design and Constructability Management

• Monitor design development and coordinate the resolution of issues affecting cost, programme or constructability.
• Lead reviews of drawings, technical specifications and contract documentation to confirm scope alignment, compliance and practical construction requirements.
• Coordinate the procurement of early-stage site investigation services, including geotechnical assessments, land surveys and utility investigations.
• Lead constructability assessments and logistics planning throughout conceptual and detailed design stages.
• Oversee the development of preliminary construction plans, methodologies and schedules.

3. Schedule and Risk Management

• Track project deliverables, actions and stakeholder commitments across engineering, procurement and contracting teams to maintain programme alignment.
• Develop and manage baseline project schedules, identifying potential delays and critical-path risks.
• Proactively assess risks associated with permitting, grid interconnection, procurement, site conditions and other project constraints.
• Work with relevant stakeholders to develop mitigation strategies and maintain progress against key milestones.

4. Contracts and Commercial Negotiation

• Lead the preparation and negotiation of contract exhibits, scopes of work and supporting documentation in collaboration with Contracts and Legal teams.
• Represent our client in commercial and technical discussions with customers, vendors and subcontractors throughout the pursuit and contracting process.
• Coordinate activities through contract execution, ensuring agreed commercial terms, project assumptions and delivery obligations are clearly communicated to execution teams.
• Identify and address commercial or contractual risks before project handover.

5. Project Handover and Stakeholder Management

• Manage the transition from pre-construction to construction, including project kick-off preparation and the development of comprehensive handover documentation.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with customers, consultants, suppliers and internal stakeholders throughout the pursuit and design phases.
• Ensure customer expectations are aligned with the proposed design, commercial arrangements and project execution strategy.
• Act as the primary point of continuity from initial pursuit through to construction handover.

6. Process Improvement and Safety

• Develop, maintain and continuously improve pre-construction procedures, stage-gate processes, templates and documentation standards.
• Identify opportunities to improve consistency, efficiency and quality across proposal development and project planning activities.
• Promote a strong safety-first and quality-focused culture throughout the pre-construction process.
• Ensure site visits, surveys and other pre-construction activities comply with applicable health, safety and security procedures.

7. Additional Responsibilities

• Complete other duties as required, including routine and ad hoc reporting.
• Direct Reports: None currently.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years' experience in preconstruction, project engineering, estimating or construction management within utility-scale solar or the wider renewable energy sector.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary teams throughout proposal development, project planning and construction preparation.
• Familiarity with renewable energy project delivery, commercial bidding and construction contracting processes.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or an equivalent qualification is desirable.
• Willingness to undertake approximately 5–10% domestic travel for customer meetings, site visits and supplier negotiations.
• Must be legally authorised to work in the United States.

Technical Skills and Competencies

• Strong understanding of renewable energy construction processes, including civil, structural and electrical scopes.
• Ability to interpret construction drawings, technical specifications and contractual documentation.
• Experience with construction scheduling tools and project programme development.
• Working knowledge of EPC contracting models and competitive subcontractor bidding processes.
• Proficiency with project collaboration and document management platforms, such as Procore and SharePoint, alongside Microsoft Office applications.
• Familiarity with GIS tools, Google Earth, PVsyst or AutoCAD is advantageous.
• Exposure to SCADA systems, commissioning or testing processes is beneficial.
• Strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent pursuits and competing deadlines.
• Effective communication, negotiation, stakeholder management and cross-functional leadership capabilities.
• Structured problem-solving skills, commercial awareness and a high level of attention to detail and documentation accuracy.
• A proactive, self-directed approach, with the confidence to make decisions and take accountability for project outcomes.

Working Conditions

• Hybrid working arrangement, based primarily from an office in Austin, Texas.
• Domestic travel to project sites, customer meetings and vendor or contractor negotiations as required.
• Flexibility to work extended hours during major pursuits, proposal deadlines and key project approval milestones.