Preconstruction Director

Sky Mavis; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary bonus

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

Clayco is seeking a Preconstruction Director to oversee the preparation, management, and pricing of projects from concept to construction documents. You will lead internal and external teams through competitive bid efforts for CM and Design-Build formats, guiding projects to successful outcomes.

You will mentor junior staff, manage master subcontractor lists, and collaborate with business leaders to identify pursuit opportunities across Institutional, Industrial, Residential/Hospitality, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Architecture, or related field.
• 15+ years of estimating experience in commercial construction across multiple market sectors.
• Deep knowledge of building construction, materials, systems, market conditions, and trade practices.
• Familiarity with estimating and quantity takeoff software.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.

Responsibilities

• Strategic pursuit for projects across institutional, industrial, residential/hospitality, and commercial sectors.
• Lead proposal development ensuring alignment with client requirements and project scope.
• Develop conceptual estimates and scope of work; review with subcontractors.
• Oversee subcontractor selection, scopes, and pricing to ensure reliability and competitiveness.
• Present final estimates to clients/owners and communicate project value.
• Review schedules and documents for value engineering opportunities; price VE items.
• Mentor junior estimating staff and manage documentation for historical pricing.
• Support project management in contract negotiations, change orders, and related activities.

Skills

Leadership

Mentorship

Proposal leadership

Client engagement

Estimating

Data management

Contract support

Team coordination

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Architecture

Tools

Estimating software

Quantity takeoff software

Job description

About Us

Clayco is a full-service, turnkey real estate development, master planning, architecture, engineering, and construction firm that safely delivers clients across North America the highest quality solutions on time, on budget, and above and beyond expectations. With $7.6 billion in revenue for 2024, Clayco specializes in the "art and science of building," providing fast track, efficient solutions for industrial, commercial, institutional, and residential related building projects.

The Role We Want You For

As a Preconstruction Director, you will play a pivotal role in overseeing and coordinating the preparation and management of projects within the Preconstruction Department. You will lead and support both internal teams and external partners through competitive bid efforts for CM and Design-Build project delivery formats, guiding projects from conceptual design to completed construction documents. Your expertise in design management, value-based scoping, risk assessment, and reliable pricing will be crucial in driving project success.

The Specifics of the Role

• Strategic Project Pursuit: Collaborate with Business Unit Leaders (Institutional, Industrial, Residential/Hospitality, Commercial) and Project Executives to identify and evaluate potential projects for pursuit.
• Proposal Leadership: Direct the team in preparing comprehensive and accurate proposals, ensuring alignment with project requirements and client expectations.
• Estimating Expertise: Develop detailed conceptual estimates and scope of work for each trade, ensuring thorough review with subcontractors.
• Subcontractor Management: Oversee the subcontractor selection process, including the preparation and review of scopes, to secure reliable and competitive pricing.
• Client Engagement: Prepare and present final estimates to clients and owners, effectively communicating project value and key details.
• Project Review: Evaluate construction schedules and documents for value engineering opportunities, preparing, and pricing value engineering items as needed.
• Mentorship and Training: Train and mentor junior estimating staff, fostering their professional growth and ensuring high standards of estimating practice.
• Data and Documentation Management: Maintain and develop master subcontractor/vendor lists by trade, manage historical data for unit pricing, and develop general conditions for review with project management.
• Contract Support: Assist project managers with contract negotiations, change orders, and other project-related activities to ensure successful project execution.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Architecture, or a related field.
• Experience: 15+ years of experience in estimating for commercial construction, with a proven track record in leading project pursuits across multiple market sectors, including Commercial, Industrial, Healthcare, Institutional, and Residential.
• Technical Expertise: Deep knowledge of building construction, materials, systems, market conditions, and trade practices. Familiarity with estimating and quantity takeoff software.
• Software Proficiency: Skilled in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Leadership and Mentorship: Demonstrated experience in leading Preconstruction meetings and supervising junior staff.

Some Things You Should Know

• Our clients and projects are nationwide - Travel will be required.
• No other builder can offer the collaborative design-build approach that Clayco does.
• We work on creative, complex, award-winning, high-profile jobs.
• The pace is fast!

Why Clayco?

• 2024 Best Places to Work - Crains Chicago Business, St. Louis Business Journal, Los Angeles Business Journal, and Phoenix Business Journal.
• 2024 ENR Midwest - Midwest Contractor (#1).
• 2024 ENR Top 100 Design-Build Firms - Design-Build Contractor (Top 5).
• 2024 ENR Top 100 Green Contractors - Green Contractor (Top 5).

Benefits

• Discretionary Annual Bonus: Subject to company and individual performance.
• Comprehensive Benefits Package Including: Medical, dental and vision plans, 401k, generous PTO and paid company holidays, employee assistance program, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, disability coverage, learning & development programs and more!

Compensation

• The salary range for this position considers a wide range of factors in making compensation decisions including but not limited to: Education, qualifications, skills, training, experience, certifications, internal equity, and location. Compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.